Who we are

Serve the City is a global movement of volunteers showing kindness in personal ways to people in need.

Our unique approach to volunteering underpins the values of respect, compassion, love, courage, humility and hope, making it a powerful and meaningful tool for the social transformation of cities.

Our volunteers are the drivers of change, unlocking enormous human potential to help people in need in urban areas all over the world,  transforming lives and entire neighbourhoods by creating communities that support each other.

… And our dream is to involve everyone in caring for the needs of others.

EVERYONE can volunteer to make a difference!

What we do

Serve the City is a movement of volunteers gathering together to make our cities better. We connect volunteers to an array of activities in urban areas that support vulnerable and marginalized populations, including the homeless, the elderly, children in need, victims of abuse, asylum seekers and refugees, persons with disabilities, and many more. Our volunteers also promote care for the environment, helping to raise awareness of the importance of waste management and the circular economy in cities, creating community initiatives to nurture and share our resources, and project activities that strive for zero waste.

Our shared social concerns

Each city has its own characteristics, cultural makeup, and specific needs, but its concerns are often similar to other cities around the world.
Serve the City works on designated ‘Shared Social Concerns’. These are areas that are identified periodically by STC cities as priority concerns, and we work across the board to exchange best practices and project ideas in these areas to increase our impact as a global movement.

Homeless

Environment

Migrants & refugees

Human trafficking

Loneliness

Youth

Kindness starts with me!

Our Values, Vision, and Mission

Our values are our secret ingredient for volunteers to combat polarisation, discrimination, and marginalization in cities! Equipped with these values, volunteers can “cross the line” in their city, serving in areas they may not normally frequent, and connecting with people from all walks of life. We strive to ensure our values are put into action with everything we do, will we do it with…

Our vision is the transformation of cities and neighbourhoods through volunteers who cross the line to show kindness in personal ways to people in need.

Our mission  is to send volunteers to cross the line to show kindness in personal ways to people in need.

Sustainable Development Goals

Values, vision, and mission in action…

STC’s mission and values underpin a culture of global citizenship, peace and non-violence as well as an appreciation of cultural diversity.  Our global movement of volunteers are the drivers of change, unlocking enormous human potential to help people in need all over the world!   

We see development through people, not things, mobilizing volunteers and resources to ensure that no one is left behind.

STC’s mission to build thriving communities in cities that support people in need is aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

The people of Serve the City

City Leaders & Core Teams

Serve the City would not exist without passionate city leaders. Every City is unique and city leaders are people with a passion for their city. City leaders work with a core team of volunteers who help develop and lead activities, projects, and events to make an impact in their cities. City leaders are the core of our movement and mission!

Learn how to become a city leader and start STC in your city!

International Leadership Team

Serve the City International (STCi) is the supporting organization that helps promote, connect, start, and provide resources, vision, and support for Serve the City teams around the globe. The International Leader Team (ILT) is what makes this work and is made of three teams. The ILT meet regularly throughout the year, assess city needs, and take care of leaders in various ways.

Global Operations Team

The Global Operations Team (GOT) is the team that provides resources, keeps our websites running, and manages training which is available to all volunteers and leaders involved with Serve the City.

Global Executive Team

The Global Executive Team (GET) provides direction, vision, and keeps us on mission to put our values in action. The GET is responsible for coaching, city networking, leadership development, and overall member care.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors (BOD) is responsible for governance, oversight, transparency, and accountability to fulfill the mission of Serve the City.

Meet the team

Serve the City International Leadership Team is composed of three teams working together to fulfill the mission and to cast the vision for Serve the City Leaders across the globe.  The three teams are the Board of Directors (BoD), the Global Executive Team (GET), and the Global Operations Team (GOT).

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for governance, oversight, legal, and accountability of the STC International non -profit entity.

Global Executive Team

The Global Executive Team is responsible for vision, direction, development and care across the STC network of cities.

Global Operations Team

The Global Operations Team is responsible for resources, systems, support, and assistance to STC City leaders and teams.

  • For the last few years our colleagues have enjoyed deep and meaningful experiences in the community, thanks to Serve the City’s help during our month of corporate volunteering in September. We are so grateful!

    Inge Huijbrechts Carlson Rezidor
  • When we contacted Serve the City in Brussels for our team building and global community day activities, we wanted something dynamic, and that’s what we got! We dived straight into our activities: gardening at the Little Sisters of the Poor, and painting at Nativitas and CARIA. It was fun, we bonded, and it was an opportunity to give something back to the people who do so much for our community.

    Patricia Gyurko MasterCard

Serve the City partners with homeless shelters, refugee centres, homes for the elderly, orphanages and other local associations to offer the practical help and support of volunteers. Our goal is to build local volunteering communities in cities that are thriving, sustainable, and self-replicating, providing volunteering opportunities that are easily accessible and open to all. 

Serve the City started in Brussels, Belgium with a successful Big Volunteer Week in July, 2005We had no plans for anything beyond that, but the vision spread from one city to the next and now there are Serve the City teams in cities all over the world – Amsterdam, Baltimore, Kraków, Lisbon, Kathmandu, Nairobi, Paris, Port au Prince, and many more…plus many more to come!  

The STCi Movement is led by Carlton Deal (Chief Executive Officer) in collaboration with Alfredo Abreu (Board Chair) and Dave Hahne (Chief Operating Officer). The International Leadership Team (ILT) works to support the movement. It is composed of the Board of Directors (BoD), members of the Global Executive Team (GET) and members of the Global Operations Team (GOT).

The STCi International Non-Profit Organization is the legal structure of the STCi Movement and is governed according to a constitution with the following purpose:  

To champion volunteering, introducing as many people as possible to the practice of volunteering, and to make it more effective and impactful.

To encourage and strengthen volunteer work in cities and countries throughout the world through city-wide volunteer organisations with the same vision and values as STCi.

To be a representative voice for volunteers and city-wide STC volunteering movements in world forums.

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