“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” This quote, attributed to the Welsh activist Elizabeth Andrews, perfectly encapsulates some of the student volunteers at our school. Despite being busy with school, sports, work and friends, they manage to make time for important volunteer work. From tutoring children in Zambia to providing diabetes support to hundreds and even helping food pantries reach those in need, busy but compassionate Posnack students have poured their hearts into passion projects that have helped change their communities for the better.
An example of this is senior Lily Naider, who took her love for language arts and used it to benefit underserved towns in Africa. She worked with an organization called Lalumwe, based in Boca Raton, that aims to provide education and health care to Zambian children. As a high school student, Naider had an opportunity that most members of Lalumwe did not: “The organization never really had a youth element where they could bring in someone the age of the kids who are in the village, who could connect with them on a personal level,” Naider said.
This connection is what allowed Naider to make the biggest impact. As a lover of reading and writing, Naider figured that she could help the village children with their English and self-expression. When describing her volunteer work, Naider said, “We (the kids and I) would work on English together and write poetry. In the end, after months of online correspondence, we wound up compiling a newsletter about their experiences and their life in the village.”
This newsletter was eventually published and sold to raise money for things the children needed, like essential medical supplies. This raised the quality of life in the village while giving Naider a better understanding of her own place in the world: “There’s that element of appreciating what you have when you’re looking at the lives of others,” Naider said. “It helps you understand … where you come from and have gratitude for the things you have.”
Other student volunteers decided to address gaps in their own communities, specifically targeting things that they didn’t have. For Bria Edidin, that “thing” was a role model to guide her through a confusing diagnosis: Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, caused by the immune system attacking and killing cells that produce insulin. Without insulin, the human body can’t break down sugars, leading to a variety of health problems if not managed correctly. But managing diabetes can be hard, especially without an example to follow. Luckily, Edidin took notice of this: “Ever since I was diagnosed at the age of 2, I never really had a diabetic role model. Therefore, I decided to partner with a charity in order to provide mentors and role models for newly diagnosed patients who were once just like me,” Edidin said.
Edidin partnered with an organization called Breakthrough T1D to establish a support group for diabetic children in South Florida. Edidin described the group, saying, “We meet five times a year in various locations throughout South Florida. The meetings consist of mentors running stations of games and crafts. From time to time, we meet to share personal stories and struggles with our diabetes.”
These meetings help children feel seen and supported, giving both mentors and mentees a chance to meet others who are facing similar challenges. Over time, the support group has taken off: “We have 20 mentors so far, as well as around 100 mentees. We keep growing each year, reaching more people and making a bigger impact,” Edidin said, hopeful about the group’s future.
Like Edidin, junior Asher Belfer recognized a need in his community and chose to address it. As someone who is passionate about using computer science to help others, Belfer created software meant to help the JFS Cupboard, an organization that provides kosher food to needy families in Broward County. Belfer had been introduced to the Cupboard as a middle school student, when his parents urged him to help out on weekends.
“At first, it was definitely something that my parents were like, ‘All right, come on, we’re going to do this,’” Belfer said. “But as the years went on, my role definitely grew, and my connection with the Cupboard increased.”
Eventually, Belfer recognized that the Cupboard could utilize technology to become even more efficient and serve the community better. To do this, he built, as he described, “a software that allows the Cupboard to efficiently connect clients, volunteers and food delivery events, all in one place.”
To do this, Belfer focused on the Cupboard’s specific needs, wanting to serve the organization as best as he could. “I had meetings with managers and people at the Cupboard, working with them to design a system that best fits their needs and works for them best,” he said.
But while Belfer was mainly intending to help the JFS Cupboard, he saw in the end that his product could be used to help other pantries and food banks around the world. “In the long term,” Belfer said, “I’m working to expand the software to as many food pantries as possible, so they can deliver to as many clients as possible. That way they can stop spending time on the simple administrative stuff and instead focus on the important work that needs to be done.”
While it is true that all of this work needs to be done, it can often be hard to balance as high school students. With school, sports, friends and family, it can be hard to find meaningful volunteer opportunities while still getting sleep each night. Belfer knew this well: “I stayed up some nights until midnight or 1 in the morning on calls with people, trying to get this project done,” he said.
But in the end, all three student volunteers knew one thing in common: the importance of time management. “You have to set yourself priorities,” Naider said. “Understand that there’s time to do specific things. Designate time slots for efficiency so you don’t feel too overwhelmed.”
Others mentioned performing most of their volunteer work over breaks and weekends, times when the burden of schoolwork was less heavy. Edidin even mentioned volunteering over the summer, a time when she could “find the perfect balance between volunteering and spending quality time with friends.”
As summer approaches, a time when finding this balance is possible, it should be said that finding meaningful volunteer roles is easier than it may seem. “Identify things that excite you!” Naider recommended when asked about finding interesting volunteer opportunities. “Then from there, you can just do some local research. A lot of the time, nonprofits really want young volunteers, and they’ll be happy to give you a position. You can really make an impact.”
Belfer and Edidin also agreed, emphasizing that doing a little research, reaching out and showing interest can go a long way. So whether you volunteer daily or are looking for new opportunities, know that having a little heart and motivation can cause real change in our communities.
