Meet Melissa Wood | Director of JustServe.org, Tomball & Magnolia

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Wood and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
My personal experiences volunteering with local organizations in the Tomball and Magnolia area feed my determination to get the message about JustServe out to more people. Volunteers are vital to the success of these nonprofits that are helping the most vulnerable in our communities. The amazing thing is, when people volunteer, there are a number of benefits that the volunteers themselves receive! Studies have shown that volunteering is great for our mental health and for making social connections. Finding ways to get involved in the community is easy and free on JustServe.org and the word is getting out!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Today, if you do a search on JustServe.org, you will find that there are 101 volunteer opportunities within 15 miles of the downtown Tomball zip code. These opportunities can all be found on this easy-to-use, free resource. To me, that is amazing because just 6 years ago there were only a few opportunities posted. We’ve come a long way! Tomball and Magnolia are special places because of the sense of community found there. I think the number of non-profit, faith based, and other organizations in these cities, that are in place specifically to help people and better the community, is a great indicator of this sense of community. When people know of a need, they truly want to do something to help. Sometimes the hardest part is knowing what to do to be helpful. This is where JustServe comes in! We help connect organizations looking for volunteers with people who are wanting to get involved. Finding these organizations, reaching out, explaining what JustServe is all about, populating the website, and keeping it up to date is no small task. Just when I think I have contacted every organization, I hear of another one! This just happened again last week and I was able to get acquainted with a wonderful organization that helps and supports foster families. It is truly a pleasure to come to know what these organizations do, and to meet the good people behind the important work they do. When I get a chance to volunteer along side them, that is the cherry on top!
The other side of my work is getting the word out to the community in general that JustServe.org is a free nation-wide resource that makes it easier to find ways to be involved in meaningful ways. I get the word out by having display or booths at community events, and by having entries in the local holiday parades in Tomball and Magnolia (see photos).

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Because I’m all about volunteering, I have actually taken our visiting relatives to do service with me. I think it’s a great way to spend time visiting a new city! When my sister and her husband came to visit for Thanksgiving, we volunteered at Families Feeding Families and had such a great experience. I have also taken my mother- and father-in-law to the community garden for a workday. My parents came to town in the weeks following Hurricane Harvey and my Dad came with us to muck out houses. Volunteering is a great way to meet others and to get a feel for the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to send a shoutout to Kristen Clancy who is also passionate about community and volunteering, and who was so helpful in the beginning stages by assisting with parade entries, brainstorming ideas, finding organizations I hadn’t heard of before, and reaching out to help spread the word.

Website: https://www.justserve.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justservetomballmagnolia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063699120740 (JustServe Tomball/Magnolia)