According to Points of Light, this observance encourages individuals and communities “to be at the center of social change – discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference.”
This National Volunteer Week, we honored our volunteers who so often tell us that they get as much out of their experience as do the people they serve. Our tutors often humbly imply that they volunteer for “selfish” reasons:
- “Volunteering is exciting. It’s the best two hours of my week.”
- “I find it enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding. What more could a volunteer ask for?”
- “I would be cutting myself off if I decided suddenly not to tutor anymore.”
We know that with every positive volunteer experience, a student’s life is utterly transformed. Because tutors give two hours of their time, attention, and energy each week, 350 students are given the opportunity to improve their lives each year. Adult students earn jobs and promotions, enjoy a novel for the first time, help their children in school, and earn GEDs and U.S. Citizenship. School-aged students catch up to their classmates’ reading, writing, and spelling levels and improve their educational confidence.
This National Volunteer Week, we thank our volunteers: your enjoyment of the volunteer experience only amplifies its impact and enables you to transform many lives, including your own.
