Blog

We are pleased to announce that the Call for Nominations for the 14th Annual Be the Difference Awards is now open.  The “Be the Difference” Awards are about honoring the individuals, groups, non-profits, and businesses that transform Santa Cruz County through volunteerism.   We invited you to share your stories of inspiration. Have you worked … Read more

With the spread of COVID-19, youth programming across the country has adapted to new ways of engaging children and teens both online and in person. During this time, YouthSERVE has remained dedicated to connecting youth, ages 11-17, with rewarding volunteer projects across Santa Cruz County. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our participants are completing at home … Read more

Systemic Racism exists in America, in California, in our beloved community, and in our agency. We see the evidence in unequal poverty rates, graduation rates, disproportionate incarceration rates, even in life span. We see it in the experiences of our own programs and when working with our clients. What is happening in our country is … Read more

Our sense of SELF. Our sense of WELLNESS. We carry forward with each. We wear them like armor, sink into them like a deep unforeseen hole, or hold them up brazenly like a golden ray of sun. Somedays we may vacillate and float between which way to carry them. Other days we may have more … Read more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/pWBwd2L6nB4 Over the past two months as businesses, schools, and nonprofits have shuttered their doors and suspended programs, we’ve all been forced to adapt.  At the Volunteer Center, we’ve used this time to assess our resources and our strengths and we have made huge shifts to meet today’s immediate critical needs. Through this process, we’ve … Read more

Dick Davis joined our staff on #GivingTuesdayNow for the video premiere of Keep the Lights on Santa Cruz County to share why he is proud to donate his stimulus check to his community. Learn more below and watch his interview with Executive Director Karen Delaney. Hello, My name is Dick Davis and I am on … Read more

Like many community organizations, here at the Volunteer Center, we’ve made huge shifts in the way we business in order to both continue operations and meet the immediate critical needs of the community during the public health emergency. This public health emergency has had a huge emotional and economic toll on so many. From community … Read more

Today, on this Earth Day, we are grateful for the community leaders and local organizations that cultivate the nature lover, budding scientist, and environmental advocate in each of us. Our community is happier and healthier because of the effort you put forward every day. We are honored to highlight five organizations fundraising through the Human … Read more

Acting with compassion for others and in ways that make our community stronger is what volunteers do. We see this during the COVID Crisis in people who are making and donating masks, shopping for seniors, delivering food and staffing shelters to help our neighbors Shelter in Place and all of us flatten the curve. In … Read more

We are all living in a new reality with shelter-in-place. While some of us are continuing to work, others are wondering when they will be able to work and worrying about paying rent. While some of us are crowded with the kids at home, others are living alone and scared to leave the house. Whatever … Read more

Our mission at the Volunteer Center is to transform our community and ourselves for good through the power of each one of us finding meaningful ways to contribute our time, talent and resources to make our world better.  While this is always a big job – engaging 15,000 volunteers to donate $11 million worth of … Read more

While the celebration scheduled for May 9th will not cap off our six-week fundraising campaign this year, we feel undaunted as we know our generous community  is not one to be deterred. We also know that the most vital piece of the Human Race is the six week online giving campaign. Last year our fundraisers … Read more

Why do you volunteer? We all have our stories, and here’s mine: When I was 18, I was diagnosed with severe depression. I did not know, then, that depression would debilitate me for much of my adult life, nor that my diagnosis was incomplete. It would be decades before I found a doctor who helped … Read more

We are so excited to launch our 40th year of the Human Race later this month at the Kickoff Breakfast on Feb 26th. The Human Race is the perfect picture of the world we believe in– big-hearted, bold, and giving– Thanks to the people, organizations, and businesses it attracts. Year after year, we are proud … Read more

On December 3rd, 18 tutors joined Claire Castagna at the Tutoring with Tech Workshop. The focus was to explore videos and apps that are designed for English learners and which students could use as homework. “We know that the one or two hours we spend each week with our student just isn’t enough,” Claire explained. … Read more