In this episode, we are honored to host Matthew Goldstein, CEO of Besa. He takes us on a journey filled with new opportunities, challenges, and the importance of community building. Matthew talks about his experience of moving to Columbus without knowing anyone. But volunteering at a suicide prevention hotline changed his life, enabling him to connect with others on a deeper level.
Volunteer opportunities abound!
The nonprofit Besa offers 50-70 volunteer projects every month, with support from a volunteer leader. This ensures engagement and connectedness between participants. The goal of Besa is to create a positive volunteer experience that keeps people coming back. This encourages them to recruit others to join in community engagement.
Goldstein’s story also highlights how volunteering can create new opportunities in the form of new career paths and help you learn new skills. He encourages people to volunteer and shares how a group of fellow volunteers working together to accomplish a goal is important in becoming part of a new community.
However, the decreasing rate of volunteerism across the country, especially in Ohio, is a concerning trend. The number one reason for people not volunteering is that life just gets in the way. But Matthew also provides a fun anecdote that illustrated how one person’s efforts can inspire others to join in.
We hope this episode inspires you to explore new opportunities to volunteer with Besa and contribute positively to your community. Here is the list of resources we mention in the podcast.
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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.
Copyright 2023 Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson
