We loved working with Morgan Cohen, Founder and Creative Director of Moso Creative Studio, to find a volunteer opportunity that combined her skills and passion. Morgan describes her experiences:

"Volunteering with PetConnect Rescue through Charity Connect has been such a meaningful experience for me. I had been looking for an organization that not only felt fulfilling but also allowed me to express my creativity — and I found the perfect combination here.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve discovered a new passion for capturing photos and videos of animals. Being behind the camera while also supporting such an important cause has given me a way to merge my love for animals with my skills in storytelling and content creation. It’s been inspiring, fun, and truly rewarding.

I’m so grateful to Cristin and Charity Connect for making the process so easy and welcoming. This opportunity has opened up new doors for me to grow both personally and professionally, and I’m excited to continue finding ways to combine my creativity with causes that matter."

Kate Smith shares how her volunteer connection is a perfect fit:

*I found Red Wiggler Care Farm through Charity Connect and couldn’t be happier! As a retired high school English teacher and previous Executive Director for Bradley Hills Village, I was looking to teach, learn, help, lead, and get my hands dirty. Red Wiggler checks all the boxes! Red Wiggler is a sustainable farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn and grow healthy food.

I love driving away from the busy city and entering the peace and quiet of the farm. Learning best practices for organic farming alongside the staff fills me with joy. I joined in the early Spring just in time to see plants come out of the greenhouse and to help get beds ready for in-ground planting. As the season ramps up we’ve started harvesting for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pick ups, it’s been so fun to reap what we’ve sown! Arugula, kale, and radishes (pictured above), are just some of what will be in the first boxes. I’ve met really nice volunteers and have gotten to know many of the staff. I benefit from the pace of the day and appreciate the teamwork that is woven into the program. *

Maryham AbdelMalak's professional background is in sustainable development and social inclusion, her career spans significant roles including Program Officer at FHI 360 and Research Assistant at The American University in Cairo. We were thrilled to fit her expertise with a seat on the Local Advisory Board for Generation Hope, a nonprofit providing direct two-generation support to teen parents in college and their children. Maryham spoke about Generation Hope's holistic approach to teen scholar support and its resulting graduation and career success to participants at a Business Leaders Breakfast.

Maryham reflects on her service: "I have always believed that no one should have to choose between getting an education and caring for their family. At Generation Hope, that belief comes to life, and being part of that kind of impact is something I'm really proud of."

Viviana Solís-Barquero is an experienced economist, having worked with esteemed organizations such as the Central Bank, United Nations, and UNICEF in Costa Rica. The match we made for her with Future Link allows her to leverage her data analysis expertise in support of their mission to ensure equitable access to education and career development opportunities for young professionals in Montgomery County. Viviana is finding the experience to be personally fulfilling as well as a valuable opportunity for professional growth

It did not take long to find Andrea Dunathan of Dunathan Consulting a "perfect fit" volunteer opportunity. Andrea draws on her over twenty years’ experience as an independent consultant helping owners grow their businesses, to support women entrepreneurs. She explains how this volunteer opportunity suited her so well:

"I recently participated in two feedback sessions for entrepreneurs enrolled in the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) Empowered Women International program, Entrepreneur Training for Success. I got to discuss the business plans and pitches of several amazing women who are starting or growing their businesses in the greater DC area. I'm inspired by their visions and their energy, and I appreciate the chance to support them in their journeys. It was also great to run into several other top-notch business consultants I know, as fellow volunteers in the program. "

Ryan Malet of Shulman Rogers, a MoCo native and graduate of Walter Johnson High School, had a great time speaking to a group of Wootton High School students who had expressed interest in learning about real estate law. He was impressed with their questions and considerations for their futures.

WorkSource Montgomery's MoCo CAP (Career Advising Program) will help nearly 90,000 MCPS students in grades 6 through 12 develop the necessary skills to manage their careers over their lifetimes. This impressive mission is achieved by placing Career Counselors in every public middle and high school and through generous time donated by "Meet-A-Pro" professionals like Ryan.

Charity Connect client Renee Enright channels her passion for food security into her volunteer work with Community FarmShare. She explains why it has been the right fit for her; it is active, engaged work that is meaningful and shared with the community.

I love volunteering with Community FarmShare! Whether packing produce bags, delivering produce to schools or families in need, or working on some administrative support work, I know I'm contributing towards a great cause! The mission of CFS is so meaningful and important to me. CFS helps small community farmers by providing them with a stable distribution network. CFS helps many people in our communities who otherwise wouldn't have access to healthy produce options. It's a WIN-WIN, and volunteering there is so much fun!

Dr. Aparna Arvind is a leadership development coach who moved with her family to Maryland from Botswana not knowing anyone in the area. Through her volunteering as a mentor with Nvolve, she has become engaged with her new community. Nvolve supports women in science, technology, engineering and health fields by overcoming gender, racial and socioeconomic barriers.

Aparna shares her experience in a lovely testimonial:

I would highly recommend Charity Connect for those interested in volunteering. Cristin was absolutely amazing, and her process of aligning you with the right kind of volunteer work that excites you, was superb. I found my ideal role pretty quickly and can't thank Cristin enough for her professionalism. It makes a huge difference when you work with someone who is genuinely passionate for the craft!

Susan Higgins is an energetic, go-getting serial volunteer, and part-time bookkeeper. She came to us with a passion for food insecurity, a desire to volunteer as part of a team, and a knack for establishing efficient systems. In discussing her professional goals, she shared with us that she would love to add one more bookkeeping client. We met with former Charity Connect client and current Deputy Executive Director of Nourishing Bethesda Tammi Houton to brainstorm ways Susan could be involved in addition to their advertised volunteer opportunities.

Susan on-boarded with Nourishing Bethesda in July and quickly became an integral part of the warm and welcoming team. She appreciates how well-run Nourishing Bethesda is as well as their drive to always evolve and find the most compassionate and effective ways to serve their neighbors in need. The community is filled with engaged regular volunteers who are as friendly as they are serious about the mission. Susan jumped right in to help coordinate food recovery efforts and Nourishing Bethesda smartly became Susan's bookkeeping client! Volunteering with Nourishing Bethesda has been a good fit for Susan because she sees the tangible impact her work makes and she is able to use her brain, brawn, and heart.

Deborah Langer is a Public Affairs Outreach Specialist at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Her kids are getting older, and she isn't "on call " as much with them. Deborah likes to be constructive with her downtime. We aimed to harness her energy and enthusiasm into a volunteer project management role.

Arise and Flourish provides an educational program to middle and high school students where real life stories and education on the cycle of addiction are led by young adult peers in recovery. When we told Deborah about Arise and Flourish, she excitedly told us her son had just attended a presentation at his public high school and found it to be impactful! We met with Deborah and two Arise and Flourish board members to brainstorm ways to help. Deborah chose an area where she could audit what is working and what isn't for the nonprofit and suggest a plan. She leveraged her limited free time by involving colleagues to help assess marketing strategies and create templates and systems that the volunteer staff can implement. Pro-bono project-based volunteering can be an excellent way to create bandwidth and build capacity for a small but mighty nonprofit.

Contact Arise and Flourish to arrange a visit to your middle or high school student's school.

Volunteer Connection client John Nessim of Nessim Works web development already knew who he wanted to help when he came to Charity Connect. He reverently spoke of his grandmother and all she had done for him as a boy in Egypt. John was determined to help seniors. An engaging communicator filled with positive energy, John is most definitely a people person. We contacted his local library to see if they would like him to teach technology for seniors class. They were thrilled, as were the participants in the class. John could tell by the real-time reactions of the seniors that he was giving them information they really needed. We all know how frustrating technology can be and how liberating it can feel once you are "unblocked." We will continue to help John replicate his curriculum at other libraries, reaching seniors needing his assistance.

Lauren Supina is an executive women's leadership coach. She came to Charity Connect with the goal of offering pro bono services for women in the nonprofit field in order to make a difference in their careers. We found an organization which aligned with Lauren's values and was primed to take advantage of her generous gift. Generation Hope supports teen parents who are pursuing their college degrees and their children with kindergarten readiness. Lauren provided pro bono coaching to Caroline Griswold-Short, program director for Generation Hope. Caroline shares her appreciation for Lauren's service: "Lauren is thoughtful, compassionate, and insightful. She really helped me think through critical strategic issues in a moment when our organization, and my role in it, are both in significant phases of growth."

Dr. Jennifer Todd has her Ph.D. in Public Health, is a college professor, writes for Pro Age Women magazine, and is passionate about helping organizations create kind cultures. We helped Jennifer make the impact she craved by finding audiences that could leverage her message. By connecting Jennifer to the Rockville Chamber of Commerce and Nonprofit Montgomery, we filled her seats with staff members representing many local nonprofits. This way, her important messages of utilizing empathy in the workplace and managing with kindness were carried back to dozens of companies. Balancing a demanding job and motherhood, our Volunteer Connection for Jennifer allowed her to give more with less time.

Barbara Kriel came to Charity Connect with a specific goal. She wanted her volunteering to yield a writing portfolio that would allow her to start her encore career as a professional writer. We had fun exploring Barbara's interests to find organizations that aligned with this goal and her interests. Barbara met six local nonprofits and volunteered her journalism skills for Career Catchers, WorkSource Montgomery, and The Giving Square. Barbara reflects on her Volunteer Connection: "The organizations and people you have connected me to are enriching me and my life in ways I never imagined. I feel more energized, enthusiastic, and optimistic about my second career than ever." To that, we say, "Write On, Barbara!"

Ericka Lowery wanted to add volunteering to her busy work and school life. She smartly chose to integrate hobbies she enjoyed into her service. We worked with her local Y to create a class where Ericka volunteers to teach crochet and painting. Ericka enjoys using her skills and expressing her creativity while helping others. Ericka paints us a picture of how this has been a great fit for her: "Being a college student; it can be challenging to find ways to decompress that you enjoy. I also have broadened my network by meeting new people in and outside of my age range." Beautiful!

Jonathan Ger is warm, inquisitive, and an excellent listener. All these skills serve him well as a life and leadership coach with Ripple Coaching & Consulting. Jonathan wanted to volunteer in person utilizing his coaching and mentoring skills. SEEC helps individuals with intellectual disabilities live, work, and thrive in their community. Jonathan has been volunteering to do mock interviews for SEEC. He explains why this is a good volunteer fit for him:

"Volunteering with SEEC has been meaningful because it allows me to use skills that have been a part of my career to truly help talented young people have a better chance at getting the job that they desire. The team at SEEC is amazing and the individuals that I have interviewed have brought me a lot of joy as they share with me all the talent that they have inside.”

We loved working wtih Stacey Dash to incorporate her professional skills into her volunteering. One of Stacey's "right fit" placements is at Nvolve, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the participation of women in technology, engineering, life sciences, and health careers by overcoming gender, racial and socioeconomic barriers

Stacey reflects on her service on Nvolve's advisory board and as a mentor to two schoars: "I am passionate about closing the gender gap in the world, and Nvolve focuses on supporting women pursuing STEM degrees through stipends, mentorship, and real-world experiences. STEM is a growing field and has interesting and well-paying jobs, so I’m excited to support women as they look to fulfill their dreams and take on meaningful careers."

Volunteering at Open Door Sports has allowed Amaya to go beyond simply posting on social media regarding disability advocacy. By interviewing the families of Open Door Sports athletes, she has made interpersonal connections and has gotten a glimpse into their lives. As she is aspiring to combine her disability advocacy with a career in media, she is learning to let people tell their stories; her job is to give them the platform and tools to do so. In sports, teamwork is the foundation of a great team, which also applies to all areas of life.

Jack added volunteering with College Tracks to his life during retirement. He loves helping first generation to college students with college access and also tutors Montgomery College students which College Tracks support beyond high school. Meeting wtih our clients and the nonprofits to facilite on-boarding is one of our favorite parts of the Charity Connect Volunteer Connection process.

Larisa Harrington of Strong by Nature Wellness helps purpose-driven high-achievers make a positive impact without burning out. Larisa feels like her volunteering with Pet Connect Rescue aligns with her self care because she "gets to spend time outdoors, move my body playing with cute pups, and do it all with my kids!" Larissa shares her perspective on one's pursuit of balance "Self-care, volunteering, family, your health, the impact you make in the world… these don’t have to be either/or decisions. You can choose to have it all and you don’t have to burn out to do it".