It’s National Volunteer Month, and we’ve passed a huge milestone: volunteers on Catchafire have given 1 million hours to nonprofits in need of support.
At our inception in 2010, Catchafire set out to be a social impact organization unlike any other. Founder Rachael Chong sought to create an innovative pathway for her colleagues to volunteer with organizations they care about. Little did she know that this once small group of coworkers would grow to a pool of thousands of worldwide volunteers who would deliver over one million volunteer hours. Eleven years later, Catchafire has reached this significant milestone with the help of bold volunteers and the support of foundation partners who trust our impact and vision to create sustainable change in communities.
To our volunteers, we extend a sincere thank you. To our foundation and nonprofit partners, thank you for placing your trust in our volunteers and support in our innovation.
“We absolutely would not have reached this pivotal milestone without our volunteers; they power Catchafire, and this is the future of social good work."
Matt Miszewski
CEO, Catchafire
At Catchafire, we aim to provide equitable access to talent for nonprofits, with a focus on small resource-constrained organizations in communities that need the most support. By connecting professional volunteers and nonprofits, organizations can employ a wide range of talent to help sustain and expand programming.
Our volunteer network includes over 84,000 experienced professionals. Our recent volunteer survey revealed that 65% of our volunteer base report having experience in the nonprofit sector outside of Catchafire, and over 80% have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. On average, our volunteers have eleven years of professional experience, bringing exceptional knowledge and expertise to consultation calls and projects such as marketing collateral, strategic planning, fundraising event support, IT training, professional development, and more.
Volunteers join Catchafire for a wide variety of reasons. Many are driven by the idea of giving back to communities, while simultaneously building their resumes and professional skills. It’s a win-win for both volunteers and nonprofits. Nonprofits receive critical project support while volunteers build their skillset.
"Love Catchafire. You helped me through the pandemic. Without Catchafire I wouldn't have the resume gap filled and references that helped me achieve my current job.” - Anonymous Catchafire Volunteer
Reaching 1 million volunteer hours isn’t just a reflection of a one-off moment of civic engagement. Many create lasting relationships, with over half of volunteers staying involved with the nonprofit beyond the initial match and first project. A majority joined the organization in an advisory role, while others became donors or joined the Board of Directors. Catchafire may be the connection that unites volunteers and nonprofits, but relationship building - a key component of the social good sector — brings communities together for years to come.
”Catchafire has been a blessing and a great joy to me. It has allowed me to reach people/organizations I never would have known, develop and hone my professional skills to a far greater degree, help people around the world with my skills, knowing that they will reach and assist so many using the skills I have taught them. I am moved and in love with every client on every Catchafire project for which I've been matched.”
Catchafire volunteer
If you’d like to watch Catchafire’s journey to 2 million volunteer hours unfold, sign up as a volunteer. If you’re interested in partnering with us, email us.