Every volunteer has a story worth sharing.
You may be organizing community cleanups, writing cards for children in hospitals, serving meals at a shelter, mentoring students, fostering animals, supporting veterans, volunteering online, or helping your neighbors in ways that never receive public attention.
At the Global Volunteer Recognition Program™, we believe that every act of service matters. Volunteer stories help communities understand the people, compassion, leadership, and personal experiences behind that service.
GVRP offers several ways to share your volunteer journey, recognize someone making a difference, and help more people discover the causes that matter to you.
Why Should You Share Your Volunteer Story?
Sharing your volunteer story can do more than recognize your own service. It can help others understand why volunteering matters and encourage them to get involved.
Your story may:
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Inspire someone to volunteer for the first time
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Bring attention to a nonprofit organization or community project
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Help a cause reach new supporters
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Show the real impact behind volunteer hours
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Encourage other volunteers who feel unnoticed
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Document your personal growth and leadership
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Strengthen a volunteer portfolio, biography, scholarship application, résumé, or pageant platform
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Create a permanent record of meaningful service
You do not need to have completed thousands of hours or received a major award to have an important story. A single project, a consistent act of kindness, or a deeply personal volunteer experience may inspire someone else to take action.
Three Ways to Share and Celebrate a Volunteer Story With GVRP
GVRP now offers several storytelling and recognition opportunities. The best option depends on whether you want to submit a magazine story, nominate a community changemaker, or participate as an annual member.
1. Submit a Story to Global Volunteer Voices
Global Volunteer Voices is GVRP’s annual publication celebrating volunteers, service projects, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, families, students, and changemakers from around the world.
Volunteers may submit:
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Their own volunteer story
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A story about another volunteer
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A written volunteer interview
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A student or youth service story
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A family or group volunteer story
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A nonprofit or community organization story
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A remote or digital volunteer story
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A story about a meaningful volunteer project
There is no fee to submit a story. GVRP membership is not required.
The annual submission deadline is December 15. Stories submitted by the deadline will be considered for the edition scheduled for publication early in the following calendar year.
Global Volunteer Voices is expected to be released in both digital and printed formats. Both editions will be available for purchase. Pricing, ordering information, contributor benefits, and any member discounts will be announced closer to publication.
Submitting a story does not guarantee publication. Stories will be reviewed based on completeness, relevance, permissions, available space, photograph quality, and the overall balance of the annual edition.
Submit a Story to Global Volunteer Voices
2. Nominate a Community Champion
The Community Champion Spotlight is a public volunteer recognition and fundraising initiative created to celebrate people making a meaningful difference through service, leadership, advocacy, kindness, and community involvement.
You may nominate:
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A dedicated volunteer
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A student or youth leader
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An educator or mentor
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A caregiver
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A nonprofit supporter
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A community advocate
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A service-minded business leader
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A volunteer coordinator
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Another person whose impact deserves recognition
Nominations are free, and self-nominations are welcome. Community Champion nominees do not need to be GVRP members.
Approved nominees receive an online spotlight featuring their volunteer story and community impact. Community Support Voting is available for nominees who choose to participate, but voting is not required for a nominee to remain part of the recognition program.
The Community Champion Spotlight is the better option when you want to publicly nominate and celebrate a specific person for their overall service, leadership, and community impact.
Nominate or Learn About a Community Champion
3. Share Your Story as a GVRP Member
Annual members receive opportunities to document, celebrate, and share their volunteer service through the GVRP community.
Current membership benefits may include:
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Volunteer storytelling opportunities
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Member spotlight opportunities
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Volunteer-hour documentation support
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An annual membership certificate
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A custom annual member medal
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Eligibility to submit qualifying service for Global Volunteer Awards™ recognition
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Monthly remote-friendly volunteer project ideas
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Member communications and program updates
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Access to additional recognition pathways
Selected current GVRP members may also be eligible for expanded placement in Global Volunteer Voices, including additional editorial space, approved professional or social links, and information about their GVRP involvement.
Membership does not automatically guarantee a magazine feature, website spotlight, social media feature, award, or specific publication placement.
Explore GVRP Annual Memberships
New to the program? Visit the GVRP Start Here page to understand how membership, volunteer-hour tracking, awards, leadership opportunities, and recognition work together.
Who Can Submit a Volunteer Story?
Global Volunteer Voices submissions are open to members and nonmembers.
Stories may be submitted by:
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Individual volunteers
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Parents or legal guardians
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Friends or family members
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Teachers and mentors
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Volunteer coordinators
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Nonprofit representatives
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Schools and student organizations
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Community groups
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Volunteer teams
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Interviewers and writers
You must have permission before submitting another person’s identifying information, quotations, interview responses, or photographs.
Parent or legal guardian permission is required before GVRP can publish identifying information or photographs of a minor.
What Types of Volunteer Service Can Be Featured?
Volunteer service takes many forms. GVRP welcomes stories involving:
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Animal welfare
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Arts and culture
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Community development
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Crisis and disaster response
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Disability inclusion and accessibility
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Education and literacy
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Environmental service
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Faith-based service
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Food insecurity
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Healthcare and public health
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Housing and homelessness
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Human rights and advocacy
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International service
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Military members, veterans, and their families
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Older adults
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Remote and digital volunteering
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Students and youth leadership
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Mentoring
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Fundraising
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Family volunteering
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Community organizing
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Independent acts of service
Volunteers may serve locally, remotely, nationally, or internationally.
For additional ways to participate, visit How to Get Involved With GVRP.
What Should You Include in a Volunteer Story?
A strong volunteer story explains more than what someone did. It helps readers understand why the work mattered.
Before completing the submission form, prepare the following information:
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The volunteer’s name and preferred published name
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City, state or province, and country
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Volunteer role
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Organization, school, project, or community served
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Primary area of service
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Approximate length of involvement
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Volunteer hours or impact measurements, when available
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The reason the volunteer became involved
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A meaningful experience or accomplishment
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Challenges the volunteer has encountered
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Lessons learned through service
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Future volunteer or leadership goals
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An approved quotation
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Website or professional social media links
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One to five clear photographs
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Appropriate publication and photo permissions
Tips for Writing a Strong Volunteer Story
Start With the Reason Behind the Service
Explain what inspired the volunteer to get involved.
Was there a personal experience, community need, mentor, family tradition, important cause, or life-changing event that encouraged the volunteer to act?
The reason behind the service often becomes the most memorable part of the story.
Describe What the Volunteer Actually Does
Use specific examples rather than general statements.
Instead of writing, “Jordan helps people in the community,” explain that Jordan prepares meals for families, organizes winter clothing drives, mentors middle school students, or coordinates volunteers at a food pantry.
Specific details make the story more credible, helpful, and engaging.
Explain the Impact
Describe who or what benefited from the service.
Helpful details may include:
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People served
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Volunteer hours completed
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Events organized
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Funds raised
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Items collected or distributed
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Students mentored
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Animals supported
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Projects completed
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Communities reached
Exact numbers are helpful when they are available, but they are not required.
Share a Meaningful Moment
Include a specific experience that demonstrates why the volunteer work matters.
This might be:
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A conversation with someone who received help
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A challenge the volunteer overcame
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A project that grew beyond expectations
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A moment when the volunteer recognized their impact
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A person who inspired the volunteer to continue
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A lesson that changed the volunteer’s perspective
These moments turn a list of activities into a meaningful story.
Include the Volunteer’s Own Voice
A short quotation can help readers connect with the person behind the service.
For example:
“Volunteering taught me that you do not need unlimited time or resources to make a difference. You simply need to begin.”
Use a quotation that reflects the volunteer’s real experience and personality.
Be Honest About Challenges
Volunteer stories do not need to suggest that service is always easy.
Volunteers may experience:
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Burnout
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Limited funding
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Transportation barriers
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Accessibility challenges
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Volunteer shortages
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Scheduling conflicts
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Emotional stress
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Difficulty balancing service with work, school, or family
Explaining how a volunteer handled a challenge can make the story more relatable and useful to others.
Explain What Comes Next
End by describing the volunteer’s future goals.
They may want to expand a project, recruit more volunteers, support a new community, pursue additional leadership education, or inspire others to become involved.
Tips for Submitting Volunteer Photographs
Strong photographs can help bring a volunteer story to life.
Consider submitting:
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A clear portrait of the featured volunteer
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A photograph of the volunteer actively serving
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Images from a project or community event
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Photographs showing the cause or organization supported
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Original, high-resolution image files
Avoid submitting:
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Blurry or heavily filtered images
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Screenshots of photographs
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Images containing private or confidential information
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Photographs you do not have permission to use
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Images of minors without appropriate permission
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Photographs showing patient, client, student, or organizational records
Photographs may be cropped or resized for publication. Submitting a photograph does not guarantee that it will be used.
For more ideas, read Why You Should Be Visually Sharing Your Volunteer Journey.
What Happens After You Submit a Magazine Story?
After a Global Volunteer Voices submission is received:
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The GVRP editorial team reviews the submission for completeness.
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The submitter or featured volunteer may be contacted with questions.
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Permissions, photographs, links, and membership information may be reviewed.
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Selected stories may be edited for grammar, clarity, length, safety, and publication style.
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Final placement is determined by available space and editorial design.
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Publication and ordering information will be shared when available.
GVRP may limit the number of stories published each year to keep the project manageable and maintain the quality of the finished publication.
Submissions may close before December 15 if the annual editorial capacity is reached.
Is There a Fee to Submit a Volunteer Story?
No. There is currently no fee to submit a story for consideration in Global Volunteer Voices.
Contributors are not required to purchase the finished publication. Digital and printed editions will be available for purchase, with prices announced closer to the publication date.
There is also no fee to nominate someone for the Community Champion Spotlight. Community Support Voting is separate and optional.
Does Submitting a Story Guarantee Publication?
No. Submission does not guarantee publication in Global Volunteer Voices or on the GVRP website and social media channels.
Selection may depend on:
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Story completeness
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Available editorial space
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Required permissions
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Photograph quality
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Variety of causes and experiences
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Geographic representation
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Relevance to the publication
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The total number of submissions received
A story that is not selected for one edition may be considered for a future opportunity when the submitter has granted the appropriate permission.
What Is the Difference Between Global Volunteer Voices and the Community Champion Spotlight?
Global Volunteer Voices is an annual publication featuring a collection of volunteer stories, interviews, service experiences, and community impact. The deadline is December 15, and the publication is expected early in the following year.
The Community Champion Spotlight is an ongoing public recognition and fundraising initiative. Individuals are nominated for their overall service, leadership, advocacy, kindness, or community impact. Approved nominees receive an online spotlight, and Community Support Voting is optional.
A volunteer may participate in both opportunities when they meet the applicable requirements.
Does Someone Need to Be a GVRP Member?
No. GVRP membership is not required to submit a Global Volunteer Voices story or receive a Community Champion Spotlight nomination.
Membership provides a broader annual experience that includes volunteer-hour documentation support, member recognition, a certificate and custom medal, project ideas, communication, award eligibility, and storytelling opportunities.
You can compare the available pathways on the Volunteer Recognition and Award Opportunities page.
Can Organizations Submit Multiple Volunteers?
Yes. Schools, nonprofits, volunteer programs, community groups, and other organizations may submit more than one volunteer.
Complete a separate Global Volunteer Voices form for each individual unless the submission is specifically about a family, team, group, or shared project.
Organizations may also nominate qualifying individuals for the Community Champion Spotlight.
Can International Volunteers Participate?
Yes. GVRP welcomes volunteer stories and Community Champion nominations from around the world.
Volunteer service may be local, national, international, remote, or digital. Global Volunteer Voices submissions should be completed in English so the editorial team can review and prepare them for publication.
Can Youth Volunteers Be Featured?
Yes. Student and youth volunteer stories are encouraged.
A parent, legal guardian, or authorized representative must provide permission when a featured volunteer is younger than 18. Families may request that a minor be identified by first name only, first name and last initial, or a group name.
Share Your Volunteer Story
Volunteer service deserves to be documented, celebrated, and remembered.
Whether you have served for one month or several decades, completed one meaningful project or built a lifetime of community involvement, your experience may encourage someone else to take their first step into volunteerism.
Submit to Global Volunteer Voices
Annual deadline: December 15
Expected publication: Early in the following calendar year
Submission fee: Free
Digital and printed editions: Available for purchase, with pricing announced closer to publication
Nominate a Community Champion
Recognize a volunteer, student, educator, caregiver, advocate, nonprofit supporter, community leader, or other changemaker.
Explore the Community Champion Spotlight
Explore Additional Recognition Opportunities
Learn about memberships, volunteer awards, recognition pathways, leadership development, and other ways GVRP celebrates service.