“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,” said Margaret Mead, anthropologist and recipient of the Planetary Citizen of the Year Award. This month, National Volunteer Month, we celebrate those who are sharing their time, talents, and skills to “change the world” by helping others. In particular, we recognize and honor the volunteers at the Women’s Foundation of Boston (WFBoston), who drive the mission forward with their dedication.
The Benefits of Volunteering
According to Nonprofit Source, approximately 63 million Americans volunteer an average of 52 hours per year. Research shows that physical health, mental health, career advancement, and social interactions are some benefits of volunteering. According to VolunteerHub.com,
- 96% of volunteers report that volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life
- 60% of hiring managers see volunteerism as an asset when recruiting
- 35% of volunteers do so to socialize with others in their community
- Volunteering decreases the likelihood of developing high blood pressure by 40%
The Vision of a Volunteer Driven Organization
The Women’s Foundation of Boston (WFBoston) is a volunteer-led organization. 100% of the money raised supports the mission of economically empowering women and girls in Greater Boston. When the Foundation began, the WFBoston founders envisioned a community of women uniting to help other women. Five years later, more than 120 professionals have come together to help more than 11,000 women and girls achieve their dreams and goals.
Creating a Community of Support
WFBoston volunteers dedicate their time for various reasons, such as connecting with others, sharing professional talents, learning new skills, or gaining a greater sense of purpose. This talented group mirrors the calling of the WFBoston’s grantee partners and their participants. They created a unique community that supports each other in the mission of empowering women and girls.
What Excites WFBoston Volunteers?
“I was drawn to the impact of the mission and the idea of helping women and girls live better lives, get to college, learn about STEM, manage their finances, and more,” shared volunteer Susan Littlefield, Chair of the Board of Directors.
WFBoston volunteer Stella Michel also felt a similar sense of purpose when considering volunteering for the organization. “The one thing that resonated with me is that only 1.6% (this statistic is now 1.9%) of charitable giving in the US is directed to women and girls. That immediately stirred a desire in me to help raise that bar. To be a part of something bigger, more significant, and more impactful.”
Pat Reardon was excited about the relationship between her skills in women’s leadership development, mentoring, and STEM programming and the Foundation’s mission. Pat, a volunteer for the WFBoston’s Young Women’s Leadership program, shared, “What truly impresses me about this organization is the women are so smart and energetic. They really want to help and support each other both within the organization and with the grantee partners outside the organization. I just love that!”
Warriors Who Amplify the Mission
“When I think about WFBoston, I think about this group of warriors, these women who amplify and validate our work at Big Sister. They can talk with us about fundraising or issues impacting girls and women and are always here to support our goals,” said President/CEO of Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, Deborah Re.
“When we talk about service in the nonprofit world, it is crucial to think about representation. The Women’s Foundation of Boston has set the standard and the example for running a nonprofit, soup to nuts. The fact that the type of person they are supporting is also the one driving the curriculum, vision, and mission creates an authenticity that all nonprofits are striving for,” stated Bekah Salwasser, Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation and WFBoston Board member.
One Person Can Have an Impact
During National Volunteer Month, we reflect on the wise words of Margaret Mead about the importance of service. There are many reasons to get involved in volunteering but ultimately, what keeps people involved is realizing they have an impact. One person can make a difference, and collectively we can change the world.
Change Starts with a Single Act
Volunteering for the Women’s Foundation of Boston could be the catalyst that transforms your life and someone else’s. There are multiple volunteer roles for the WFBoston inaugural Make Her Mark fundraising event, plus ongoing opportunities in video editing, email marketing, graphic design, and more. To see a complete list, visit volunteer opportunities. Contact info@wfboston.org to offer your skills or learn more. To help out by donating, go to www.wfboston.org.
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.