Purposeful Traveler: Kerry at Give A Day Global

Each month we feature inspiring people in our Travel Massive community from around the world who are empowering changing in travel. This month we meet Kerry Rodgers, travel insider at San Francisco Travel Massive and co-Founder of Give A Day Global where she helps connect non-profits and travellers to make a difference in just one day.

1. What is your initiative about and who does it help?

Give A Day Global is a nonprofit platform that connects international travelers with one day of volunteering at nonprofit organizations in developing countries. We help travelers who want to get involved with a meaningful experience, even if they just have one day of time to give.

We also aid community-based nonprofit organizations who are doing impactful work – feeding the poor, educating the young, economically empowering locals, and protecting the environment and wildlife – by helping them expand their networks of support.

2. Is there an issue in the world you wish to see change in?

Extreme poverty is an issue that truly haunts me. Over a billion people live on less than $1.25 per day (at U.S. purchasing power parity – meaning what you could buy for $1.25 in the US). Another billion live on less than $2 per day. It is a humanitarian crises on a massive scale. However, currently only 4% of American charitable donations go to international causes – of any kind. Considering the magnitude of extreme poverty and other global problems, this feels like a paltry percentage for the world’s wealthiest economy. I hope to see this percentage change, and consequently its impact on our world’s most pressing problems.

3. How did the idea of Give A Day Global come to be?

While traveling in South Africa 6 years ago, I volunteered for one day at a wonderful non-profit in a township outside of Cape Town. It all came about because one of my traveling companions had a personal connection there. The experience was transformational and it occurred to me that this one day was a win-win: it truly opened my eyes to the challenges that many poor communities face and it was the most memorable day of my vacation.

I sat on my idea for many years. In the meantime I began volunteering every chance I could get. I went to Haiti for weeks at a time. When I came home, I became intently focused on the question: How can I work to get more people to care about what is going on in Haiti and in other places in the world facing enormous challenges?

I realized that my interest in global issues began on that one day, in South Africa. Maybe experiences like mine could be replicated across the globe? I shared this idea with some friends who had similar ideas, and then Give A Day Global was born!

4. What makes your initiative different?

We carefully vet all the organizations on our platform for effectiveness and integrity, and we make sure that volunteers are being thoughtfully managed in a way that does not threaten vulnerable populations. This way travelers can volunteer for a day and rest assured that their labor is going to a good cause.

5. How is your initiative financed? Where do donations go or how are they used?

Because we are so passionate about the non-profits we work with and want to help them achieve their missions, we ask volunteers to make a suggested donation of $100 per adult and $25 per child when they volunteer. 100% of these donations are distributed to the non-profit where the traveler volunteers.

We fund our own operations by hosting small fundraisers to cover our expenses. We have a shoestring budget. I even rent out my spare bedroom on Airbnb to help raise money!

6. How many people has your initiative helped?

We are still in our startup phase but we have already connected 70 travelers with one day of volunteering and we have distributed almost $5000 to non-profit organizations that we work with!

7. What has been your biggest challenge?

Our legal status was a huge challenge in the beginning – it took us over a year to become a registered 501c3 public charity. Currently our biggest challenge is getting the word out about what we do – the travel industry is very fragmented and competitive, so as a small organization spreading the word far and wide is a big challenge!

8. What do you hope your initiative will accomplish in the next 2-5 years?

We want to see our organization grow scale. It is our ambition by the year 2020 to connect 100,000 travelers every year with a day of volunteering, and to raise at least $10 million per year for the non-profit organizations on our platform. We believe at that level of scale we can begin to nudge the needle on the issues that we care deeply about.

“It’s not so much about what we finish in a day, but what we can start.”

9. What do you say to people who are skeptical about the impact of one day volunteering?

I think many people have a misconception that nothing of value can be accomplished in just one day. Certainly, there is a limit to what can get done in a short amount of time however I think it is not so much about what we finish in a day, but what we can start. A lot can be done in one day. Connections can begin, conversations can begin, ideas can begin. And because we live in an era of easy global communication, many things that begin can be continued from afar.

10. Good point! Do you have any tips for aspiring do-gooders who want to give back or start their own social project?

Start by listening. Hear people’s concerns, wants, needs. Observe. Build trust by being of service. Ask lots of questions. Move forward in solidarity with others.

I also recommend reading books! I love Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder and The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer.

11. How can someone help or get involved with Give A Day Global?

Next time you travel in Asia, Africa, or Latin America, check out our site to see if we have a location where you can give a day! If not, drop us a line anyway – we may be in the process of vetting a non-profit in your location, and we are always seeking “ambassadors” to help us scope out new non-profits. Also, we love working with local volunteers in San Francisco to help us build our organization, fundraise, and spread the word!

Purposeful Traveler is a series that profiles inspiring people or projects making a purposeful change to the way we travel. You can connect with Kerry on Travel Massive. If you know of a Purposeful Traveler who should be featured, email us.