Annelies Marie Frank packed a lot of life into her 14 years and a lot of wisdom into her little diary. An aspiring journalist in 1940s Amsterdam, young Anne jotted down her thoughts and experiences while in hiding from the Nazis with her family. Among her insights is this nugget:

“How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Anne Frank’s words resonate across seven decades to inspire the most amazing people in our own community: the people who volunteer.

April is National Volunteer Month. While it’s good that we set aside time to recognize those who work to make a difference, it’s really just a start. Volunteers in our regional community are active all year long—and our appreciation for them ought to follow the same timetable.

Volunteerism takes so many forms. There are individuals and employee groups who participate in Day of Caring projects. There are people who connect through programs we support, such as the United 4 Change partnership and early grade reading efforts. There are volunteers who serve on our Board of Directors, on various committees and as part of our annual campaign. Every one of those roles is vital, and every volunteer priceless.

Another powerful example of volunteerism involves our Community Impact teams. In Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, scores of volunteers spend countless hours reviewing programs, visiting with partner agencies and making recommendations for support based on the mission of United Way. It’s a tough job—every request may have value, but not every request can be met. Yet these volunteers dedicate themselves to making the best decisions for the greatest outcomes in our community.

To these and all of our volunteers, I want to say “thank you.” Thank you for your commitment and compassion. Thank you for changing the story in countless lives throughout the region.

Thank you for not waiting a single moment to start improving our community and our world.