Global Volunteers Alumna Maggi Gallaher said retirement has liberated her to indulge her appetite for volunteering. For her fourth service program, she served at Sagrada Familia, a community in Peru serving 1,400 at-risk children, from one month to 17 years. The community shelters about 600 homeless and abandoned children and provides nutrition, healthcare and education. […]
Returning from a service program can make you itch for more meaningful travel. Deciding where to volunteer next can be challenging, however. But maybe you don’t have to make the decision all over again. LeAnn Plinske and Jennifer O’Neill are alumni who chose to return to where they originally served. Here they share their experience […]
A recent retiree volunteering in Cuba describes the sights, sounds and inspiration she experienced while practicing English conversation with gracious elders and lively students. Mary Ann Fitzgerald says her life was enriched through this unique program, and shares how Global Volunteers enabled her to easily and safely explore Havana, Cuba through service. Florida retiree Mary […]
Global Volunteers professes that every volunteer helps wage peace and promote justice in partner communities worldwide But, you might wonder: “Can I really make a difference in my two weeks of service? Can I truly impact at least one person’s life?” If you have doubts, this story may just convince you how important you can […]
Cassidy Matz, an early childhood education student, learned that expanding her comfort zone on a service program in Greece was the impetus she needed for a new lifeview on genuine service. This reflection is excerpted from her team journal. By Cassidy Matz, 2019 Greece volunteerBefore embarking on my service experience with Global Volunteers, volunteering to […]
On the plains of South Dakota, a summer Global Volunteers service team worked one-on-one with the Sicangu Rosebud Sioux people, helping to improve the community’s welfare while gaining unique, non-tourist insights on the history, culture, and struggles of the Lakota Nation. Follow their day-by-day journey of discovery here. Welcome to the Reservation! Welcome to the […]
First-time volunteer Kathy Lafond was motivated to expand her volunteering options once she retired. “It’is time for me to give back to those less fortunate,” said the former IT project manager from VA. She chose St. Lucia for the opportunity to tutor 6- year-olds for two weeks. There, she said she learned more than she […]
A dedicated Global Volunteer, Thomasina Tafur is once again getting ready to pack her bags. But, before she did, she shared her story about working at Sagrada Familia outside Lima. It’s here, she said, where she found a clear commonality with the children she worked with – especially “helping young people maneuver through their life’s […]
By Maho Jordan This was my first experience with Global Volunteers. Being of service as part of a team taught me the importance of connecting with other cultures through education, service and friendships, and small acts of kindness. It just differs so much from being the “regular tourist.” I was able to learn about the […]
Retired engineer and Global Volunteers alumnus Greg Enders has been motivated by a lifelong desire to support and help those in need. He first joined Global Volunteers in China in 2008 to teach conversational English in schools. His second service program in Asia came with the opportunity to experience more of the continent’s diverse culture […]