I Volunteer

Congratulations to our winners!

Most Unusual: Asa Nugent, Washington DC

Most Inspiring:  Will Laitinen, Athens, Greece 

Best Photo: Ernesto J. Luna, Virginia, USA

Greatest Impact: Mikell Reed Carroll, Croatia

Judges’ Choice: Nathalie Scharpf, Washington, DC

 

Victoria Olsa, Fairfax, VA

I volunteer at SevaTruck, a free meal food truck, preparing fresh meals for local communities in need.

I Volunteer in 2020 Because I feel that with every meal I made I make a small difference in someone’s life and they feel more loved, cared for and secure.

 

 

 

Mikell Reed Carroll, Croatia

Mikell has collected more than $10,000 in donated items for refugees in camps in the Western Balkans.

“I Volunteer in 2020 Because… I want to give back and help make the world a better place for my children.”

 

Patricia Linderman, Falls Church VA

As a non-medical volunteer with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps, I use my Spanish language skills to help with check-in at free community COVID-19 testing events.

I volunteer in 2020 because I want to help combat this pandemic, even in a small way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asa Nugent, Washington DC

 Taking online day campers from our Camp Fire council on a virtual tour of the U.S. Botanic Garden where I volunteer.

I volunteer in 2020 because even though the USBG was closed, kids still want to learn about nature and plants. #campfireserves

 

 

Ernesto J. Luna, Virginia, USA

 With help from our American embassy in Mexico, I’ve been giving online classes and workshops to dozens of students since May 2020.

 I volunteer in 2020 because any kind of help these days make a huge difference in people’s lives.

 

 

Will Laitinen, Athens, Greece

Over the summer of 2020, I connected with the refugee organization Love and Serve Without Boundaries and supported them by teaching 2 English classes, producing promotional videos for social media, and setting up an Etsy shop to sell masks that they handmake there.

I volunteer in 2020 because I happen to be very privileged with how comfortable my lifestyle is, and I am able to offer a lot to those who are in need.

Holden Scharpf, Washington, DC

I volunteered at a 3D printing company, making Face Shields (PPE) and donated them to the Community of Hope charity for them to be able to continue safely to provide services during the pandemic.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Nathalie Scharpf, Washington, DC

I am currently volunteering at the Army and Navy Club’s Library Trust in Washington, D.C., to help them update and digitalize their library collection, ensuring that it is more accessible during these uncertain covid times. I volunteer in 2020 because I think that now more than ever it is important to give back to the community as businesses struggle in the covid era.

** Additionally, while this isn’t volunteer work that I am carrying out in the month of October, I wanted to raise awareness for another cause that I am volunteering for throughout November. I am going to be raising both awareness and funds for male mental health issues and suicide prevention over the course of the month of “Movember.” I volunteer in 2020 because, particularly during covid, I feel that this is an important conversation to have to normalize these everyday feelings (mental health issues and depression) that more people are faced with in this uncertain period.

Here is more information about the cause: Men are dying before their time, and we feel that it is a vital conversation for us to have to try and help those in need and change the statistics. Globally, on average, a man dies by suicide every minute of every day, meaning we lose 1440 brothers, fathers, friends, and sons to suicide. From the U.S. over the course of November, I will be joining the UK-based Team 14Forty as we aim to complete 1440km (walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing) each day. Throughout this process, we will also be carrying out discussions surrounding personal wellbeing and mental health as part of the normalizing process. By the end of the month, the team hopes to have covered 43,200km and raised $5000+ for the Movember Foundation. Although this sounds like a lot of kilometers, it is of far more importance to recognize that number as the total count for male suicides across the world that will tragically occur throughout the month. To donate, big or small, visit https://us.movember.com/ **

 

Yolanda Macias-Cottrell, Vancouver, BC Canada

I volunteer at Mulgrave School Library in Vancouver, BC
I volunteer in 2020 because:The school where my daughter is attending has been working tirelessly to implement safe plans to provide in person education, volunteering at the school library, makes me feel part of this important plan that allows students to go back to school in this new reality that we are living.

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Kennedy-Penuel, Beijing, China

I volunteer as a Girl Scout leader and Committee Chair. Photo is me running the USA Girl Scouts Overseas Virtual Troop for older girls, which I did while on OD.

I volunteer in 2020 because now, more than ever, the world needs strong and resilient girls.