“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light…we all have something to give,” said former U.S. President George H.W. Bush.

April 7-13 is National Volunteer Week, which was established in 1974. The 2019 celebration began on Sunday with Good Deeds Day, a global day of service that unites people from more than 100 countries to do good deeds for the benefit of others and the planet, according to Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.

Volunteers are, without doubt, the lifeblood of MPI.

"If it weren’t for all of the chapter volunteers and our boards around the world, MPI would not be as successful as we are today,” says MPI Chief Operations Officer Darren Temple."

Leslie Menichini, vice president of sales and marketing for Rosen Hotels & Resorts and a member of the MPI International Board of Directors, says the best advice she could give someone about volunteering is to find your passion.

“Look deep inside your heart and find the cause or causes that touch you, your family, your community and your heart,” she says. “Find that perfect fit where you feel at home and where you feel you are making a real difference.”

Menichini says volunteering is a cornerstone of the company culture at Rosen Hotels & Resorts, and that myriad opportunities are available for employees. But if you aren’t able to find a good fit through your company, then she advises looking online and reaching out to others until you find that perfect fit.

“Whatever organization you choose will benefit by having a volunteer truly invested in their ability to help others and could become a lifelong home for your volunteerism,” she says. “I say volunteer because it’s the right thing to do. And in the long run, the joy that comes in giving back to a cause you truly believe in will expand your joy in life.”

Visit our Global Volunteer Center to learn more about volunteering with MPI. And if you’re already a part of our volunteer family, thank you.