SOCIAL JUSTICE VOLUNTEERING GUIDE 2022
Every February 20, we celebrate World Day of Social Justice (or Social Justice Equality Day), which recognizes the need for fair outcomes for all through equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity, and privilege. Started by the United Nations in 2009, the purpose of this day is to put a spotlight on social injustice around the world and promote change. Today’s social justice issues include human rights, gender inequality, poverty, systemic racism, and unemployment.
At Heart of West Michigan United Way, we believe that acknowledging our individual biases and recognizing the disparities in our community is vital to continuing the momentum toward equity and access for all. One way to contribute to change is to volunteer with organizations that are spearheading these efforts and see firsthand the work that still needs to be done.
In honor of this year’s World Day of Social Justice on February 20, 2022, we created our Social Justice Volunteering Guide. In developing this guide, our goals are to:
Unite people from various segments of the community to have an impact on the social policies that affect their lives
Build nonprofit capacity through volunteerism for organizations who focus on marginalized populations
Educate our neighbors about social change needed in our community
The guide outlines opportunities for individuals and groups to take action through service and volunteerism with nonprofits* across West Michigan:
We hope you’ll use this guide to discover a new way to change lives through action. Please share it with others who might be interested in social justice volunteering. For more opportunities to join the fight for social justice in our community, visit volunteergr.org.
*Nonprofits in blue are BIPOC-founded/led organizations