Empowering Change: Nikki's Journey from Youth Group to Volunteer Leadership

GENEVA–Finding a cause that resonates with you is the best motivator to making a positive impact in your community, and for Nikki that was ignited through participation in an effervescent church youth group, laying the foundation for a career in volunteer management as an adult.

Now in her third year as the Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Marklund in Geneva, one of her main goals is to expand the volunteer base and foster connections that help others understand the power of inclusion, teaching the younger generation that individuals with disabilities have the same passions and interests as everyone else.

Over the years, Nikki has had the privilege of volunteering with Hesed House, Feed My Starving Children, and CASA Kendall County, as well as participating in a mission trip to El Salvador. She has played a key role in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for fundraising initiatives at CASA Kendall County, recruited and trained hundreds of dedicated volunteers, and managed the Marklund Community Giving Tree Gift Drive each holiday season.

Nikki celebrates every small victory and always remembers that even the tiniest actions, when done with intention, can create a lasting difference, not only in your life but in the lives of those you’re serving.

-Kristen Kucharski, Photos Submitted