My Nonprofit Reviews

My AmeriCorps VISTA year of service was for Chain Reaction. I was only months out of college, with a few paid internships under my belt, and I had no clue what to do with myself. That being said, I can’t even articulate how amazing Kristin Fairchild is. Upon meeting her, she asked about my strengths, and immediately found ways to use them in new and ongoing Chain Reaction projects. That meant I was able to stay in my field (marketing and graphic design) while continuing to expand my resume and portfolio. By the end of the year, I was far more confident in my abilities, had a resume full of legit non-profit work, and was ready to get a “real” job. Thanks to Chain Reaction, I know that no matter where I go in my career, volunteering will not be far behind.

So there’s my story. And here’s my behind-the-scenes look at Chain Reaction:

In the last few years this organization has managed to gather area youth from practically every school in the area and place them in thousands of quality volunteer opportunities.

In the same way Kristin looked out for me, she provides youth with opportunities and support. I 100% believe that her constant effort to stay in tune to the teenage brain is the key to this organization’s success. Prior to establishing new volunteer programs, she puts together focus groups of teens. In this way, she learns straight from the teens how to make each volunteer event the most fun. I’ve seen how her genuine interest in a teen’s opinion can transform an unmotivated high school student into an active leader.

The best part? Volunteer hours = money for college. And Chain Reaction tracks all of them. Online. That means volunteers and parents can access, download, and print hours 24/7.

Teenage wasteland? Enter Chain Reaction.

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