United Way Worldwide Senior Director of Volunteer & Employee Engagement Mei Cobb reveals how her organization is pivoting amidst COVID-19’s significant disruptions to volunteering and the first responder organizations that provide vital services relating to hunger, housing, domestic violence, and more. The world’s largest privately funded nonprofit, United Way supports the health, education, and financial stability of 48 million people annually and has continued to do so during the pandemic by embracing virtual volunteering.
Mei shares how her upbringing influenced her career in service (she previously spent 15 years with Points of Light), the strategies her team and partners employed to keep supporting communities through COVID-19, and how they’ve maintained strong engagement remotely. Recorded in advance of MLK Day, Mei and Danielle’s conversation also includes reflections on the civil rights leader’s legacy of service, the future of volunteerism, and the trends they expect to see going forward, from hybrid in-person and virtual models of volunteerism to a continued focus on serving locally. The pandemic has disrupted all aspects of life and work, but it’s also given us an opportunity to build back better with an increased focus on equity, inclusion, and unity.
To learn more about United Way Worldwide, visit unitedway.org.
