The Heart of NorthStar: Voices from Our Volunteers

My name is Dora, and I’ve been volunteering with NorthStar for more than a year, joining in sports like dragon boat and basketball. My volunteer experience has been a truly eye-opening journey. I came thinking I was here to “help” the kids — but they ended up teaching me far more than I ever expected. Through sports, they showed me the power of respect, listening, and patience in building real trust. I’ve learned that everyone is equal and worthy of respect, yet each person is wonderfully unique and deserves to be understood. If you’re thinking about joining, I can promise you this: you won’t just be making a difference in their lives — they’ll change yours in ways you’ll never forget. Come be part of the team and see how far we can go together!

My name is Diana, and I mainly volunteer with the Dragon Boat team. NorthStar is an incredible experience. Watching these children dramatically improve and open up socially as each session goes on fills me with so much pride and joy. When we won gold at the dragon boat race, everyone showed such perseverance and courage. I got to see their pure, unrestrained smiles as we learned of our win — a moment I’ll never forget. They truly teach you more than you’d ever expect, and I can assure you that you won’t regret becoming part of this wonderful community.