Uniting Through Volunteerism: National Volunteer Month Q&Amp;A with Besa

credit: Wikipedia

"I was working in corporate America for one of the world's largest retail companies, and it was challenging and wonderful in many ways.

But I was finding my truest fulfillment on Saturday mornings in this cramped office where I volunteered for Suicide Prevention Services," Matthew Goldstein, CEO of Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit Besa, tells Philanthropy Roundtable.

"It was in that space I learned about the nonprofit sector and built relationships around volunteerism that changed the trajectory of my career."

Goldstein, who quit his job to start Besa 11 years ago, says those early morning phone calls to Suicide Prevention Services made him want to do more, to give more.

"Even now, that feeling never gets old," he says.

"Watching people come together to uplift others, and being part of that, just lights me up."

According to a Fidelity Charitable report, 61% of charitable donors are also recent volunteers, and 39% of volunteers support a nonprofit by volunteering with the organization before they make a financial donation.

Millennials, for example, give more to the nonprofit they volunteer with than they would if they didn't, with 33% saying they give more to the organization than they would if they didn't volunteer, compared to 21% of Gen Xers and 12% of baby boomers.

Goldstein's

Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Join Us on June 9 for a Celebration of Women'S Philanthropy

When New Jersey resident Samantha Pearlman Mazuz lost her mother in a car accident when she was 19, she didn't think much of what would happen to her for the rest of her life. "I didn't know what...more

Mellon Foundation, Neh and Others Fund Grants for Vi Architecture Center
Foundation: Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands' Old Barracks was built in the early 1800s as a military barracks, but it's long since been forgottenuntil now. The Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Built Heritage and...more

Fostering Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural Innovation in California'S Central Valley
Foundation: Central Valley Community Foundation

California's Central Valley is home to 25% of the US' fruits and nuts, and the state's agriculture-heavy San Joaquin Valley alone accounts for 19% of revenue and 14% of gross domestic product, per a...more

Ikechukwu Okafor Samuel: A Renaissance Man of Faith and Enterprise

Entertainer Ikechukwu Okafor Samuel, better known as the "King of Soul," has been named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world for the second year in a row. The honor is given to...more

Isea Joins the Apc Network: "Our Membership Can Amplify Apc'S Voice in Advocating for ...

There's a new player in the social-entrepreneurship game in Asia, and it's a woman. Padong Gomer, a 31-year-old entrepreneur from Bangladesh, is the newest member of the Asia Social...more

Energy Innovation Challenge Launches $2.4M Program to Diversify Alberta'S Energy Economy

The Canadian city of Medicine Hat is kicking off the country's first-ever Energy Innovation Challenge to help small energy startups get their ideas off the ground and into the market, the CBC...more

Oot Social Health Redefines Community Building with Innovative Platform Launch

Loneliness has been linked to a host of health issues, including heart disease, cancer, and respiratory depression. Now a Canadian company is hoping to change that with an app it's calling "OOt...more

Santa Barbara Education Foundation Raises $130000 to Support Local Students at Hope Awards

Santa Barbara's 99.9 KTYD radio station is known for its rock 'n' roll, so it was only a matter of time before the station received an award for its community service. The nonprofit Santa Barbara...more

P.B. Scott Named Ey'S Master Entrepreneur of the Year for Ja

"It's very nice to be recognized. It's an honor to be a part of something that's global." So says P.B. Scott, president and CEO of the Musson Group, after being named the Master...more

Just Energy Transition: Economic Implications for Jharkhand

As the world shifts away from fossil fuels, workers in coal-mining states in India are bracing for job losses, Bloomberg reports. According to a report from the Center for Policy Research,...more