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At VolunteerConnector, we continue to celebrate people who dedicate their time and expertise to making a difference. Marcos Torres began volunteering with Volunteer Connector when Milton, the Executive Director, invited him to help make sense of the organization’s extensive data. That spark of curiosity and problem-solving quickly grew into a commitment to improving the organization’s systems, operations, and data quality.

Marcos is passionate about helping organizations use data effectively so they can make informed decisions and serve more people. He volunteers 5–6 hours each week, bringing his skills as both a data analyst and software architect. While he initially focused on analyzing Volunteer Connector’s data, he expanded his role to evaluate the system structure and identify the root causes of data quality issues, showing how skill-based volunteering can create a meaningful, long-term impact.

One memorable moment for Marcos was sharing insights with partner organizations to help them understand volunteer applications and participant responses. It highlighted how technical expertise can directly support the wider volunteer community.

Through his volunteer work, Marcos has built strong connections with the Volunteer Connector team and values the culture of collaboration, awareness, and mutual support. Despite the challenges of balancing a fully remote role, he is motivated by the opportunity to lay a solid foundation for the organization’s future and help it operate more efficiently.

Marcos continues to inspire through his dedication, problem-solving skills, and commitment to community impact. He hopes his work shows that volunteering isn’t just about giving time, it’s also about applying your talents to help others succeed.

This week’s guest post is by Betsy Stern, who reflects on growing up in a family where volunteering was a way of life and how those early experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to service, community, and human connection.

I've Always Volunteered.

Lying flat on the bed after major back surgery, my mother was making calls on behalf of candidates for our upcoming election. I was about seven years old at the time. Once she was up on her feet again, she took me along with her to Planned Parenthood, where she was in charge of all of the volunteers for our county. I sat at a table and helped make posters. Sometimes I date-stamped pills. After those visits, we would go to the League of Women Voters Office, where my mother and grandmother volunteered, and I alongside them.

In the midst of all of this volunteer activity, I went off with my dad to be part of the productions in the volunteer-based community theatre that he had founded with his friends. Alongside this, my mother and her friends volunteered at our local university as tour guides. I followed along and ended up working as a student tour guide on campus as soon as I enrolled at UC Berkeley. Nearby campus, my grandmother volunteered with a group that helped to settle immigrants, as she was one herself. 

It was my godmother’s volunteerism in music that got me started performing solo before I was a teenager, when I would go into nursing homes to play for the residents. This led to a long career as a professional musician. There were even more volunteer outings and opportunities all the time I was growing up, as well as after. One of my more recent adventures was joining a group to glean fruit from local orchards to donate to food banks. 

It was expected in the circle in which I grew up that we would give back to our community. It feels good to volunteer, to share with others something that helps them and helps us too. It creates a human connection. Volunteering is key to building a strong community.

Your organization plays an important role in shaping Calgary’s nonprofit and volunteer landscape. To strengthen equitable volunteer practices across the sector, we invite you to complete a short survey (7–10 min) to help inform The Equity Commons.

The Equity Commons, led by Volunteer Calgary, is a community-led space that supports volunteer managers and organizations in building equitable, inclusive, and belonging-centered volunteer practices. It focuses on practical ways to recruit, support, and engage volunteers so they feel welcomed, valued, and connected.

Developed with nonprofit organizations and community partners, The Equity Commons supports a Belonging-First model grounded in local experiences and real-world practice. It provides guidance in establishing equitable volunteer recruitment that aligns volunteer skills with your organization's needs.

Why Participate
We invite you to complete a short survey to help shape this work. Your feedback will inform tools, learning opportunities, and support that respond to the realities volunteer managers face, strengthening equitable volunteer engagement across the sector.

Confidentiality
The survey results will be integrated into the upcoming Equity Commons program design and will also be used for evaluation purposes.

Please complete the survey by February 25th, 2026.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=abFL5ZzMy67rUg2e_2FsYLGCdZjvNixBxPebP2agFn5_2FM_3D 

Thank you for sharing your perspective and for the important work you do in your community.

This week’s guest post is by Raissanatou Mairou, who shares how planting trees has shaped their understanding of community, nature, and the lasting impact of small, meaningful actions.

Whenever I think about why I love planting trees, my mind always goes back to that one summer in 2013 during my trip to visit my uncle and aunt in another city. I used to play outside with my cousins every day, and one afternoon we ran into one of their neighbors who was heading to her farm to cultivate maize and other crops. She handed each of us a few grains to plant. I got maize, while three of my cousins received groundnut seeds. 

We rushed home immediately, as we were excited to start. I had no experience, so my older cousins showed me how to dig the soil in little sections, place the grains gently inside, and water them. It was simple, but to me it was memorable. Waiting for the plants to germinate was one of the most exciting experiences of my childhood, and I’m still grateful it happened. Watching those tiny seeds turn into living, growing plants made me appreciate the beauty and complexity of life on a deeper level.

As I grew older, that memory stayed with me. And when I learned that my faith considers planting trees a form of ongoing charity, everything made even more sense. Islam teaches that planting benefits not only people but every creature that interacts with that tree; birds that nest in it, animals that eat from it, insects that find shelter, and anyone who rests under its shade during heat, cold, or rain. The list of benefits is endless, and I’ve always found that incredibly beautiful. As someone who has always loved nature, discovering that my beliefs aligned with something so meaningful made me even more passionate about planting whenever I have the chance. 

I still get happy and excited imagining the future: a squirrel climbing the tree I planted, a bird resting on its branches, or a stranger finding shade beneath it on a hot day. That thought alone motivates me again and again. 

I would encourage anyone to try planting at least once, especially with other people. It is really fun and seeing how a small grain grows into something so big is wonderful on its own, but knowing that such a simple action can carry so much lasting good makes it even more powerful. To me, that’s why planting a tree will always feel like the purest form of community service.

This week’s guest post is by Jonathas Melo’o, who shares his experience writing letters to children in Uganda and the lessons he learned about empathy, connection, and the transformative power of volunteering.

"Writing letters to children in Uganda has profoundly transformed how I understand volunteering, solidarity, and even my own role in the world. When I began this experience, I imagined the greatest impact would be on the recipient: the child who would receive a message of affection, encouragement, and hope from someone so far away. However, throughout the process, I realized that I too was being transformed with each letter written, each story shared, and each reflection provoked by the simplicity and strength of those lives.

In the beginning, I tried to carefully choose each word, worried about writing "correctly," as if there were a specific formula to offer comfort and encouragement. Over time, however, I realized that the true value of the letter lay not in the perfection of the text, but in the authenticity of the gesture. The children responded with drawings, small accounts of daily life, dreams, fears, and achievements. This showed me that volunteering doesn't need to be grand to be meaningful—it just needs to be human.

By connecting with those realities so different from my own, I learned about resilience. I realized that, even in the face of profound challenges, many of those young people carried a vibrant hope, a joy that..." It didn't depend on what they possessed, but on who they were. This realization made me reevaluate my own priorities and invited me to see my life with more gratitude and purpose.

Writing these letters also broadened my understanding of social responsibility. I understood that volunteering is not a one-sided movement where the giver is in a superior position. On the contrary: it is a profound exchange, in which everyone grows. By sharing stories and receiving stories in return, I realized that the act of volunteering is not about "saving" anyone, but about building bridges — bridges of empathy, respect, and mutual learning.
The greatest personal growth came precisely from this realization. Today, I see volunteering as a continuous journey of self-discovery. Writing for the children of Uganda taught me to look at the world with more sensitivity, to recognize the power of human encounters, and to understand that true transformation happens in the details: in a word of support, in a sincere gesture, in a bond that transcends borders.

This experience changed not only how I see volunteering, but also who I am — and that is why, when I... "By applying to write for this blog, I carry with me the certainty that words have power. And that, when used to connect people, they become seeds of change."
 

This week’s guest post is by Dimnobi Eleh, who shares his experience volunteering at a summer chess club and the lessons he learned about patience, growth, and connecting with others.

Volunteering at my summer chess club taught me something quiet but big. Chess has always been part of my life. I grew up playing, and I even won a tournament back in Nigeria. This summer, I decided to give back by helping run the Oakville chess club, twhere I taught basics, organized events, and made sure new players felt welcome.

My role was simple on paper. I set up boards, showed kids how the pieces move, and sat with beginners while they learned to think a couple moves ahead. In practice, it was a lot noisier, messier, and far more rewarding than I expected. The room smelled like sweat and pizza boxes after tournaments. Little hands bumped pieces off the board. Players argued about whether a pawn could sneak past a rook. All of it felt flawed, but alive.

What surprised me most was how quickly small wins changed people. One boy came every week and lost almost every game. He would stare at the board like it was a puzzle with missing pieces. After a few sessions, he started seeing patterns. The week he finally won against another child, he did not jump. He simply looked stunned, then smiled slowly as if he had discovered something inside himself. He hugged the king with his palm before looking at me and whispering, "I finally did it". That moment hit me harder than any trophy I have.

I also learned to be patient and to explain things in different ways. Some players needed a diagram. Others needed a story about the pieces. I learned to celebrate small improvements and to remind kids that losing is part of learning, not a verdict on who they are or how good they were at the game.

Volunteering at the chess club was not a grand project. It was afternoons of repetition, jokes about blunders, and tiny victories that added up. But those afternoons did something important. They helped people feel capable and connected, and they reminded me why sharing something you love with others is important.

This week’s guest post is by Genevieve LaRocque, who shares her first volunteering experience and the lessons she learned about taking risks, facing challenges, and building connection within her community.

My first volunteering experience wasn’t fun, pleasant or validating. So why am I bothering to blog about it? 

Because it was something far more important.

Picture a shy, introverted young woman looking for an opportunity to feel involved, to be part of the world. She has a gentle smile and is brimming with the bravery it takes her to reach out to strangers and join a community.

Then put her in a room full of terrifying, mischievous young children who would rather be playing outside. 

She’s trying to keep smiling and project confidence. Inside, she’s falling on her backside. 

Like Charlie Brown after Lucy has tricked him into trying to kick the football. 

But in her mind’s eye, she had seen it all! A group of lovely children sitting around her in a perfect circle, leaning in so they wouldn’t miss a word. They laughed when she used funny voices for some of the characters and gasped when she left them on a cliffhanger…

Meanwhile on planet earth, she was the last to get picked for a reading group. The kids kept looking over at other groups, rolling their eyes, and acting generally bored. 

It was like she was back in school again, where being introverted was just considered weird. 

And she couldn’t get a lifeline from the other adult volunteers. They all looked like they were afraid the ick would rub off on them!

But 25 years later, when I think about it, I don’t feel the anxiety, rejection or awkwardness that I felt at the time. Actually, I do feel the awkwardness. But mainly, I feel so much pride that I did something challenging because I wanted to connect with people and make my community stronger. 

I went on to make a career based on real human connection. So why was this failed attempt at connecting so important?

Because in time it taught me that failure isn’t a permanent state. It’s an experience that you can build on. The painful emotions pass. The learning about yourself and the world stays with you. 

Sometimes you learn the best lessons when things don’t work out at all the way you planned. 

So take a chance. Do something challenging. Volunteer. 

With any luck, it’ll be a difficult experience.

This week’s guest post is by Stefanni Brasil (stefannibrasil.me), a community-minded writer who values connection, compassion, and curiosity. Through volunteering, she’s discovered that her identity extends beyond her professional life.

“The world is in a bad state but everything will become worse unless each of us does his best” — Viktor Frankl

A few years ago, I got more involved with my local communities. Work filled my life up to that point and I wanted to meet people where nobody cared what I did for a living.

My volunteer journey evolved from volunteering to online tech communities to local initiatives. I didn’t exactly know what I was doing but I knew what matters to me:

Active and accessible transportation modes

Veganism and the environment

Healthy neighbourhoods, placemaking, and third places

I started volunteering to clean up parks with the Keep the Earth Fresh, prevent food waste with the Leftovers Food Rescue, and maintain a clean fridge/pantry for the Beltline Community Fridge. I joined the d.talks Content Writing team for Calgary’s annual Design Week. A few months ago, some friends and I created kindfork.ca, a vegan social club, where we organize monthly meetups to grow a vibrant vegan community.

When I found myself not having a job, being part of these communities made a positive difference. My job can take up my time and energy, making harder to volunteer, but when I do, I re-energize and feel more connected. And the more I push myself to do it, the more resilient I become.

Volunteering helped me learn my biggest lesson: my identity is bigger than my professional one. Being connected to my local community matters. Volunteering reminds me that doing nothing is not an option. And even not knowing exactly where this will all lead, it’s worth getting out there, meeting people and helping as a I can, with what I have.

It’s an opportunity to embrace the unknown, experience life through someone else’s perspective, to do something without expecting recognition, money, praise, etc. Contrary to other adult responsibilities, this low-pressure environment invites us to be more compassionate and curious.

Are you ready to explore where volunteer will get you?

Let whatever makes you curious be enough to try it out. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. It will be uncomfortable, and that’s a good sign. If you start today, imagine where this journey will take you. No one can say for sure but one thing is true: you have more to offer than you think. And more to gain than you expect.

This week we wanted to share the brilliant work from our colleagues at Vantage Point, although focussed on British Columbia the sentiment no doubt resonates across the country.

The Non-Profit Sector in BC is Stretched Thin

The 2025 State of BC’s Non-Profit Sector Survey, conducted by Vantage Point, reveals that non-profits across the province are under increasing pressure. More than 500 non-profit leaders across the province shared their perspectives, highlighting three interconnected themes:

• Rising demand with growing complexity of needs and severity of issues
• Organizations are striving to pivot and respond during increasingly difficult times
• Supporting the people who deliver programs is both a pressure point and a priority

Non-profits are essential for strong, connected, and resilient communities in BC. Stretched Thin offers a clear picture of the current challenges and highlights potential solutions to strengthen the sector, enabling greater impact across the province.

Thank you to the 500+ non-profit voices who contributed to this year’s survey.
#SOTS2025
Read the report: thevantagepoint.ca/sector-reports/

We love celebrating brilliant work happening in community. Check out how Stratford Perth Pride is consulting the community being served to ensure the inclusion and equity training that is created is reflective of the communities that they serve.