Can one or two weeks on a service program truly make a difference to people in need? Our answer is yes! Short-term volunteers can bring a long-term impact to the communities that we serve, and we have numerous alumni stories to underline this point. But, stories from our community partners and international staff are especially […]
Barb Holdridge was intrigued when her good friend recommended a new type of travel. But, she didn’t know she’d also catch the volunteering abroad “bug” so quickly! Sixteen years and 10 trips later, Barb says that international volunteer travel is “the” way to learn from local people, build long lasting friendships, and have fun while […]
Judy Marx, a three-time Global Volunteer alumna, said an ancient Judaism tradition, Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for “world repair”), propelled her search for international volunteer opportunities. The world is imperfect, the lesson teaches, but is in our own hands to make it better every day. Judy and her husband John said they’ve since discovered that volunteerism […]
Forty years ago, Laura Tomlinson and Kim Berge worked together in Colorado Springs. They parted ways soon after college to pursue their careers – Kim attended a Physician Assistant program in CT and Laura pursued a graduate degree in Education in CA. They never lived in the same town again. Each got married, raised their own families, established […]
“Marvelous Maddy,” (above) is a student volunteer who raised over $6,000 worth of dental supplies for the RCP (Reaching Children’s Potential) Clinic in Ipalamwa, Tanzania.“Seeing the children’s faces light up as they held on tightly to their new dental tools was so heartwarming. At that moment, I was so proud of our fundraising efforts and […]
Global Volunteers alumni Tom and Rondi Olson were eager for their service program in Crete, Greece. After serving in Peru and Cuba, they said the island’s craggy beauty and friendly culture drew them to their next volunteer adventure. In a two-part blog post, Rondi and Tom report on the students, teachers and volunteers they worked […]
In her second installment, Vietnam Volunteer Diana Swansen reflects on how she and her teammates experienced compassion while volunteering in Hanoi, Vietnam. As an aviation trainer, she transmitted her passion for aviation to a classroom full of sixth-graders, fascinating them with maps and charts; and nurturing their dreams of become pilots. As a volunteer, she inspired her […]
When Annie saw the description of Global Volunteers’ Cook Islands program, she suspected it might be precisely the type of “once-in-a-lifetime” destination for her wife, Toby’s, 70th birthday. Together, they decided that celebrating Toby’s milestone birthday in service to others would be unforgettable and rewarding. Read Toby’s story here! By Toby S., First-time Cook Islands […]
Three-time volunteers and twin sisters, Kit Prendergast and Diane Clark, have identical perspectives on the value of service abroad. They share how they created lifetime memories on an adventure in volunteering together in Beja, Portugal recently. “My twin sister Kit and I joined service programs with Global Volunteers in Greece and Peru, and both our experiences […]
Geri says serving in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba for two weeks with her daughter Bridget was a journey of discovery. Together they acquired new skills, explored a new culture, and learned something new about each other. Bridget and Geri share a few highlights of “volunteering as mother and daughter” with Marketing Assistant and Greece Country […]