Today we hear from Milica from Serbia, who is spending her 2024-25 school year in Colorado with the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program sponsored by the Department of State. Milica tells us how volunteering has been a meaningful way to give back and connect with her American community. From raising funds for her host brother’s Cub Scouts Pack to helping at schools, churches, and food drives, Milica has dedicated over 60 hours to making a difference. Her efforts not only bring joy to others but also allow her to learn, grow, and build lasting connections during her exchange year!
Over the past four months, I’ve accumulated over 60 hours of volunteer work and aim to reach over 100 by the end of my exchange program. I started volunteering with my host family just two days after arriving in Colorado, including at my host brother’s Cub Scouts Pack 545. For the next three months, I helped by selling popcorn to raise money for the club’s annual children’s activities. We wrapped up our popcorn season in November, raising over $50,000!
Every weekend, while my host parents attend services at the Christian Church of Broomfield, I help in the children’s classrooms. I look after the kids and babies, providing snacks, crafts, and reading Bible verses.
Moreover, I volunteered at Emerald and Coyote Ridge Elementary Schools for the Falloween party in October, as well as at the Fall Westy Fest in Westminster County, where I entertained children and their parents, helped with setup, and realized how wonderful this project is. When it comes to helping people in need, I dedicate my spare time to packing gifts for Moms and Newborns in Need at Denver Health Hospital, as well as at A Precious Child Organization, where I worked on sorting, collecting, and packing clothes for the winter season. I’ve also helped with numerous food drives while working on the shelves of the Broomfield FISH Market, which collects groceries for impoverished families and elderly people.
This Thanksgiving, I did community service with the Salvation Army at an elderly care center. With Thanksgiving meals and traditional pumpkin pie, my host family and I knocked on the doors of senior rooms and surprised them with a warm meal for this lovely holiday.
The happiness I see in the eyes of the people I help through service and dedicating my free time is what I enjoy most about volunteering, while making a positive impact on my community. These experiences have also helped me learn to see volunteering as an opportunity to connect with others and make lasting bonds with new friends and supervisors.
It’s rewarding to see the difference a little time and effort can make, whether it’s helping someone learn something new or simply brightening their day. It’s also been an incredible way for me to learn new skills and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges people face. Volunteering has definitely made me more grateful because I appreciate my exchange year more and more each time.
Today, I am motivated to keep giving back in whatever way I can, and I want to thank all the people I’ve met here who have provided me with volunteering opportunities and ways to get involved in the community. Lastly, I believe that volunteering is a bridge that connects empathy to action, turning care into meaningful change and giving back the hope and support we all deserve in our own ways.
Are you interested in making a student like Milica a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2025-26 school year! Check out the profiles of our wonderful students! New profiles go online every Thursday!
