There’s a surge in people wanting to “show up.”
People don’t just want to give from a distance anymore.
They want to go. To help. To be present.
But here’s the hard truth: showing up may or may not create value.
In my conversation with Erin Hempen, she drew a line that more nonprofits and donors need to understand: not all volunteer travel is service.
Some of it is short-term and disconnected from what communities actually need.
In those cases, the question isn’t “Did this help?” It’s “who was this really for?”
That’s the tension behind what people call voluntourism.
Erin’s work is built around a thoughtful, effective model. Not “come help” but:
Come prepared.
Come aligned.
Come in a way that leaves something behind, not just a memory.
That applies whether you’re traveling across the world to Africa, or supporting communities in Israel or Iran during the current war. And, of course, the same principles are relevant to engaging with your own community at home.
Global giving isn’t about good intentions. It’s about lasting impact.
Watch or listen to the conversation on your preferred platforms: