Meet the Volunteer: Dora Holland

Meet Dora:

I’m originally form Guatemala, raised in Argentina and moved to the New York at 19, so a full-fledged Central, South and North American! I moved to Switzerland with my family over 5 years ago and we really love all the opportunities of living in Europe. I love traveling, the arts, sports and am a naturally curious person.

What personal experiences drew you to charity work?

I was 23 years old when the the 9/11 attacks occurred, my first instinct was to volunteer at ground zero with the recovery efforts, it remains one of the most impactful things I have done. Ever since, I have always incorporated volunteering into my everyday life no matter how busy, whether by teaching, mentoring underprivileged girls, volunteering at my daughter’s school or helping out at food pantries. I think committing some time to help one’s community is essential to stay grounded and appreciative of one’s blessings.

How did you get involved with Zharity?

I had joined a volunteering group at my daughter's school and we did some work with asylum seekers after Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Unfortunately that group dissolved but some of the other volunteers had a connection to Zharity, so that sparked my curiosity to look into it. I wasn’t sure how I could help because I don’t drive and didn’t have the space to accept donations but I saw a post that they needed someone to help with their website and social media and I jumped at the opportunity to use my skills.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on redesigning the website so that we are able to better communicate and connect with the community. I think Zharity’s efforts are so powerful but sometimes a bit hard to explain. We hope that with the new design and messaging we are able to communicate our intentions more clearly and attract more volunteers, more donations and more corporate sponsors.