First-time Global Volunteer Pam Ballard said she couldn’t have correctly anticipated the impact of working one-on-one with Ukrainian refugee families in Poland. And now, she’s not certain she can adequately describe the impact the experience has had in her own life. Back at work as CEO of Community Service Council in Tulsa, OK, her understanding […]
Each summer, since 2000 (except for 2020), Global Volunteers has worked in partnerships with the Blackfeet people on community priorities – focusing on labor, elder services and family health and recreation projects. The first volunteer team in 2022 – 10 individuals aged19 to 73 – served from June 5-11. Thirteen service programs follow through early […]
In many ways, Michael Woodley is a typical teen. He loves playing guitar, listening to music and hanging out with friends. But, he took an unusual step in April when Russia invaded Ukraine. Having just received a gift of $1,000 from his godmother, he committed $700 to Global Volunteers’ Ukraine Refugee Fund. What – and who – convinced him […]
Global Volunteers works in developing communities inside the U.S. as well as around the world. Volunteers are drawn to opportunities to help upgrade the daily lives of average people living in under-resourced communities. Texas Community Partner Ann Cass, director of Proyecto Azteca, a non-profit home-building program, sat down with retired ABC broadcast reporter and Global […]
One month after Olga arrived in Siedlce, Poland, she felt “at home” among the Polish people who took her in after her country was attacked in March. Since then, she’s become a translator for Global Volunteers, and looks forward to many new opportunities to help other refugees. “I feel I have always been brave, and […]
As Ukrainian refugees headed to our Polish partner community of Siedlce in March, 2022, we quickly mobilized short-term volunteers to help provide humanitarian services. At the exquisite rural manor house, Reymontowka, Global Volunteers team members have hosted restorative activities for Ukrainian mothers and children, and learned the horrible cost of war. This post is written […]
Most volunteers are characteristically modest when estimating their personal impact in Global Volunteers’ partner communities. But when measuring the cumulative outcomes of service programs over time, we’ve demonstrated that the transformative power of volunteer teams – serving for one, two or three weeks at a time – is deep and wide. Sharing knowledge of those […]
The central purpose of Global Volunteers’ Reaching Children’s Potential Program (RCP) is to eliminate childhood stunting, which leads to life-long physical, cognitive and psychological limitations. When the health of children enrolled in the RCP Program is found to be compromised, they and their parents are closely monitored by RCP Caregivers and provided proven nutritional, hygiene […]
For 20 years, retired Social Security Administration Paralegal Specialist Shirley Long traveled the world with the goal of visiting all seven continents. After achieving that, her new plan was to have an immersive experience in one community as a volunteer and return each year for two to three weeks. She chose Global Volunteers’ Reaching Children’s […]
Each time a traumatic world event occurs, volunteers from all corners of the U.S. and other English-speaking countries contact us to ask, “How can I help?” In many cases, such as natural disasters, medical emergencies and armed conflict, the need is immediate and specialized. Trained relief workers, equipped with the skills to handle hazardous, medical […]