643. How to Build a Volunteer-Centric Culture + Mobilize Your Volunteers - Jennifer Sirangelo, Points of Light

Summary

Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

We Are For Good Podcast – Episode 643: “How to Build a Volunteer-Centric Culture + Mobilize Your Volunteers”
Date: September 8, 2025
Guest: Jennifer Sirangelo, President & CEO, Points of Light
Hosts: Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

This episode dives into the heart of building a volunteer-centric nonprofit culture and mobilizing volunteers at scale. The hosts, Jon and Becky, welcome Jennifer Sirangelo, leader of Points of Light—a global force in volunteerism operating in 32 countries with 4 million volunteers—to unpack strategies, mindsets, and the impact of volunteer-centric organizations. They discuss practical lessons, sector challenges, actionable tactics, and stories that spark hope and urgency for doubling volunteering worldwide.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jennifer Sirangelo’s Journey in Nonprofit Leadership

• Starts at [03:31]
  • Grew up volunteering in Kansas City through organizations like Camp Fire Girls and her church, without even knowing the formal label “volunteering.”
  • First job: executive director of a small homeless shelter run primarily by volunteers. A formative moment was turning away a homeless family due to capacity limits:

    “That was the day I became a fundraiser. I wasn’t trained in it… but I was like, how do I, I don’t want this again. How do I change that?” – Jennifer Sirangelo [04:31]

  • Self-taught in fundraising, eventually leading to expansion—buying two more houses for the shelter with funds raised.
  • Career trajectory: local nonprofits → regional → national (notably 17 years at 4H) → Points of Light, to expand her impact by galvanizing global volunteerism.

The “Civic Century” Vision & Points of Light Impact

• Starts at [08:50]
  • Points of Light leads a global network enabling volunteer action through nonprofit partnerships, corporate engagement, and sector advancement.
  • Their network covers 4 million volunteers across 32 countries, supporting 70,000 NGOs.
  • They assist companies in building meaningful employee volunteering, not just “a day in a T-shirt.”
  • Civic Century:

    “How do we build the volunteer apparatus, the infrastructure for the future so that it’s easy for people to volunteer, nonprofits are getting what they need, and we can fulfill our mission?” – Jennifer Sirangelo [12:12]

  • North Star: Helping people find their meaning and purpose through volunteering, inspired by President George H.W. Bush’s “thousand points of light” vision.

The Audacious Goal: Doubling Volunteering by 2035

• Starts at [13:18]
  • Points of Light aims to double their volunteer base to 8 million by 2035.
  • Importance of reframing volunteering:

    “We need to change the perception of volunteering from something that’s nice to something that’s necessary.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [14:13]

  • Triple bottom line: benefits the volunteer, the community served, and collectively strengthens society by fostering empathy, resilience, and healing social divides.

Building a Volunteer-Centric Nonprofit Culture

• Starts at [17:52]
  • Volunteer management is often undervalued and underfunded.

    “People think [volunteers] are free... but when we ask nonprofits what does it cost to have a volunteer, it’s from between $25 to almost $2,000.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [19:07]

  • Points of Light’s report, “From Nice to Necessary,” urges nonprofits and funders to invest in volunteer infrastructure.
  • Call for courage in nonprofits to include volunteer engagement costs in fundraising/grants.

The ROI of Volunteering & Volunteer Experience

• Starts at [21:26]
  • Becky recalls a food bank experience measuring volunteer value:

    “They tell you... you saved us $120,000 in staff salaries by the work that you did today.” – Becky Endicott [21:41]

  • Volunteers not only fill roles but become advocates and storytellers.

Challenges in Volunteer Engagement

• Starts at [23:11]
  • Issues: volunteer shortages, retention, and high no-show rates since the pandemic.

    “The rate of people signing up but not showing up is significantly up since the pandemic.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [25:13]

  • Potential tech solutions: better reminders, streamlined signups, post-engagement follow-ups.
  • The essential role of personal invitations:

    “The number one reason people volunteer is someone asked them to.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [26:41]

  • Importance of activating current volunteers and involving Gen Z in shaping future volunteer infrastructure.

Empowering Volunteer Leaders and the Intergenerational Opportunity

• Starts at [30:33]
  • Volunteer leadership leads to longevity and deeper engagement (“70 year pin” in 4H).
  • Focused effort to involve retirees and boomers whose talents and time could be transformative.

    “Our extremely talented and healthy retirees... have so much left to give, so much to offer.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [31:15]

  • Volunteering helps older adults combat isolation and find renewed purpose.

Real-World Case Study: Hands On Atlanta

• Starts at [34:07]
  • Hands On Atlanta recruits and trains volunteers for 65 food bank locations, strengthening both operations and community advocacy:

    “Those volunteers also... become advocates and storytellers. It is contagious.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [34:31]

  • Doubling volunteering is possible one person at a time—“everyone brings one friend and it’s done.” – Jon McCoy [35:33]

Agency, Meaning, and Purpose in Volunteering

• Starts at [35:54]
  • Volunteering allows individuals to experience agency—“I can change the world through my actions.”
  • Provides resilience during turbulent times and a sense of hope.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the necessity of volunteers:

  “You can't solve hunger in my community without volunteers. You can’t.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [20:59]

• On the act of asking:

  “Inviting somebody into a bigger part of their story and meaning and purpose... you’re inviting them into a bigger part of their story.” – Jon McCoy [29:15]

• On measuring the impact for volunteers:

  “Because there are 220 of you here today, you saved us $120,000 in staff salaries by the work that you did today.” – Becky Endicott [21:41]

• On organizational courage:

  “Don’t be afraid to think about what it takes to have volunteers and to include that in your fundraising.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [20:19]

• On the life-changing power of leading as a volunteer:

  “The ones who stay are the ones who give the most and lead.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [31:02]

• On personal agency:

  “I have independence. I can change the world through my actions... that changes mindsets and it does make us more resilient, especially in difficult times.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [36:09]

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Important Timestamps

• 03:31 – Jennifer Sirangelo’s path to nonprofit work through early volunteering and first leadership roles.
• 08:50 – The Points of Light global network and the “Civic Century.”
• 13:18 – Goal to double volunteering; shifting the narrative from “nice” to “necessary.”
• 17:52 – The real costs of volunteer engagement and investment gaps in volunteer infrastructure.
• 21:41 – Story illustrating the concrete value of volunteers.
• 23:11 – Key challenges: volunteer shortages, tech solutions, and recruitment.
• 25:13 – Increase in volunteer sign-up “no-shows” since the pandemic.
• 26:41 – The power of direct invitations in mobilizing volunteers.
• 30:33 – Empowering volunteers through leadership; untapped potential in retirees.
• 34:07 – Case study: Hands On Atlanta's volunteer-driven impact on local food banks.
• 35:54 – The sense of agency and meaning derived from volunteering.
• 37:23 – Jennifer’s personal “moment of philanthropy” story about her first board chair’s major donation.
• 40:03 – “One Good Thing” takeaway: align volunteering with what brings you joy.
• 41:04 – How to connect and engage with Points of Light.

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Key Takeaways and Action Steps

For Nonprofit Leaders:

• Don’t undervalue the infrastructure required for powerful volunteer engagement. Include volunteer management and training costs in fundraising and grant proposals.
• Measure and communicate the concrete impact of volunteers, both in financial and community-building terms.
• Use direct, personal invitations to recruit and activate volunteers—don’t rely on passive methods.

For All Listeners:

• Find volunteer opportunities that align with your passions for greater impact and fulfillment.
• Consider the broader social impact of volunteering—healing divides, building resilience, and cultivating empathy.
• Contribute to the movement (and Point of Light’s goal) by bringing a friend or colleague into volunteering.

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How to Get Involved

• Jennifer Sirangelo: Connect on LinkedIn by searching “J. Sirangelo.”
• Points of Light: Visit pointsoflight.org to find a local affiliate, access resources, read the full “From Nice to Necessary” report, and find volunteer opportunities.
• Social Media: Jennifer is active as @j.sirangelo on Instagram and other major platforms.

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Closing Inspiration

“We call people to be a light. So... I encourage everyone to be a light in their community.” – Jennifer Sirangelo [42:49]

This episode is a call to recognize, resource, and re-energize volunteers—and in doing so, to spark a virtuous cycle of hope and agency in every community.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, friends, you know we love powerful tech that tells a story of what's happening within your mission. But when that tech is incredible and free, we have to shout its buttery goodness from the rooftops. GiveButter is the easiest to use, all in one nonprofit fundraising platform that empowers millions of change makers like you to raise more, pay less and give better. Nonprofits use GiveButter to bring together multiple categories of tools, including mobile friendly donation forms, fundraising campaigns, events, auctions, email marketing, a built in CRM, and so much more. And thanks to their 100% transparent tip or fee model, GiveButter's core fundraising features are free no matter how many contacts you have. Head to givebutter.com weareforgood to sign up for your free account today and get started in minutes. Hey, I'm John.

[B]

And I'm Becky.

[A]

And this is the We Are for Good podcast.

[B]

Nonprofits are faced with more challenges to accomplish their missions and the growing pressure to do more, raise more, and be more for the causes that improve our world.

[A]

We're here to learn with you from some of the best in the industry, bringing the most innovative ideas, inspirational stories, all to create an impact uprising.

[B]

So welcome to the good community. We're non profit professionals, philanthropists, world changers, and rabid fans who are striving to bring a little more goodness into the world.

[A]

So let's get started. Hey, Becky, what's happening?

[B]

I'm already grinning.

[A]

I know we've like found a kindred spirit here and I mean, we're always talking in our community and I think what keeps coming up is this need and desire to like pour into our volunteers this year. I think when everything's changing, it's like we're looking for our believers. We're calling them in and figuring out how can we activate them in a really meaningful way, how can we mobilize with more purpose?

[C]

And.

[A]

And we brought in like creme de la creme, right?

[B]

Oh, it's like the goat. Like, I sit here and look at points of light. And we are just so lucky and honored to welcome their president, Jennifer Serrangelo. She's the president and CEO to the podcast today. And I just gotta say, this organization, I'm sure many of you have heard of this organization, you may not fully understand it, but you will after we get through this conversation. And you are going to be on fire. Fire to go find those rabid fans, those believers, activate them, and have them lead the movement that your mission has been waiting for. But first, before we get into that, you've got to meet Jennifer because I'm pretty sure she's my sister from another mister for the short amount of time that we've spent together. But she is really inspiring and empowering individuals while championing the volunteering and civic engagement activities worldwide. She's been leading other major nonprofits that you already know about in organizations like the National 4H Council and boys and Girls Club of America and really honing her expertise and fundraising and leadership. But this organization, y', all, they work and partner with nonprofits and companies and social impact leaders to really galvanize volunteers to meet whatever the critical need is. And y', all, I'm talking about like 4 million volunteers across 32 countries that are creating healthy, equitable communities where everyone can thrive. Have we ever needed that in our lifetimes? More than right now. Jennifer, we are so excited you're here. We can't wait to learn from you. Welcome to the We Are For Good podcast.

[C]

Thank you. It's wonderful to be here.

[B]

Well, you are such an interesting individual. You're coming to us from Kansas City, and we know that you must have a story of little Jennifer growing up, who had a heart maybe for this work. Talk a little bit about those formative years and how they led you to today.

[C]

Sure. Well, probably like a lot of people, I did grow up in Kansas City. I happened to be home visiting my family today. So I'm coming to you from there. I Live in Washington, D.C. but I'm here today and just probably like a lot of your folks listening today, my journey and nonprofit started when I was really young from volunteering. I was a campfire girl volunteering through there, through my church. But I didn't know it was called volunteering. You know, like, that wasn't why we did did it. And I didn't know my mom was a volunteer, you know, like that, those sort of things. But I'll tell you really, probably what was the most formative was my first job. My first job out of college. They must have been really desperate. But I was the executive director of a very small homeless shelter that had a $100,000 budget. And it was a. It was a specialty shelter for families. So we had an older home that they had broken into apartments and so that families wouldn't be broken up. Like most shelters, you'll have men and women or women and children. And so a family wouldn't feel they had a family unit. And this was designed to serve us for a short time, a temporary shelter for families that had fallen on something and could get back on their feet. And my office was literally in a garage. This sounds like classic, but it really was a garage. It was the old garage. And then they, you know, close the door. And my window looked out onto the driveway. And it was like I said, $100,000 budget. We had like four apartments and it was all run volunteers except we had like three staff. And the day we were full and I had a family drive up into that driveway that my window looked out on, and we didn't have any room. And I saw them, they had to leave in their car. And I didn't know where they would sleep or what would happen to them. That was the day I became a fundraiser. Because I wasn't trained in it. There wasn't fundraising stuff when I graduated. We didn't have those kind of things. But I was like, how do I, I don't want this again. This is why I wanted to be a nonprofit. How do I change that? I better figure out how to get resources because we need another house, you know, we need another place. And so that I was self taught, like, I didn't know fundraising was a thing. I didn't know. I never heard of anybody or met anybody who did it. But that's where I grew. How I grew up in nonprofits was I realized I was there to make an impact on people. I wanted to help people. And that's why I volunteered as a kid and that's why I went into nonprofits as an adult. But I realized I couldn't do that if I didn't have resources. And that's how I realized the importance of fundraising. And I taught myself, I went to classes on grant making, I joined the professional association and I went to all kinds of professional things and I basically taught myself to fundraise. And I'm happy to say we were able to buy another house and get. We bought two houses and were able to expand. But that was when I realized the how fulfilling fundraising. Like, I never would have thought of it, but when I realized, you know, dollars, equal impact, I'm about impact. And that was to me, how I became a fundraiser. And then from there I grew and I was able to become a leader and an executive. And nonprofits. I went from a local to a regional to a national, and and then had a great mentor who, who mentored me to become a CEO at 4h, where I was for nine years a CEO, 17 years at 4h. And so then I, after really doing what I came to do with 4H, I, I decided to move to points of Light, where I really believe in the importance of more people giving and volunteering in our country and around the world. And so I'm excited to be here with you guys today. But that's my story. That's my story.

[A]

I feel like it's just kind of. You kind of trip into this thing and then it catches your heart and then you can't get out of it. So many of us, that's so much of our story. And I love that you're just attitude of figuring things out as you go. And I also caught leaning into mentors in our life. Like, what a call out to people that are a couple steps ahead of us, that can really shepherd us through times of transition and growth. So I love that part of your story so much. Okay. Your work at Points of Light, though, is insane. Like, truly, I mean, y' all have activated 4 million volunteers across 32 countries. I'm sitting with those numbers and recognizing those. It's just an unbelievable amount of people that are mobilized. But we've heard you talk about what you call the dawn of a civic century. Can you kind of set the stage for our listeners? What does that mean in tangible terms?

[C]

Sure. And so probably should start just a little bit with the. About Points of Light. So we are. You talked about the countries we're in and the network we lead. So part of what we do is leading a network of nonprofit organizations around the world. NGOs around the world that are either their country leader in volunteer mobilization or they're the leader here in the US in their city or region. And so those Volunteer action centers are. They're truly the heroes to me. They are the ones activating those 4 million volunteers. They're totally connected to the communities. They probably have an. Each one of them would have a network of three to 400 nonprofits that they support in training, mobilizing, recruiting, motivating their volunteers. They also do things at a community level. So many of our volunteer action centers are on their city's disaster recovery team. So they're planning in advance. So that network is a really important part of what we do. And they're the ones. They're the heroes, those volunteer managers who no one ever talks about. They're on my mind every day because they are the ones that really exponentially allow nonprofits to achieve their mission through volunteers. When I was a 4H, we had about 10. We were in every county in America with serving children with the 4H clubs. And we had about 10,000 paid staff, maybe a little less, maybe 8 and 600,000 volunteers that made that possible. And 4H isn't the only one. Many organizations are truly powered by volunteerism. So that's a part of what we do is really build that network, strengthen those leaders, provide training, professional development and tools and everything to those nonprofits so that they can support that family of nonprofits in their area. And our numbers show that that network that reaches that 4 million serves about 70,000 NGOs, helping them get their volunteers. The other part of what we do is we work with companies and we help them with their corporate social impact. So we support them connecting to those volunteer centers to activate their employees, to learn how to listen to the community and how to build a meaningful for their employees. So it's not just a day in a T shirt, but you're learning about your community. You're solving a local problem that your community is asking you to do. So that's very important, that meaningful and purposeful volunteerism. And then we do things where we advance the field of volunteering in the US and around the world through a conference we hold and those kind of things. So that's a little bit about points of light. We are truly the global leader in volunteer mobilizing and I think the largest network there is. And it's just an honor to be a part of that. So you mentioned the civic Century. And for us, that is really, we are 35 years old this year. And that for us looking ahead is how do we build the volunteer, I would call apparatus infrastructure for the future so that it's easy for people to volunteer. Nonprofits are getting what they need, and we can fulfill our mission, which is to ensure the value and impact of volunteering is reaching every person. Wow.

[B]

I mean, I just think about you all being the wizard behind the curtain, not in a negative way, conducting such a massive grassroots effort that helps community by community. I'm. I'm very obsessed with it. And I. And I love that it's expanded into companies and that there's training there and understanding. And you are helping people discover their passions. And that's what I think. You know, it seems like such a step one or step zero is like identifying that passion and then aligning. You have this audacious goal to double volunteering by 2035. You're going to get 8. You're going to move to 8 million in the next decade. Holy crap. Like, what is the strategy to inspire this at scale? And where did that come from? And please, please tell us what you're learning.

[C]

Sure, sure. Well, we'll start with what I call. We call our North Star. And that is we exist to really help people find their meaning and purpose through volunteering and civic engagement. And we were started in 1989 in the White House by President George H.W. bush. You may have heard or read about his speech in his inaugural address and in his acceptance speech when he was nominated to run for president, where he talked about a thousand. He envisioned communities with a thousand points of light. And that's where Points of Light came from. And he saw that as people and organizations in community solving local problems. And I can tell you more if you want to know about that, those stories about our founding. But it's that North Star of helping people find their meaning and purpose through volunteering. That's the through line to today. And we look at volunteering as really having kind of a triple bottom line impact. And this isn't something that we hear that I think we normally hear people talk about volunteering. We are on a mission at Points of Light. Two in order to double, we need to change the perception of volunteering from something that's nice to something that's necessary. And that's because we see the impact of volunteering on the people who serve, on the community whose needs are getting met. All those nonprofits we're talking about, where those 4 million people are providing essential human capital to achieve the mission. And then the third part of that impact is the corporate part of that or the collective of that, which is when you have more people, when you have those people in community volunteering, it changes the nature of the community. It transforms the community. When you're more connected, you have empathy, you understand. And so person by person, block by block, that's how we will help our communities and our society, hopefully heal through some of these divides and some of the challenges we're having. We believe that volunteering is one of the key levers. And we're not the only ones. You know, you remember our surgeon general talked about a crisis of loneliness and prescribed volunteering.

[B]

We talked about that extensively.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. And we're not the only one. But there's Volunteering is kind of a hidden accelerator. And we really see our role as telling the story of volunteering too, so people can understand and realize it impacts the people, the communities, and our society.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

To learn more, head over to weareforgood.com Rex. That's weare for good.com recs for VIP access to orgs and amazing humans doing really great work. I love that y' all have accepted the mission of that front because like, you know, the big headlines every year is that donors are declining and there's fewer people giving. And Becky and I just deeply believe in this narrative that it's showing up in different ways and volunteership is a massive way that people are showing up. That's not tracked easily in these metrics sometimes that get out there. And so I'm curious, you know, so many people listening to the podcast have organizations that they want to tap volunteers, they want to mobilize people in really meaningful ways. Could you get really practical with this in terms of like, what are maybe some mindsets that we need to start with that we could shift to having a, maybe a better attitude toward volunteers building this volunteer centric culture that I see very present in Yalls work? What does that look like?

[C]

Well, a couple things I'll bring up, and this is also coming from my practitioner point of view. I've worked in, like I said, local, regional, national nonprofits, you know, my whole career. And one of the things that hit me the most when I came to points of light was, was that it felt like we weren't talking enough about what it takes to meaningfully engage volunteers in those ways that accelerate missions. There are some missions that do and need that. Like great example, Big Brothers, Big Sisters. That's literally the mission is a volunteer connected to a youth. Right. So that you see and understand that. But one of the things I've seen In my almost 30 year career in nonprofits is us be better about talking with our investors about the infrastructure or the foundation that we need in order to achieve our mission. So we're getting better all the time at including in our grants marketing, including in our grants evaluation, a percentage, including in our strategic plans, the operational improvements we need to make in your strategic plan. It's not just about those things. We'll do externally but how do we strengthen our organization so we can achieve our mission? I've seen that build over the decades, but a piece that feels missing to us at points of light is the courage to talk about the volunteer part because people think they're free.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But when we ask nonprofits what does it cost to have a volunteer, it's from between $25 to almost $2,000, depending on what type of volunteer and the training they need and the background checks and all of that and what they're doing. So we did a. We commissioned a report earlier this year, which is out, called From Nice to Necessary. And we talked about that dichotomy of the need there is for volunteers. What it actually takes to engage volunteers is this meaningful and purposeful way, and the fact that there's a really low level of across the board investment in that volunteer infrastructure, in those volunteer managers who are critical to the role of achieving the mission, what they do, and then what all those volunteers do. So I would love anybody who wants to find that report. You can go on pointsoflight.org, but it hopefully has some of the tools you might need. If I could do one thing with the nonprofits that are listening is to say, don't be afraid to think about what it takes to have volunteers and to include that in your fundraising. And I hope that any funders and folks that are listening that are investors and nonprofits will be thinking about, well, just like I need to invest in technology, I need to invest in human capital. I need to invest in the buildings. I also need to invest in the human capital in this mission. I can't solve hunger in my community without volunteers. You can't. And I would love to see us elevating the volunteer centers to that essential set of nonprofits. Like every community needs its youth organization. It needs its art center. It needs its food and feeding programs. It needs a place for people that are in a shelter crisis. It also needs, every community needs a strong volunteer center.

[B]

I just think you're asking a bigger question here, and it is making all the difference. And, you know, just a quick personal story. I can remember the first time my family and I went and volunteered at our local food bank. And they will tell you at the end of your session, your volunteer time, exactly what metrics matter most to them. First, they thank you for showing up. They make it so fun. There's so much music. There's good snacks. It is a vibe to come in. But at the very end, they don't just tell you how many pallets you packed and how many pounds. But at the end, they tell you, because there are 220 of you here today, you saved us $120,000 in staff salaries by the work that you did today. And that is incredibly poignant when you think about the value of your volunteering for three or four hours. That really means something to your community. And I want to get into what are the challenges here to overcome, because you've got recruiting, you've got training, you've got retention. And for us as believers, you know, we have a core value number five that we want to cultivate and mobilize those rabid fans. And we want them to stick around forever with us because they are the ones that are so much shepherding the movement. We're just kind of, again, like you, like you're in the background orchestrating all of it. So I would love to hear what are some of those common challenges, challenges that you all run into, and how can other organizations learn from those challenges and get better as they're working through their volunteer programs?

[C]

Sure. Well, first I'll just kind of do a little framing, and that is that, you know, the, the stats and the research show that about one third of the workforce in the US of our non profits are volunteers. One, I believe it. And our data on our affiliate organizations in the US Indicates that of all the volunteer opportunities that, you know, we work on and source from the nonprofits or that they bring to us only through our network, only about half of those get filled. So this is a serious issue, what you're saying here. How do we. The challenge and the numbers for the big numbers of volunteering in the US have been kind of steady going down during COVID They've ticked up a little bit, but it's not nearly where our non profits need it to be. So that's what you asked me earlier about what motivated us or how did we, you know, get to and think about doubling? It's really based on what we're seeing. The needs are in communities. And our board said if that's what we need, we need to say that. We need to go out and say, as a country, we need to, in the U.S. double volunteering around the world. We need to double volunteering. And at Points of Light, we're going to build the coalition that will build the plans to do that. So this is not Points of Light doubling. This is points of Light in our leadership role, providing that coordination, that inspiration, that planning and that structure for us to build the plans to double volunteering. Your Question about what are some of the challenges are. As I mentioned, there's not enough volunteers yet. We have a couple of big things. We know that there's. Let me tell you an interesting thing that we're discovering through our network. One of the challenges is actually getting. And you said, your food bank said first, thank you for showing up. They are right to do that because our affiliates tell us the rate of people signing up but not showing up is significantly up since the pandemic.

[B]

Okay. I'm so glad you're pointing this out. We have seen this as well. Keep going.

[C]

Yes. So that's one of the things. So this is where I believe our nonprofits may not have some of the technology tools and things that we need. And this is what we're thinking about through our coalition and our strategic plan. How do we support some changes in the technology we have? Think about. So think about why folks might not be showing up. One is it could. It could be so many things. Right? Right. But think about the technology we have now for our doctor appointments, you get what, five tasks.

[B]

Efficient.

[C]

It's telling us. And the address. Okay, and the address is there. And click here. And you can sign up early and you can fill out the form and you won't have to wait in line. You know, how do we get that for volunteering? So it's like. And then after you're there, they want you to do the Google review, you know, at your doctor. So those are the kind of things that we're exploring. How do we apply that? Those things that are working in other settings where people need to get out and go and do. How do we learn from that? How do we apply that in the nonprofit setting? The other big thing we know, and the research has shown this for a long time, you all know this, the number one reason people volunteer is someone asked them to. Someone either asked them to come with or they invited them. You know, they either said we're going to go together or they told them about it and suggested it, you know, and asked them. So the role of the current volunteers is critical. And the role of each of us, even if we're not a volunteer, we work in the nonprofit or anything like that. We work around nonprofits. We each have a really big role to play. And how do we amplify that? The last thing I would say is the other big thing we are thinking about and that we're working on through our coalition is truly engaging Gen Z in shaping the future of what a volunteer, what the volunteer mobilizing infrastructure will Be in the future. What we have today is about 35 years old. It was started back in late night, early 90s, late 80s. All the stuff, all the stuff we have today and some of it's even older. You know, the volunteer matching goes way back, but it is not an at all. Like I just again being kind of new, I was like, whoa. This is not necessarily engaging Gen Z in more of the leadership, decision making and power in organizations like Points of Light that are going to be shaping the future. So we're changing that.

[A]

I mean it goes back to such like Hallmark things that we talk about all the time on the podcast. Like you have to center the solution in the community. So if we're talking about planning the future, why would we not center those that are going to inherit the future?

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

It makes so much sense on paper. But I realize this is a disruptive thought that you're bringing here and I appreciate it.

[B]

But people are also saying that Gen Z is the most generous generation that we've seen yet. They're activators, they are connectors. They know they're very good with tech. And it's like, why would we not want to tap into that inherent desire to do good? And I think we are in a lot of ways in the sector. I think we're setting up, you know, like recurring giving and things that, you know, that Gen Z is just used to having. But I do think having the infrastructure, the tech and the right conversation with how to be mobilized is really, really smart. I'm really obsessed that you guys are doing this.

[A]

Can I also give a call out to asking people to volunteer? Because at least in the entrepreneurial space everybody talks about how do you grow passive income? And it's like what's really passive? Everything takes stoking and I think it's the same thing. It's like putting up one page on your website is the most passive thing you can do. But inviting somebody, asking somebody to do something like that's a meaningful action for them too. You're inviting them into a bigger part of their story and meaning and purpose. We've seen that with activating the believers around we are for good.

[C]

And, and that's one of just really quick to add on that. Really quick is that's one of the reasons corporate volunteering is so important. Because it's a rare case that volunteering is required at a company. They but they at scale invite 10,000 people. You know, I mean it's like, it's important because like people are like, oh well, of course they're doing it because they're, you know, it's a part of their job. Well, they don't have to say yes and it is volunteer. But. But that opportunity for people that may not have had the chance, like I did to volunteer as a kid, or they may have moved to a new city, they don't know where to get started. It's so important that there is an invitation and companies are a big part of making that happen. That's one of the reasons we have a big set apart about 122 corporate partners that we work with because we see the importance that they play in the big picture of inviting people to volunteer.

[A]

So good. What are your thoughts around really empowering volunteers to take on leadership roles specifically? Like, how do you challenge them into that and what kind of impact do you see downstream as they step into more leadership?

[C]

Well, that's something I have a number. Being in youth development, you have a lot of experience with that. And an organization is distributed of a leadership model is 4H. I got a chance to see that really in action. And I will tell you what I saw as the number one result was longevity. Everyone thinks about, oh, will the volunteers come back? Will they stay? Will I lose that intellectual capital? It's fascinating that the ones who stay are the ones who give the most and lead. So it's in 4H. It was the volunteer leader, it was the people who ran the 4H club. And we had, you'll love this, a 70 year pin. What is that? Amazing. So I just want to, when you ask about how we move into leadership, I think that just. I want to talk about why that's important. Second is there is a huge opportunity now and in the next 10 years, and that is our extremely talented and healthy retirees. They have so much left to give, so much to offer. And I will just share that is one of the big conversations I have with our board, with our corporate partners, with our investors is really thinking about how do we make that easy. We have a great partnership with AARP as an example. And that is critical. I think when I think about the future of volunteering around the world is that, you know, people are living longer. It is. And we know that changing from a workplace can add to the susceptibility to loneliness and isolation. So volunteering is really critical. And that's, I would say, one of the things, John, we're really focused on.

[B]

It's brilliant. And I'll give you even a personal example. My father is one of those. Hi, Dad. I mean, he's a retiree. He's a boomer. And when he retired, he went from working, you know, 60 to 70 hours a week to not. And he was like, I'm gonna align on the stuff I care about. I love books. I want kids reading. He's retired pediatrician. I want kids fed and I want kids to have vaccines in third world countries. And it's like he aligned there. He has certain things he does every week around those. My dad is so joyful and he talks about them, you know, and I've seen him to your point, with Light Light up as a result of being on the front lines of this and having these interaction with these kids and with these families. And so I really do think, I mean, we're talking about this intergenerational play here where everyone has some level of currency to bring to the table. And I'm not just talking about financial currency. I'm talking about how people can show up in service of the thing that they really care about. So I love that you're doing this and I would, we would love a case study. And I'm curious, you've got 70,000 nonprofit organizations. Can you tell us about one that really successfully transformed through a strategic volunteer engagement process?

[C]

Sure. I'll talk about. One of my favorite stories is our affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia, and they're called Hands On Atlanta. They are a part of the global Points of Light network affiliate network. And they have a strategic partnership with their food bank set of food banks, 65 locations. And hands On Atlanta helps that food bank by recruiting the volunteers, training the volunteers on the issue of hunger in Atlanta, helping people understand and really supporting that whole hunger fighting machine in Atlanta with the human capital to both invest, you know, certainly invest time and energy. But those volunteers also begin to understand the mission. They become advocates and storytellers. You said your dad lights up. Don't you know that every one of them that is volunteering in those 65 food banks is. They go home at night, they tell the story, they put it on social. It is, it is contagious. And that's what we talk about, why the importance of, of doubling the number of people volunteering is that changes a community. So you know that the feeding community in Atlanta is different because of that set of volunteers that are together. And thanks to our Hands On Atlanta affiliate for their leadership in something like. But that's an example that I love.

[A]

I love that too, because you're also reminding me that doubling sounds really overwhelming if it was just you and your team. But it's Doubling everyone brings one friend and it's done. Like, it's, it's very simple at the end of the day is sharing and spreading that belief that one person matters. And it's like, if you can get that out there, what's possible. I have chills thinking about that.

[C]

Well, John, I'm glad you brought that up too, because I think, and I want to go back, you know, Becky, what you said about your dad and what I see in the volunteer side, we know, we call them daily point of light. You know, it's really important in this time when things can feel like I don't, you know, things are changing quickly and I can't predict what's going to happen. I don't know how they're going to change and impact me. But in the middle of that, that's going on around your dad. But he knows every day or every week these things he's doing are impacting things. He cares about that. We call that in the industry having agency, meaning I have independence. I can change the world through my actions. I'm not just, it's not just happening to me. I'm an active participant in my society and that changes mindsets and it does make us more resilient, especially in difficult times.

[A]

My friend. We could definitely talk to you all day about this and I love your enthusiasm for it. Can I just say that it's fun to talk to people about that are just so enthusiastic about the work they do and it just shines through you. We like to ask all of our guests about a moment of philanthropy that has stuck with them over the years. And I know you've been adjacent to this work for a long time, but what's a small or big moment that has really stuck out to you?

[C]

Well, I'm going to share a small moment if that's okay. And I don't think I've ever publicly. So I hope that's okay. I'm gonna.

[B]

Breaking news.

[A]

You heard it here.

[C]

I'm gonna go back to my, my first roots in non profit and I told you how I had to kind of self teach or learn, you know, on the job. And when I was at the homeless shelter, I had a wonderful board and I didn't know anything, you know, about fundraising. And I was very green. I mean, I was like literally 23, just right out of college. And I remember the day that my board chair wrote a check for $5,000 as a board member to the organization.

[B]

5% of your budget right there.

[C]

And you can imagine what was in my Checking account. And I remember thinking, someone can write a check for 5,000. Like they have that much that they can write a check for that. That's when I realized that I could be a fundraiser, that I wasn't bound by what I knew I wasn't. It didn't require me to ask people like me for five. There was. There was a bigger world and that people wanted to invest. And so I just. I know there's a lot of nonprofit people that listen to this nonprofit, my people. And I just want to share that I have found so much joy in a career, in giving people like my board chair that. That opportunity to give or volunteer and volunteer for him. And that's how I look at what I do is not that I'm ever twisting anyone's arm to volunteer or give or anything, but it's. It's my job to. I believe in my mission. I put it out there, and then it's their choice to make that decision. But that check was something I'll never forget because it just showed me what was possible and that if I hadn't asked, he wouldn't have had that chance to serve in a. In a board role and. And to give. So I. I hope I can just encourage people who are listening and participating in this to have the courage and not be really comfortable welcoming people, asking them to join your mission. That. That's your role. What they say back is, is not on you. It's. It's you sharing your mission. And if it's there, if it aligns, it'll happen. It'll happen.

[B]

That was a beautiful story. So we wrap up with a one good thing, and we wonder if you could leave a one good thing with the audience. It could be a piece of advice, something that's really lifting for you today. What's on your heart, Jennifer?

[C]

Sure. So the one good thing I'd love to share is really asking everyone to think about what gives you the most joy in what you do and how can you connect that to how you give your time. So making sure you make those connections that bring meaning and purpose for you, I want you to take care of yourself that way. And while we also invite others and we do so much in our industry, that is for others, I want to ask you for that good thing for yourself and make sure you're finding that meaning and purpose for yourself.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. There's so much abundance in this conversation, so much hope. Just really excited for our community to get to know Points of Light. How can folks find you online? How can they find the organization? How can they get involved? Point us to all the stuff.

[C]

Sure, sure. Well, I hope you'll, you know, definitely connect with me on LinkedIn. I'm J. Sir Angel J. Sir Angelo. It's like Sir Angelo. It's pretty easy when you know it.

[A]

Could be a rapper or something.

[C]

Yes. Yeah, it is. Yeah, you're right. It is like, yeah, a little. And then you could also find me, I'm on, you know, all the social Instagram and everything with that handle, J. Serrangelo. But also if you want to learn, like, find a connection to one of our affiliates. If you want to find out in your community, if there's one of our volunteer cent centers. But there's a lot of volunteer centers too, everywhere. But definitely you can go to our website called Points of Light. It's all one thing, lowercase pointsoflight.org you can find both a volunteer center. You can also find volunteer opportunities. So all of that is available there. If you want to jump in right away and we would welcome you into.

[B]

Our community, Go be the light in your community. Like, I just. I just have this image of you looking out the window watching this family drive away and being the person who stepped forward and said, nope, not on my watch. And what has ex. You know, been expressed from that, from that moment is just a beautiful legacy of love and hope and connection and community. So thank you for coming in, sharing so much wisdom with us and friends. This is such a call to connection. If you're not feeling much control in your life right now, which I can tell you I sure am not, there is something you can control and the connectivity and the way you show up in your community is one way that we can be that light. So thank you. Jennifer, want to give a shout out to Christopher and all the people at Sunshine Media. Appreciate you also giving us this incredible pitch today because we have loved every minute of it, Jennifer.

[C]

So, Becky, last thing is we call people to be a light. So I hope thank you for the light that you all are and I encourage everyone to be a light in their community. So thanks.

[B]

Let's go do it.

[A]

What a way to wrap up.