The Foreign Service Journal, May 2023

AFSA NEWS 70 MAY 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA Next Stage Speaker Series Giving Back! Volunteering with an NGO “Map for Change” Volunteer Opportunities On Feb. 28, AFSA hosted the webinar “Volunteerism: How Can the Foreign Service Best Contribute?” The program was part of AFSA’s popular Next Stage series, which is designed to help retirees explore post-FS opportunities. Guest speakers were invited to discuss how For- eign Service personnel can best contribute to the non- governmental organization (NGO) sector as volunteers. Panelists were Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, presi- dent and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; Ken Patterson, director of grassroots impact at Results, a nonpartisan citi- zens’ advocacy organization devoted to finding long-term solutions to poverty; and Patricia McArdle, a former Foreign Service officer who is now a member of the Global Advisory Council for Solar Cookers International. Ms. Vignarajah, who served as a senior adviser at the State Department under Secretaries Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, said there is a “real opportunity for Americans to better under- stand the lives of immigrant families” by volunteering with organizations such as hers, which assists with refugee resettlement, aids immigrants at our southern border, and cares for unac- companied children. “Our voices do matter with our elected officials,” Mr. Patterson, a former Peace Corps volunteer, said. But most people don’t know how to make themselves heard. His organization trains peo- ple in communication skills to influence elected officials to address poverty. Ms. McArdle, a former public affairs FSO, said her organization relies heavily on volunteers to help with everything from fundraising to creating videos and writing press releases. All three panelists spoke about how the skill sets of a member of the U.S. Foreign Service can be useful to their organization. “You really are the perfect advocates,” said Mr. Patterson. A recording of the webinar is available at bit.ly/VolunteerPanel. n A good volunteer opportunity is giving and getting. —Krish O’Mara Vignarajah Looking for opportunities to volunteer wherever you are in the world? AAFSW (Associates of the American Foreign Ser- vice Worldwide) is excited to share Map for Change: Foreign Affairs Community Volunteers. Administered by AAFSW and supported by the Cox Foundation, Map for Change literally maps out volun- teer opportunities both overseas and in the D.C. area. The map, housed on FS Hub, is billed by AAFSW as a “great community resource to learn about volunteer opportunities” that also promotes volunteerism as a form of diplomacy. Go to www.fshub.org/map-for-change-foreign- affairs-community-volunteers/ to find opportunities near you or submit your own ideas. n Kirby Simon Trust Supports FS Volunteers The J. Kirby Simon Trust supports Foreign Service members, local staff, and family members who are doing charitable work in their communities. For more than 25 years, the trust has provided small grants to enable these efforts and is proud to have given away close to $1.9 million over that time. Read more about the Trust’s work and how to support it at www.kirbysimon.org/donate. n