Crystal Hayling, a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Effective Philanthropy, recently published an article on the Center for Effective Philanthropy's blog entitled, "Whose Volunteer Experience is this Anyway?" in which she considers who really benefits from service projects, and how much of the focus of service projects should be on "making a difference" and how much should be on personal growth.
Hayling writes:
“I love feeling that I’m making a difference, whether it is buying green products or volunteering or contributing to organizations I love. By doing these things I create a sense of community, connection, and empathy that benefits me as well as those on the other end of that support. The act of giving is mutually beneficial. But at the end of the day, it’s not only about me. Giving, volunteering, and the work done to support nonprofits becomes transformative when the goal is something much larger than just one person’s pride or fame or even self-actualization.”
