Latest news with #AaronHurst
Forbes
06-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Organizations That Will Engage Your Employees As Volunteers Anywhere
Happy group of volunteers As business leaders increasingly grapple with hybrid work environments and global operations with employees in multiple locations and countries, finding volunteer opportunities for your staff can be challenging. But there are organizations that can help you. While there are many organizations that specialize in providing in-person, online, and skills-based volunteer opportunities for companies, these three stand out as particularly technology savvy and user-friendly enterprises that facilitate volunteering no matter what the geographic location of both the volunteer and the nonprofit organization. Volunteer Match/Idealist Founded in 1998 as a merger between Impact Online and Volunteer America, Volunteer Match provides a national digital infrastructure to serve corporate volunteers and nonprofit organizations in the United States by matching volunteer interests with local community needs. Spurred by increased interest in disaster-related volunteering after the tragic events of September 11 as well as Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake, Volunteer Match has helped 19 million individuals find volunteer opportunities in their communities with over 150,000 nonprofits in its 27-year history. In January, it was announced that Volunteer Match is merging with Idealist, and the merged organization will retain the Idealist brand name. 'Together, we will offer organizations a place to find all the people they need – volunteers, interns, and staff – while inviting individuals everywhere to take action on the issues that concern them,' stated Idealist founder and executive director Ami Dar. The combined organization will continue to partner with businesses to promote and connect individuals who wish to engage in community volunteer events and opportunities with nonprofit organizations who have critical needs that are both traditional, in-person services and skills-based, online needs. Taproot Foundation Founded in 2001 by Aaron Hurst, Taproot Foundation connects nonprofit organizations and social change organizations with business professionals who wish to offer their services on a pro bono basis. Hurst's vision was to expand the pro bono ethic beyond the legal profession into critical areas like marketing, human resources, technology, strategy, and finance – helping to combat the resource inequity that had long existed between the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Today, Taproot envisions a world where social good organizations have the resources they need to fulfill their missions. It aims to equip nonprofits with the kinds of marketing, strategy, human resource and information technology skills that for profit companies enjoy, and since its founding, it has served over 13,000 organizations with over 40,000 business professionals delivering more than 1.9 million hours of work worth over $320 million. Taproot maintains a global network of pro bono service providers in 30 countries around the world, and it also provides training for both nonprofits and companies on how to take advantage of its programs and opportunities. 'The social sector is at a pivotal crossroads,' said new executive director of Taproot Cat Ward. 'From addressing mounting social pressures, to navigating AI, to weathering major shifts in the way that works gets done – nonprofits need reliable access to cutting-edge skills to fulfill their missions in a fast-changing world of work. Taproot is uniquely positioned to offer the resources and expertise they need to thrive.' Catchafire Founded in 2009 by Rachael Chong, Catchafire specializes in matching professionals who want to donate their time with nonprofit organizations who need their skills. Chong has said that she was inspired to start Catchafire after volunteering for a house-building project in The Bronx that required her to haul lumber around a building site instead of using her financial and banking skills 'untapped.' Potential volunteers can sign up and browse the Catchafire website for short-term projects that match their particular skills and talents. 'We've got to work as one machine working towards a shared set of positive societal outcomes,' said Catchafire CEO Matt Miszewski. 'We get to bring those four forces [government, philanthropy, business, and volunteers] together.' Types of available projects range from fundraising to finance to marketing to technology to professional development and program management. To date, Catchafire has made almost 85,000 matches between 13,000 nonprofit organizations and over 400,000 potential volunteers donating 1.5 million hours valued at nearly $300 million. Other prominent national or global volunteer service providers include the Points of Light Foundation, American Red Cross, and United Way of America. But no matter who facilitates the connection between volunteer and nonprofit, business leaders need user-friendly and impactful ways of engaging their employees no matter where they are and no matter what the cause. These organizations can help make the difference.
Axios
30-01-2025
- Business
- Axios
Helping newcomers feel at home in Seattle
Seattle is known for its innovation, stunning scenery and — for thousands of newcomers — a social climate that can feel isolating. But a new civic initiative wants to help transplants, from tech workers to retirees, find their footing. Why it matters: In a world grappling with an epidemic of loneliness and a city known for being socially chilly, some Seattleites are finding they have to work to break the ice. Driving the news: Starting next weekend, the Chamber of Connection — a newly launched nonprofit focused on helping newcomers build community and combat social isolation — will host a monthly series of interactive orientations for new residents. What they're saying: Seattle's tech boom has brought waves of new arrivals, but also deepened social divides, said Aaron Hurst, who founded the Chamber of Connection to help bridge those gaps. "Seattle is a city of silos with newcomers joining each of them but often staying in their silos," he told Axios in an email. The chamber's welcome committee includes members from Microsoft, Amazon, UW, the Mariners, the Kraken and more to help people from tech, sports, medicine and the arts get out of their comfort zones and meet each other, he told GeekWire. The big picture: Hurst struggled with the culture shift after moving to the Emerald City from Brooklyn 10 years ago and said he found the city needed a bigger, systemic effort to foster deeper connections. A former founder of Taproot Foundation, which connects nonprofits with pro bono professionals and which strengthens nonprofit leadership, Hurst's goal is to see Chamber of Connections in 50 U.S. cities in 10 years. What's next: The chamber is looking for volunteers to help launch Neighborhood Clubhouses with monthly meet-ups at bars or cafes. Welcome Day orientation — for people over 16 who identify as newcomers — will be held at Town Hall from 10am-2pm on Feb. 8, March 1, April 19 and May 17. $20, lunch included.
