Meet AIR’s Champions for Change

A memorable moment was during a street beautification project, when neighbors came out to speak to us as we were working. They told us they were very grateful because they often felt forgotten by the city.

Volunteering deepened my understanding of the power of community-driven impact. It reminded me that no project is too small to make a difference and that even local, grassroots efforts can create ripple effects far beyond one neighborhood or city.

AIR's cost study work feels so much more relevant and essential after experiencing firsthand the giant gaps between state reimbursement rates and the real costs of quality education.

This project has truly been an exercise in persistence. It gave me a lot of insight into the barriers that can face organizations when they are working to make change in their communities.

I came to the U.S. from the Philippines as a child, speaking little English and feeling overwhelmed by a new and unfamiliar world. The library became my refuge—a place where stories offered comfort, familiarity, and a way to feel less alone. Through books, I gained confidence and began to feel more at home in a new culture.

It's all about ensuring that these kids have a brighter future, with more opportunities.

Our vision is for a sharing and circular economy in which creative reuse is integral to Chicagoland's infrastructure.

My volunteerism shows me the importance of taking a holistic view when addressing the challenges individuals face. It reminds me that you can’t pull yourself up by your boot strap if you don’t have a boot in the first place, or your basic needs aren’t met. However, I have also seen that the restoration of hope is a powerful thing—whether that's hope within oneself or the community. It leads to positive changes.

Many team members were volunteering at this event for a second year in a row. It was great to see the continued enthusiasm, and to welcome new team members.

These are amazing people doing their best to help their loved ones in any way possible, often to great emotional, energetic, occupational, and economic cost. It's exciting every time I see someone find the resources they need.

This volunteer experience has brought new perspectives to my work at AIR, specifically my understanding of how to center those with lived experience in research and policy making.

I work with an amazing group of women to connect nonprofits with scaling impact grants.

I will never forget seeing the glacier for the first time just before sunrise while on our team climbing expedition where we raised thousands of dollars to support lifesaving research.

Managing the Science Olympiad is much the same as managing a project at work. It was nice to use those skills in a way that led to so many students enjoying themselves while learning.

As a Latina, I see myself reflected in the young people, families, and community members that Identity, Inc. serves. Much of my work at AIR focuses on youth and community development—being closely involved with an organization that does this well continues to inform my work.

Working with Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore allows me to get to know the wonderful scholars who benefit from this program. Watching them grow up and generate a positive ripple effect in their families, workplaces, and communities is truly humbling and rewarding.

During a day of volunteering, a student working on a tangram activity asked me questions about who I was and if I liked math. She looked at me and said, 'If you can be a math person and do math as a job, then I can too!' The confidence and excitement she had exclaiming that she was a ‘math person’ stays with me.

As chair of an employee resource group at AIR, my volunteerism makes me think more about how to advocate for our employees and how to empower them to advocate for themselves.

My work at AIR often focuses on the systematic issues at a larger scale. My volunteerism grounds me in the community and people. As a former middle-school teacher, I've seen the trauma my students experienced due to gun violence in their communities—I also have seen how connections to the community and safe spaces can help students grow and succeed.

My advice for someone looking to get involved in their community is to think back to something you loved when you were a child, and then look for organizations that offer related volunteering opportunities.

CalSAC’s board recruitment strategy and selection focused on ensuring that people with lived experience in out-of-school time programs would be considered. This made me think about ways we can be more intentional at AIR about involving people with direct experience in the systems we hope to change through our work.