The Impact of Volunteering through the lens of Keir Alexa, ITBU’s Director of Philanthropy
Meet Keir Alexa, IBTU’s Director of Philanthropy.
She oversees IBTU’s fundraising, charity and volunteer recruitment efforts. Her passion for volunteering and giving back has not gone unnoticed and since inception of the organization, is recognized amongst the community members IBTU serves and is the go-to resource for volunteers to identify opportunities to serve.
Let’s get to know her a bit more and learn about the impact volunteerism and philanthropy has shaped her life, as well as continue to serve the community through her continuous efforts to push IBTU’s future growth.
—
Can you tell us how and when you got started with volunteering?
Volunteer work has always been a part of my life. While I was growing up, my grandpa volunteered at my elementary school and my mom volunteered once a week for various organizations including Choc Children’s Hospital and Downtown Women’s Center.
When I was in high school, I volunteered as a teacher's aid for my neighbor who taught 5th grade. I spent my summer helping her prep for class and then helped throughout the year with her classroom.
After high school, I traveled all over the world and volunteered in Kuala Lumpur, South Africa and Thailand.
Why has volunteering become so important to you?
In the beginning of the pandemic, I was quarantined alone, feeling super lonely. My friend Sarah invited me to come volunteer at The Violence Intervention Program. We packed bags full of essential items and drove around Los Angeles to pass them out to women and children.
After that first day volunteering with Sarah, I knew I wanted to be more involved with The Violence Intervention Program. Sarah and I worked on various projects including putting together Mother’s Day gift bags, sourcing and putting together gift care bags for people experiencing homelessness, delivering meals to nurses and doctors at LAC – USC medical center. It was very fulfilling being able to help others and dive deeper into volunteer work.
What have you learned from this experience?
After spending months of volunteering weekly, it became an essential part of my life. I learned how important it is to volunteer my time and I knew it was something I would continue even after the pandemic ends.
If you could share one standout moment from your volunteer experiences, what would it be?
One standout moment from my volunteer experiences was when we put together 1000 Mother’s Day gift bags which included makeup, orchids, and information on The Violence Program. We worked the multiple organizations to pass them out including the Watts Empowerment Center. I will never forget handing the gift bag to one woman who was so moved by the gift and began to cry with gratitude for receiving the flowers. At that moment I knew that I was at the right place at the right time and this is the work that I should be doing.
Talk about your role and vision for volunteer opportunities with ITBU
I want to expand It’s Bigger Than Us outreach and volunteer opportunities. I truly believe the world would be a much better place if every person devoted a few hours a month to volunteer in their local communities.
My vision for volunteer opportunities with Its Bigger Than Us is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to volunteer so they can experience the same joy I experienced. When that happens, not only are they enriched but the community as a whole is enriched.
When can people volunteer with you and ITBU next?
The next 3 events I am helping with are:
November 11th: Our last Community Friday at Diamonds in The Rough
November 17th: Pre-Thanksgiving Prep at the Union Rescue Mission
December 10th: IBTU Toy Drive at the Crenshaw Mall
For more information, connect with Keir at keir@itsbiggerthanusla.org.
