Receiving the Gloucester County Chamber Citizen of the Year award earlier this month gave me some time to reflect on my four decades of work in strategic communication and relationship management. I humbly accepted this honor with the full recognition that every achievement — educating and informing, connecting and coordinating, and executing and experiencing gains on behalf of clients and the community — came through partnerships and collaboration.
A significant portion of my career involved giving back through volunteerism, serving on boards and/or committees, leading employee initiatives, supporting existing nonprofit activities, and establishing opportunities for clients to connect with community causes aligned with their missions. I’ve written about the “why” behind this work not once, not twice, but three times over the past half decade, but as America’s semiquincentennial anniversary celebration approaches, it warrants another mention.
Service Benefits Employees, Businesses, and Society
Yes, we’ve explored how even small business sponsored volunteerism improves employee engagement and retention, grows brand awareness and enhances brand reputation, and increases customer loyalty. Among many other benefits, for the individuals engaged, it increases empathy, improves leadership capacity, deepens connections, and diversifies skills. For society, it strengthens and sustains communities.
At the recent award ceremony, I shared that as a naturalized citizen, I strongly sense the privilege and responsibility of belonging, which fueled the collaborative endeavors to make life better for those with whom I encounter, influence, or impact. So, here’s a timely pitch for your consideration.
A Momentous Reason to Mobilize
You may know that April is National Volunteer Month, with National Volunteer Week taking place on April 19–25, 2026. But, did you know that 2026 is the “National Year of the Volunteer?” To mark our country’s 250th birthday, this designation aims to galvanize individual and collective acts of volunteerism and make this the largest year of service in U.S. history. In fact, there’s an America Gives initiative where individuals and organizations can log volunteer hours towards this remarkable aim.
In a recent press conference about New Jersey’s partnership with America Gives, Lieutenant Governor Dr. Dale G. Caldwell noted, “As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, there is no better way to honor this historic year than through service. Here in New Jersey, we wholeheartedly understand the value of community and the importance of helping our neighbors.”
Ready, Set, Serve!
So, which community improvement endeavor are you ready to adopt in April? For RCG, March ends and April starts with the annual “Gloucester County Cares About Hunger Food Drive.” We welcome you to join us, learn more about local initiatives by visiting the Volunteer Center of South Jersey, or join national give back opportunities during this milestone year.
Let’s go!
Author: Claire Riggs
Date: March 24, 2026
