Honoring the Volunteers Who Helped Begin the Global Volunteer Recognition Program
The Global Volunteer Recognition Program™ is proud to celebrate the volunteers who became part of our community during its founding membership year.
GVRP was founded in September 2023 with a mission to celebrate the contributions of all volunteers to create a better world. The volunteers who joined during that first year helped establish a community built around service, leadership, encouragement, and meaningful recognition.
Our 2023 members represented different ages, communities, professions, causes, and service experiences. They supported children, older adults, military families, patients, animals, nonprofit organizations, environmental projects, mental health initiatives, community events, and many other important causes.
Some led major projects. Others served quietly behind the scenes. Some volunteered locally, while others supported broader national and international efforts.
Together, they demonstrated that every person has the ability to create meaningful change.
This page serves as a historical archive and introduction to the 2023 Global Volunteer Recognition Program member stories.
The Founding GVRP Membership Year
The first year of any program is important.
The people who participate during that year help shape its culture, demonstrate its purpose, and create the foundation for future growth.
The 2023 GVRP members helped establish a volunteer recognition community centered on the belief that service deserves to be:
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Documented
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Appreciated
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Celebrated
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Shared
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Encouraged
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Recognized with integrity
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Connected to personal and community growth
Their stories show that volunteers do not need to follow one specific service path to make a difference.
Volunteerism may include:
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Organizing donation drives
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Mentoring children and teens
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Supporting patients and caregivers
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Assisting military members and veterans
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Promoting mental health awareness
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Addressing food insecurity
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Supporting foster children
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Cleaning parks and public spaces
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Advocating for inclusion and accessibility
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Raising funds for important causes
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Providing professional skills without payment
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Creating educational programs
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Helping older adults feel less isolated
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Supporting nonprofit organizations
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Completing remote and digital service
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Leading community projects
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Using pageant platforms to promote meaningful causes
Every contribution added something valuable to the GVRP community.
Explore the 2023 GVRP Member Stories
The 2023 member collection includes individual profiles highlighting service, advocacy, leadership, personal growth, and community impact.
The following stories represent only part of the founding membership community.
Laurel Barrett: Founder of the Global Volunteer Recognition Program
Read Laurel Barrett’s volunteer story.
Laurel Barrett founded the Global Volunteer Recognition Program after years of volunteer service, education, community involvement, and advocacy.
Her goal was to create a program where volunteers of different ages, backgrounds, locations, and service interests could feel recognized for their contributions.
Her story demonstrates how personal volunteer experience can inspire the creation of new opportunities for others.
Tanner Cline: Dedicated Volunteer and Board Officer
Read Tanner Cline’s volunteer story.
Tanner has contributed hundreds of volunteer hours through community education, local history, logistics, and organizational leadership.
His experience demonstrates how specialized knowledge and consistent involvement can become meaningful forms of community service.
Juliana Denick: Educator, Advocate, and Community Leader
Read Juliana Denick’s volunteer story.
Juliana’s work connects education, disability advocacy, accessibility, law, and community leadership.
Her story shows how volunteers can combine professional goals, lived experience, and public platforms to promote inclusion and positive change.
Shreya Sudhakar: Future Surgeon and Teen Volunteer
Read Shreya Sudhakar’s volunteer story.
Shreya has completed extensive hospital service while preparing for a future career in medicine.
Her experience demonstrates how student volunteering can provide meaningful community support while helping young people explore careers, develop confidence, and strengthen leadership skills.
RileyJo Lane: Helping Foster Children Through RJ’s PJ’s
Read RileyJo Lane’s volunteer story.
RileyJo began helping foster children at a young age by collecting pajamas through RJ’s PJ’s.
Her work reminds us that children can identify community needs, lead service projects, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of other young people.
Sara Milliken: Supporting Senior Mental Health Through The Buddy System
Read Sara Milliken’s volunteer story.
Sara created The Buddy System to provide friendship, connection, and emotional support to older adults.
Her service highlights the importance of combating loneliness and creating consistent human connection for people who may otherwise feel isolated.
Cathy Howell: Operation Leave No Military Behind
Read Cathy Howell’s volunteer story.
Cathy has dedicated decades to supporting military members and their families.
Through Operation Leave No Military Behind, she has helped coordinate care packages, resources, advocacy, and ongoing support for the military community.
Misty Lee Coolidge: Fighting Hunger in Communities
Read Misty Lee Coolidge’s volunteer story.
Misty’s service focuses on fighting hunger, reducing food waste, supporting community organizations, and encouraging others to take action.
Her story demonstrates how advocacy, travel, partnerships, public engagement, and direct service can work together to address a widespread community need.
Kristie Saavedra: Mental Health and Volunteer Impact
Read Kristie Saavedra’s volunteer story.
Kristie uses her experiences to promote honest conversations about mental health, anxiety, depression, and emotional wellness.
Her advocacy helps reduce stigma and reminds others that supporting mental health can be an important form of community service.
Jennifer Wilde: Spreading Love and Kindness
Read Jennifer Wilde’s volunteer story.
Jennifer combines her healthcare experience, pageant involvement, and Power of Love platform to encourage kindness, healing, and compassion.
Her story shows how professional service and community advocacy can reinforce one another.
Jenna Rachiele: Burnout Awareness and Women’s Wellness
Read Jenna Rachiele’s volunteer story.
Jenna educates women about burnout, wellness, emotional health, and the importance of caring for themselves while caring for others.
Her work demonstrates how personal experience can become a source of education, advocacy, and support.
Chelsea Roberts: Environmental and Mental Health Advocacy
Read Chelsea Roberts’ volunteer story.
Chelsea has supported environmental cleanups, nonprofit leadership, mental health awareness, and community engagement.
Her service illustrates how volunteers can support multiple causes while using creativity, leadership, and public platforms to encourage involvement.
Discover More Founding Member Profiles
The stories above represent only a selection of the volunteers included in the 2023 collection.
Additional profiles recognize service connected to:
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Youth mentorship
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Mental health and suicide prevention
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Military and veteran support
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Cancer awareness
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Women’s empowerment
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Disability advocacy
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Healthcare
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Education
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Food insecurity
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Kindness initiatives
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Foster care
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Environmental service
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Human rights
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Community leadership
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Senior wellness
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Pageantry with purpose
Explore all 2023 GVRP member stories.
Some member profiles were published after the 2023 membership year as the historical collection was developed and additional stories became available.
2023 Global Volunteer Award Recipients
A public member profile and a Global Volunteer Award™ are two different forms of recognition.
A member profile shares a volunteer’s story, causes, leadership, and community involvement.
A Global Volunteer Award is earned through verified service hours and the applicable program requirements.
The official 2023 Global Volunteer Award recipients were:
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Laurel Barrett, Platinum
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Misty Lee Coolidge, Gold
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Sara DornBrook, Silver
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Deborah Hornick, Bronze
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Sara Ashlyn Milliken, Bronze
These volunteers earned recognition based on their certified service during the 2023 calendar year.
Visit the official Global Volunteer Award recipients list to view recipients from 2023 and later service years.
Volunteers interested in current recognition can learn more about the Global Volunteer Awards™.
Why GVRP Shares Volunteer Stories
Volunteer recognition is not limited to certificates, medals, pins, or service-hour totals.
Sharing volunteer stories helps preserve the meaning behind the service.
A story can explain:
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Why someone began volunteering
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Which cause matters to them
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What community need they identified
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What challenges they experienced
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How their project developed
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Who benefited from the service
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What skills the volunteer gained
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How the experience changed their perspective
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What they hope to accomplish next
Public stories can also help other people understand that volunteerism is accessible.
A reader may see a child collecting pajamas, a student serving in a hospital, a professional supporting a nonprofit, or an advocate raising awareness and realize that they can make a difference too.
Volunteer Recognition Is Not a Competition
The Global Volunteer Recognition Program is not designed to rank volunteers against one another.
A person who completes hundreds of service hours may create significant impact. A person who completes a smaller project may also address an important need.
Volunteer recognition should consider the service being completed, the volunteer’s circumstances, the community need, and the purpose of the recognition.
Some volunteers:
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Have flexible schedules
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Serve as part of their careers
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Participate through schools or organizations
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Have access to frequent volunteer opportunities
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Complete projects remotely
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Balance service with employment, school, caregiving, health needs, or family responsibilities
The amount of time someone can volunteer does not determine their value as a person.
Every act of service can contribute to a larger culture of compassion and community involvement.
Honoring Privacy and Personal Recognition Preferences
Not every GVRP member chooses to have a public profile.
Some volunteers enjoy sharing their stories to promote a cause or inspire others. Others prefer private recognition.
GVRP only publishes individual biographies, photographs, project information, and personal stories when appropriate information and permission have been provided.
A volunteer does not need to appear publicly for their service to matter.
The public 2023 collection may not include every person who participated during the membership year.
What Was the 2023 GVRP Membership?
The 2023 membership applied to volunteer service completed during the 2023 calendar year.
Because membership and recognition policies are organized by service year, people seeking recognition for current service should not use the 2023 member collection as current enrollment information.
Current volunteers should select the annual membership corresponding with the year in which their service is completed.
Volunteers completing service between January 1 and December 31, 2026 can review the 2026 Global Volunteer Recognition Program Membership.
The current membership program helps eligible volunteers:
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Document and organize volunteer service
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Receive a membership certificate and custom member medal
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Explore Global Volunteer Award eligibility
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Participate in member spotlight opportunities
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Build a service, leadership, scholarship, or pageant portfolio
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Access remote-friendly service project ideas
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Receive member savings on Leadership Academy courses
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Stay connected to recognition opportunities
Current program terms, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and documentation policies apply.
Important President’s Volunteer Service Award Update
The original version of this article invited readers to learn about recognition through the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is currently paused at the national level through AmeriCorps. GVRP remains a Certifying Organization, but GVRP does not issue or control the national award and cannot guarantee when certification or ordering will resume.
Volunteers may continue tracking their service hours while reviewing current updates.
Visit the GVRP President’s Volunteer Service Award information page for the latest information.
Volunteers seeking an active service-hour recognition pathway can explore the Global Volunteer Awards™.
Looking for Current Volunteer Opportunities and Recognition?
This article is a historical celebration of GVRP’s 2023 members.
People looking for current programs can explore:
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2023 GVRP Members
Who were the 2023 GVRP members?
The 2023 members were volunteers who participated in the Global Volunteer Recognition Program during its founding membership year.
They represented different causes, communities, ages, professions, leadership experiences, and types of service.
Was 2023 the first year of the Global Volunteer Recognition Program?
Yes. The Global Volunteer Recognition Program was founded in September 2023.
The 2023 members were part of the program’s earliest volunteer recognition community.
Can I view individual 2023 member profiles?
Yes. Public profiles are available in the 2023 member story collection.
Some stories were added after the original membership year as the archive was developed.
Does every 2023 member have a public profile?
No. A profile may not have been submitted, completed, approved, or authorized for public publication.
Volunteers who are not publicly featured remain an important part of the GVRP community.
Did every 2023 member earn a Global Volunteer Award?
No. Membership, public profiles, and Global Volunteer Awards are separate.
Global Volunteer Awards require verified service hours and completion of the applicable award requirements.
Is the 2023 membership still the correct membership to purchase?
No. Volunteers should select the membership corresponding with the calendar year in which their service is completed.
Volunteers documenting 2026 service should review the 2026 membership.
Can students and children participate in GVRP?
Yes. GVRP offers recognition pathways for children, teens, young adults, and adults.
Parents or guardians may need to assist with purchases, documentation, permission, nominations, or public profiles.
Can international or remote volunteers participate?
GVRP welcomes many forms of meaningful volunteer service, including eligible local, international, virtual, and remote projects.
The service must meet the applicable program rules and documentation requirements.
Thank You to the Founding 2023 Members
The Global Volunteer Recognition Program would not have grown into its current community without the volunteers who participated during its first year.
The 2023 members trusted a new program, shared their stories, documented their service, supported important causes, and demonstrated the many ways volunteers create change.
Some were experienced service leaders. Others were beginning new projects or discovering causes that mattered to them.
Each person contributed to the foundation of the GVRP community.
Thank you to the founding 2023 members for your service, leadership, compassion, and willingness to make a difference.
Your stories remain part of the history of the Global Volunteer Recognition Program, and your impact continues to inspire others.
Explore the complete 2023 member collection, or join the 2026 Global Volunteer Recognition Program to begin documenting and celebrating your own service.