Global Volunteer Month Partners: Exploring the Heart of Volunteerism and Its Impact

April is Global Volunteer Month (GVM), and Points of Light is proud to partner with incredible organizations mobilizing volunteers for change. This month, we explore the personal motivations – the “why” – behind this vital service. Here’s what our GVM program partners had to say.

Repair the World: Jewish Values in Action

Repair the World engages volunteers in Jewish service, blending hands-on action with Jewish learning and reflection to address social needs. This unique approach connects volunteers to issues through a Jewish lens, enriching their service with cultural and historical context.

Volunteers are crucial to Repair the World’s mission of fostering a vibrant Jewish community through social change. They directly support service partners, deepen participants’ Jewish identities and build stronger communities. Without volunteers, Repair the World couldn’t meet community needs, connect individuals to their heritage through service or cultivate collective action.

One of Repair the World’s key programs, Service Corps, has volunteers commit five to 10 hours weekly to local nonprofits and NGOs, engaging in community building and learning rooted in Jewish values. This program has contributed over 55,000 service hours since 2020. In addition to its internal programming, partnering with GVM allows Repair the World to reach more volunteers and more partners, aiming to inspire one million acts of service and learning by 2030 toward Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).

“In the face of unprecedented antisemitism in the United States and war in Israel, we saw an inspiring surge in the number of participants showing up to live their Jewish values through meaningful Jewish service. At this pivotal moment for the Jewish community, we are filled with hope for the future of our work and also with deep resolve for its great importance.” — Cindy Greenberg, CEO, Repair the World

Operation Gratitude: A Nationwide “Thank You” Powered by Volunteers

Operation Gratitude, another Global Volunteer Month partner, embodies the power of collective appreciation for our military and first responder communities. Their mission is to express gratitude and honor the service of these dedicated individuals by creating opportunities for all Americans to show their thanks.

Operation Gratitude offers diverse ways to get involved, catering to all ages and abilities. Volunteers can participate in energetic in-person care package assemblies or contribute virtually through initiatives like the “Handmade with Love” program, collection drives, letter writing, paracord lanyard making and more. Every activity directly supports those who serve.

Thanks to their nationwide network, Operation Gratitude has sent over 4.2 million care packages since 2003, a testament to the collective desire to say, “thank you” to deployed servicemembers, veterans, first responders, recruit graduates, military spouses and caregivers.

“Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our mission. Without them, our vision of honoring and uplifting our heroes would remain unfulfilled. They are the true force behind every care package, every smile, and every expression of thanks.” — Meg Barron, executive director, Operation Gratitude

Best Friends Animal Society: A Volunteer-Powered Path to No-Kill

Best Friends Animal Society, a national leader working to end the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters by 2025, is our next Global Volunteer Month partner. Their ambitious “no-kill” goal relies heavily on the passion and dedication of their vast network of volunteers. Best Friends offers a wide array of volunteer opportunities, both in person and virtual, catering to diverse skills and availability.

From hands-on animal care and event support to donor stewardship, website writing, social media moderation and even creating learning modules, volunteers are integral to nearly every aspect of their work. Their growing remote volunteer program, known as NOVA (National Operations Volunteers and Ambassadors), allows individuals nationwide to contribute from their own communities.

Volunteers directly contribute to animal care, facilitate adoptions through fostering and transport, cultivate donor relationships, gather crucial data to target resources and play a vital role in their annual national conference, impacting animal welfare professionals across the country. Having previously partnered with Points of Light through the Service Enterprise Program, Best Friends is thrilled to re-engage and elevate their volunteer engagement strategies on a global platform.

“In 2024, more than 12,000 volunteers donated more than 520,000 hours of help! Their efforts translate into animal lives saved. The passionate and skilled volunteers who are our partners in this work have a lifesaving impact on animals across the country. They play an integral part in Best Friends achieving its mission.” — Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society

AmeriCorps: Empowering Citizens to Serve and Strengthen Communities

Global Volunteer Month partner AmeriCorps, the federal agency dedicated to service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and foster stronger civic engagement through sustained, results-driven service.

AmeriCorps works with a vast network of nonprofit, community, faith-based, tribal and government partners. Each year, they engage Americans of all backgrounds in service at over 34,000 locations nationwide, tackling critical issues in education, health, economic opportunity, disaster services, environmental stewardship and support for veterans and military families. Through public-private partnerships, AmeriCorps invests significant federal resources in local solutions powered by national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are on the front lines of addressing major community challenges.

AmeriCorps believes that national service is a vital complement to governmental efforts, requiring broad citizen participation. For every dollar invested in AmeriCorps, significant value is returned to the economy and communities. Volunteering is seen as the very heartbeat of healthy communities, providing essential support to schools, shelters, hospitals and various civic and nonprofit organizations. For over two decades, AmeriCorps has also collaborated with the U.S. Census Bureau to track volunteerism and civic engagement, providing crucial data on the nation’s civic health.

The Rippling Impact of Your “Why” During Global Volunteer Month

Global Volunteer Month celebrates the power of individual action. Whether it’s a desire to live out deeply held values like Tikkun Olam, a heartfelt need to express gratitude to those who serve, a profound compassion for animals in need or a fundamental belief in strengthening communities through civic engagement, the motivations behind volunteering are as diverse as the individuals themselves. Yet, these personal drivers converge into a powerful force for good, creating tangible and lasting change.

This Global Volunteer Month, we encourage you to reflect on your own “why.” What issues resonate deeply with you? What kind of impact do you want to make in the world? Just as the volunteers for our partners have found meaningful ways to contribute their time and talents, you too have the power to be a force for positive change.

Whether it’s a few hours a month or a more significant commitment, your individual action, driven by your personal “why,” can create a ripple effect of hope and progress in your community and beyond. Join us in celebrating the power of volunteers and discover your own unique way to make a difference.