After graduating from Federal Polytechnic in Nigeria, Folashade sought to grow her professional skills through virtual volunteering. She studied Accounting for practical reasons and had not expected to find a volunteer opportunity that would ignite her passion and change her life.
Through VolunteerMatch Folashade discovered Womenful Voice, a U.S.-based organization empowering women in Haiti. After three months of volunteering as the Executive Assistant to Womenful’s CEO, she was hired to do the role full-time.
2 min read
From Volunteer to International Career
By Darcy Hughes on May 30, 2024
Topics: virtual volunteering skills-based volunteering youth volunteering Stories from the Field
2 min read
Telling Great Volunteer Stories
By Guest Contributer on January 25, 2024
Guest Contributor: Carly Euler, Marketing Manager at MemoryFox
Have you ever wondered who maintains the memorials on the national mall?
Volunteers, led by the National Parks Service, are a huge part of keeping those larger-than-life symbols of our nation’s history suitable for over 25 million annual visitors.
Topics: Stories from the Field
4 min read
Magical Moments: The Story of Ridgebury Riders
By Darcy Hughes on December 22, 2023
“Magical moments happen daily at the farm” Haley Levesque, Program Coordinator.
On a repurposed dairy farm in Ridgebury Connecticut, "magical moments" are a regular occurrence. The farm is home to Ridgebury Riders, a nonprofit organization changing the lives of individuals, primarily children, with special needs through hippotherapy, which is occupational, speech, or physical therapy done on horseback.
Topics: inspiration local volunteering Stories from the Field
1 min read
VolunteerMatch: A lifeline to nonprofits
By Rachel Kestner on November 22, 2023
This is the time of year when volunteer coordinators are hoping for a miracle. End-of-year budgets are tight, staff may be burnt out –all while community needs mount during the holidays.
Topics: Stories from the Field
3 min read
Exclusive Conversation with Crisis Text Line’s CEO, Dena Trujillo
By Darcy Hughes on October 23, 2023
Volunteering: The Gift That Gives Back
Q: Can you tell us about yourself and your organization, Crisis Text Line?
A: Yes. Thank you. I have been the CEO of Crisis Text Line for three years, and it's truly been a privilege to lead such an extraordinary organization that provides free and accessible mental health support through text messages.
Topics: virtual volunteering Stories from the Field Interview
5 min read
For the Love of Volunteering: A gift both given and received
By Guest Contributer on January 26, 2023
SNAPkids is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children with disabilities by providing community-based swimming and fitness activities. By providing volunteers with a chance to work closely with our special swimmers, we open hearts, change attitudes and create more respectful, inclusive, and just communities. Learn more at: snapkids.org
Topics: inspiration local volunteering Stories from the Field
4 min read
Tutor a child, change a life.
By Guest Contributer on January 17, 2023
School on Wheels is an organization enhancing educational opportunities for children who are experiencing homelessness from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
- 1/3 of unhoused people are under the age of 18
- 1:20 children in CA don’t have homes
- 64% of children experiencing homelessness do not graduate high school
Topics: virtual volunteering inspiration local volunteering Stories from the Field
3 min read
Senior Dogs Snuggle Up For International Dog Day
By Darcy Hughes on August 25, 2022
For this International Dog Day (August 26th) we want to spotlight Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to the mighty task of rescuing, caring for, and rehoming large breed senior dogs. Of the dogs who come to Lily’s, 80% are from shelters and, more often than not, have suffered neglect. The organization does thorough evaluations and treatments to get them adoption ready.
Topics: inspiration local volunteering Stories from the Field
4 min read
“Feeding others feeds my soul” Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes
By Darcy Hughes on July 8, 2022
An interview with Rozene Pieri Enloe, a Community and Volunteer Outreach Coordinator with Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes— a community-based organization dedicated to alleviating hunger in Santa Cruz County, California.
- 40% of those served by Loaves and Fishes are children
- Homelessness in Santa Cruz County is 5x the national average
- With only four full-time staff members, the nonprofit relies on volunteers