Today, VolunteerMatch celebrates the incredible dedication and passion of our community of 130,000 nonprofit partners, as we extend our heartfelt gratitude to MacKenzie Scott for her transformational gift to our organization, and for the recognition of the work we do together as a unified network of nonprofits, centered on creating more connected, compassionate and equitable communities.

Every single one of us has the power of creativity, and when we tap into this power, we are able to creatively respond to even the most difficult of challenges. Artists and creators lift us up and show us what’s possible during times of celebration and times of tragedy. They inspire us to think in new ways and encourage us to be willing to pivot from what we’ve always known to explore new ways of doing and being when the world turns upside down. 

While getting vaccinated right away may not be right for everyone, large-scale vaccine distribution has been cited as a critical step in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in the US.  

Unfortunately, numerous logistical challenges have already arisen for local health departments, hospitals, and other providers, and many local communities have called for volunteer support — both medical and non-medical — administering vaccines and organizing and managing vaccine clinics. 

"We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there "is" such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Almost one year ago, I wrote the first blog post of 2020 to kick off MLK Day and what we were confident would be a powerful year of grassroots service across our VolunteerMatch community. We hoped to inspire others and make it even easier and more accessible to get out into volunteer service in the new year than ever before.

Music moves the human heart like no other force I know.

Just a few notes of a song have the power to lift us up when we’re feeling down, make us feel closer when we’re apart, and inspire us to boldly try new things we’ve been afraid to even dare to dream about.

At a time when each of us can benefit from sharing our experiences and feeling heard, VolunteerMatch and Listeners On Call are partnering on a new program, Listen for Good.

It’s been startling to read recently that the inequality gap that has existed in our country since well before the COVID-19 pandemic began is actually growing more rapidly today.

We have seen how the recent protests around the world have awakened and impassioned a much greater segment of our population to consider the long history of injustice and racism that exists in the U.S. Additionally, the challenges surfacing from COVID-19 are creating greater needs in our communities, while nonprofits are struggling with filling volunteering roles.

The challenges surfacing from COVID-19 are creating greater needs in our communities. Nonprofits are struggling with filling volunteering roles, while the people in our communities who need these services are growing. In fact from research we performed during the month of March, we learned that 93% of nonprofit organizations are seeing volunteer cancellations, with some losing 100% of their volunteer force.