Helping Hands: Claire Peeps

Name: Claire Peeps

Volunteer Affiliation: Founder, Culver City Gives 

How long have you been a volunteer? I've worked in the nonprofit sector for 25 years, and throughout that time I've always either worked with volunteers or been one.  Many nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers to share in their work, extending their mission and services much further than they could with only paid staff.  

What needs does your chosen organization fill? Culver City Gives is designed to make it easy for friends and residents of Culver City to get involved in organizations that are working right here in our own town to make our community a better place.  I think so often we want to be helpful, but we just don't know where or how.  

It turns out that you don't have to drive far to volunteer your time. There are many ways to be helpful right here in our own neighborhood.  If you can walk or ride your bike to volunteer your time, you're probably more likely to give more of your time.

What is the most personally rewarding part of being a volunteer? Feeling useful is very, very satisfying.  It's a basic human need. Seeing the rewards of your efforts close to home is especially rewarding, I think, because it makes you feel more rooted and connected to a community of people.  It's hard for us, in an urban area as large as Los Angeles, to find a sense of place, of belonging. Volunteering your time in the neighborhood kindles that.  

What is the city's most important issue? Getting people involved. We have just about everything we need here in Culver City to solve complex problems: a strong local economy, good schools, open space, and an engaged population that votes.  We have people with great minds and big hearts.  We just need to connect their time and talent to the organizations that need them.

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