Four-time Global Volunteer Gemma Lewis has always been passionate about supporting children and their families. As a Children’s Care Coordinator with the National Health Service in the UK, she works with families of children living with severe disabilities to ensure they receive appropriate physical and emotional interventions. It was with this focus on practical support […]
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 […]
Freedom from career demands led retired college professors Sharon and David Moore of Arizona to Cuba with Global Volunteers. In an interview with Volunteer Engagement Manager Maggie Bjorklund, Sharon and David explain how retirees can explore Cuba, experience an intriguing culture, connect and engage with people, build bridges of understanding and respect, and do something […]
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 […]
The benefits of volunteering are endless across the spectrum of life. Service to others helps us understand the world and ourselves, connect with people, impact events and make a difference. During her gap year, 18 – year – old Cassidy Richardson learned all these lessons and more in the Cook Islands with Global Volunteers. She […]
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 […]
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 […]
Vietnam Volunteer Diana Swansen notices the “simple things” in life that remind her of humanity’s goodness. She offers her optimistic perspective with us, and her teammates, when teaching conversational English on a Vietnam Service Program in Hanoi. What is good taste? For most people, taste is simply a matter of flavor. But how do we experience goodness? For me, […]