The global community has always been welcoming and endearing towards me. My Dad, as a lover of the sea, introduced me to the joy of traveling to remote destinations apart from tourist attractions and crowds, where we could dine with locals and even meet their families. I studied abroad in San Sabastian, Spain, and anticipated continuing my travels into adulthood. However, my career in accounting and finance was demanding, and for a while, I failed to prioritize travel for myself as well as my young family. In 2017, I met Janet Semenova and she helped me rekindle my love of travel and gave me the confidence to travel much further from home with my children.
Together, Janet and I decided to follow a common dream of owning a business built from passion. Our travel business focuses on curating unique experiences that encourage education, cultural enrichment, human connection, and transformation. In many ways, I feel like I was our first client. Speaking with Rebecca, the founder of Pack for a Purpose, left an impact on me right away. I immediately admired her success in connecting every continent to worldly travelers, and how she has educated them on just how simple yet meaningful it is to show gratitude and appreciation for their travels through in-kind giving. I knew in talking with Rebecca that I wanted to do more to help create awareness, financial support, and sustainability for Pack for the Purpose. I was aware of Pack for Purpose before meeting Rebecca as I had taken supplies on my travels through Pack for a Purpose’s resources. However, I was shocked when I found out how this dedicated woman built and made this incredible organization a success. I see a need for this organization to expand and grow even further, and am anxious to play a part in its future!
I have always been committed to service. I have volunteered, financially supported, and served on boards of causes near and dear to my heart. I think it’s important to feel the pinch to give big, both financially and from a time commitment perspective. I also enjoy some of the smaller ways I’ve given back, from adopting an elephant to packing school supplies on our trip to Peru. Similarly, Pack for a Purpose provides a way that travelers can easily and affordably support communities almost everywhere they travel.
While serving as a board member, I hope to encourage travelers to also make a small monetary donation, $10 to $25 to Pack for a Purpose per trip. These cash contributions, all of which are tax-deductible given the organization’s 501(c)(3) status, would be able to connect more travelers wanting to bring meaningful gifts to deserving recipients in the communities where they travel. Currently, Pack for a Purpose is working to increase the number of participating projects across the United States. I hope to play an influential role in finding ways for travelers to bring gifts to tourist destinations like Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Pack for a Purpose’s mission resonates with me on a very personal level. I love the way it encourages the simple human act of gratitude, by bringing requested supplies to those who welcome you into their communities. Its approach to giving allows people to get involved at any level by simply packing a few coloring books and crayons or sports jerseys and other gear into their luggage. The organization has created a massive global network of philanthropy, where requested supplies support hundreds of projects spanning across all continents. I also really appreciate that the benefiting projects create lists of what they really need, so you know the supplies you bring will truly make a difference. Pack for a Purpose makes it easy for parents to pass on the idea of philanthropy to their children as part of a family vacation. This helps to encourage the next generation to be grateful and giving.
Pack for a Purpose is committed to making travelers aware of ways to easily give back to the local communities where they travel, so they can return home knowing they left a positive impact on another community. A true traveler knows that travel is much more than a vacation – it’s a journey filled with gratitude for where you’ve traveled, the experiences, and the lasting effect it has long after you’ve returned home.
If you want more information on how you can support Pack for a Purpose, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at angie.rice@packforapurpose.org.