Join us as we celebrate Earth Day. In the next 7 days, we will be posting challenges that promote earth-friendly habits. Follow us daily, snap a creative photo while doing our challenge, use the #iVolunteerForEarth hashtag, be featured, and win a prize from us.
As iVolunteer Philippines partner with nonprofits and other advocacy-oriented institutions, we are often asked why a nonprofit should engage volunteers on top of its existing official staff. Some worry that the overhead of managing volunteers may be too taxing for staffs and overshadow delivery of the nonprofit’s programs. Why then invest in engaging volunteers?
“The best time to give back is now.”
As the year draws to a close, December is when a lot of people usually feel the most celebratory and generous at the same time. For volunteers around the world, the 5th of December is very special as it is recognized by the United Nations as the International Volunteer Day: “a unique chance for volunteers and organizations to celebrate their efforts, to share their values, and to promote their work among their communities”.
For iVolunteer Philippines, celebrating the International Volunteer Day and giving back to the community was much more meaningful, as it spent its last official volunteer day in 2016 for its staff with a partner NGO caring for the elderly home, Tahanang Balik-Alay in Taytay, Rizal on December 3, 2016.
Project Pearl’s feeding activity at Tondo Manila
We all love to eat. We always look forward to a hearty meal after a hard day’s work. Even just a quick but sumptuous merienda in the afternoon is enough to light us up. And we also know sharing our food with good company, especially our loved ones is just priceless. We love it so much, it’s usually our first question or greeting – “Kumain ka na ba?!” And oftentimes, we do not really mind if we put on a little weight, as long as our stomach is full, because for most of us, it doesn’t take much to make us happy.
Now, imagine skipping a meal just for a day. We become grumpy, impatient, and frustrated. In short, an irreversible damage ensues, and our whole day is automatically ruined. In reality, not all of us could afford to whine if for some reason, there is no source of food when it’s time to eat. Some of us have no choice but to go on through the day finding ways to fill in empty stomachs, or maybe trying to forget about it completely. Yes, these children know the drill so well.
“Giving is limitless. I’d love to see every NGO working hand- in-hand with the government and the private sector, as everyone helps each other towards one goal. No one gets left behind. I believe every Filipino has a role in fulfilling this dream. “ – Jasmine Salem of iVolunteer
Meet Jasmine Salem: Auditor, Finance Associate Director, Everyday Hero.
As iVolunteer’s Associate Director of Finance, Jasmine Salem or “Jas” handles fundraising activities as well as the financial books of the organization. She is also the team’s Executive Secretary, and is in charge of iVolunteer’s legal requirements and documentations. As a state auditor, Jasmine loves how her day job coincides with her responsibilities in managing the organization. It makes her understand more about how the government and NGOs can work better together in nation-building.
For Jasmine, volunteering allows her to connect with her community and offers opportunities for her to make it a better place. She wants to see a world where serving others is a top priority.
As of July 6, 2015, around 13,000 families or close to 50,000 individuals were affected by massive flooding due to Tropical Storm Egay (international name Linfa) in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.
Given the dire circumstances of the people affected by the storm, the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center is appealing for an emergency relief for the said areas. They need canned goods, rice, dried fish, munggo beans, laundry and bath soaps, toothpaste, toothbrush, sleeping mats, blankets, etc.
CDRC’s relief pack for every family usually includes rice (25 kilos), canned goods (12 cans), munggo (1 kilo), dried fish (1 kilo), cooking oil (2 li).
Please drop-off donations at:
Citizens’ Disaster Response Center
72-A Times Street, West Triangle Homes, Q.C.
For more information, call +632.929.9820
