Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Lindgren.
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I became the executive director for HandsOn San Diego in January 2021. I hadn’t been looking for this job, but I think I was always destined to do it. Volunteering and supporting the community have always been important parts of my life. When once answering the question, “What would you do for a living if you could do anything?” I answered, “I would volunteer for a living.” And when I first moved to San Diego in the 1990s, I proclaimed that I “wanted to volunteer and make a difference to my newly adopted community.”
For many years I volunteered with projects representing my local Soroptimist International club. I’m known widely for my active participation in the fight against human trafficking. I did that on the side while working professionally as an independent consultant in business and high-tech.
I think that background gives me a unique perspective in my work with HandsOn San Diego, combining my business and technology background with my commitment for volunteering.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
For HandsOn San Diego, the pandemic has been a huge obstacle. Especially in early 2020, everyone was home, and even if they wanted to volunteer, most nonprofits were also in lockdown. After food and clothing were deemed essential services, we were able to provide courageous volunteers for food pantries, food distribution sites and the clothing resale shops that in turn fund many nonprofits. Even with the pandemic, in 2020 we provided 3270 volunteers donating 8518 hours of service to our community!
As you know, we’re big fans of HandsOn San Diego. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
HandsOn San Diego is the county’s only regional nonprofit focused solely on connecting volunteers with community needs. HandsOn San Diego works with other local nonprofits and community organizations to identify group volunteer projects that members and their families can plug into based on their schedules and interests.
HandsOn San Diego also facilitates corporate team building events designed for lasting community impact and are customized to align with the company’s business focus. A new Business Membership Program allows small businesses to streamline the process of volunteering in our community with a low annual fee that includes access to county volunteer events, assistance in project selection and volunteer engagement reports.
Founded in 2013, HandsOn San Diego’s mission is to strengthen communities through volunteer action. We believe that when individuals are actively engaged, communities are stronger.
For more information: info@handsonsandiego.com or www.handsonsandiego.com
Follow: instagram.com/handsonsandiego or facebook.com/handsonsandiego
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve always believed that things will work out as they are meant to. With this faith in the future, I’ve taken a number of large risks in my life. I left all family and friends for a job with a company in a city where I knew nobody. Years later I left a promising career with that same company to move to San Diego, where I had no job and only one contact who didn’t even live here. Decades later I find myself starting over yet again in a new profession working in the nonprofit space. I’m encouraged daily by the good work we do and the progress that we are making. I think the future is bright for HandsOn San Diego.
Pricing:
- $25 donation for a lifetime HandsOn San Diego membership, which allows easily managed volunteering and verification of all volunteer hours.
- $3500 and up for custom projects for companies wishing to uniquely impact the community by volunteering as an employee team.
- $999 Annual membership for small businesses participating in HandsOn San Diego’s Business Membership Program.
- Free for our nonprofit partners
Contact Info:
- Email: info@handsonsandiego.org
- Website: https://www.handsonsandiego.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handsonsandiego/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handsonsandiego
- Twitter: @HandsOnSanDiego
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkfT7BHazz_ittITdk2i8cg
Image Credits
HandsOn San Diego
