Do Something More-Nonprofit Spotlights & Ways to Serve Your Community
Do Something More is a service-oriented podcast dedicated to sharing inspiring stories of people and organizations who are making a difference. Each week, host Melissa Draper highlights the helpers—volunteers, nonprofits, community leaders, and everyday individuals—who have found meaningful ways to give back and uplift their communities. Through heartfelt interviews and practical solo episodes, this podcast explores real stories of service, acts of kindness, humanitarian work, and grassroots impact. Listeners will discover simple, actionable ways to serve, volunteer, give back, and create positive change in their own communities. Whether you’re looking for ways to get involved, searching for volunteer ideas for your family, wanting to support charities you believe in, or simply needing uplifting stories about people doing good, this podcast will motivate you to help, lift, inspire and make a difference. New episodes every week featuring interviews, nonprofit spotlights, and service-focused conversations. 📩 Contact: dosomethingmore.podcast@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: @dosomethingmore.podcast
Episodes
This episode of the Do Something More Podcast originally aired in December 2023. On it I’m joined by Katie Bunnell, co-founder and President of the Live Your Dream Foundation, a Utah-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering single mothers through education.
The Live Your Dream Foundation awards scholarships to single mothers across Utah, helping them complete college, university, or technical school programs so they can bu...
What if your creativity could become a simple but powerful act of service?
In memory of her mother, Angela Wilson launched the Instagram account Gifts No One Asked For, a heartfelt service project where she creates watercolor postcards and hand-lettered calligraphy art — and gives them away for free. Anyone can request a custom piece to send to a friend, family member, or loved one who could use encouragement, hope, or a ...
When Luke Mickelson discovered that children in his community were sleeping on the floor without beds, he decided to do something about it. Involving youth from his church and his own children, Luke built and delivered beds to kids in need in his own town. What began as a small act of service quickly revealed a much larger problem — and an incredible opportunity to serve in a hands-on, meaningful way.
That small effort be...
‘Hot Mess Express’ is exactly as awesome as it sounds! This non-profit has affiliates all over the country dedicated to women helping women, judgment-free. Whether it’s a new college student moving into her dorm, a mom or family navigating a difficult season, or an elderly woman needing the love and support a true community can bring, these volunteers walk into homes and through compassion, cleaning and organization give...
What if your New Year’s resolutions focused less on doing more for yourself and more on doing a little more for others?
In this first episode of 2026, I’m sharing why service-focused resolutions matter—and simple, sustainable ways to give back without overwhelm. From slowing down in daily interactions to using your words, time, and talents for good, these small shifts can make a big difference.
If you’re looking for meanin...
In this inspiring Christmas episode I sit down with Connie Manwaring, Manager and President of the Nebo Holiday Chorus and Orchestra, to explore the remarkable story behind Handel’s Messiah and the powerful tradition of using music to bless and uplift others.
Connie shares the fascinating charitable history of Handel’s Messiah — including how its very first performances were created as benefit concerts that raised funds f...
In this powerful episode I sit down with Hayley Smith, founder and CEO of Lifting Hands International, a nonprofit dedicated to providing meaningful, needs-based aid to refugees around the world.
Hayley shares the eye-opening story of how a two-week volunteer trip to Greece opened her eyes to the realities of the global refugee crisis and inspired her to begin an organization that now supports displaced families in multip...
In this inspiring replay episode, I revisit one of the most impactful conversations I've had on the show — a deep dive into the giving-circle movement with '100 Women Who Care.' I personally joined my own local Utah Valley chapter after recording this episode over two years ago, and I've been attending quarterly meetings ever since. Today, I wanted to bring back this episode to highlight why this powe...
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in meal prep and family plans—but this episode will inspire you to think about gratitude in action.
I sit down with Rob Adams, Founder of 'Thanksgiving Heroes', a nonprofit that rallies over a thousand volunteers and hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations each year to deliver full Thanksgiving meals to more than 3,500 families facing food insecurity.
R...
The holiday season can be busy and full—but it can also be deeply meaningful. In this solo episode I'm sharing why the holidays are the ideal time to build service into your family traditions, and how simple acts of kindness can bring more joy, connection, and purpose to this time of year.
You’ll learn realistic, doable ways to serve together as a family—whether you have toddlers, teens, or grown children. I also sh...
What if one program could transform an entire school’s culture—helping students with and without disabilities build real friendships, learn teamwork, and create a spirit of belonging?
That’s exactly what Unified Sports is doing. It’s a high school program run through the Special Olympics that brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together to play in sports competitions—and it’s creating ripple effects...
Food pantries and food banks across the United States are seeing record levels of demand right now for so many reasons — if you’ve ever felt that tug to volunteer, donate, or somehow get involved, now truly is the time.
That’s why I’m resharing this meaningful episode that originally aired in February 2024 featuring 'Tabitha’s Way Food Pantry' and its Founder and Executive Director, Wendy Osborne. Wendy has spen...
In this tender and moving episode, I revisit my conversation with Melanie Rodger from the nonprofit organization Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep—a group that provides the priceless gift of professional remembrance portraits to parents grieving the loss of a baby.
Melanie shares her own story of losing her infant son and how that heartbreaking experience inspired her to volunteer—and later work—with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. ...
Have you ever stopped to think about the power behind a simple invitation?
In this episode I share why being an inviter—someone who reaches out, includes, and connects—matters more than ever in today’s lonely world.
You’ll hear how small, sincere invitations can change lives, what often holds us back from inviting, and three simple ways to make inviting and connecting a natural part of your everyday life.
Whether it’s lunch...
Ben Lyne is a runner and for over 2 years he kept having the thought that he could use those regular runs to inspire and motivate others…by holding a sign while he ran that says ‘I Believe In You’. He finally got the courage to act on those thoughts a few years ago, and the reaction and feedback he’s received has been tremendous. He’s had many let him know that through this simple act of service he’s lifted them, encoura...
Camille Hawkins is the Founder and Director of ‘The Wellness Farm’, a place that aims to provide tangible ways to support individuals walking through grief and trauma. This is Camille’s second nonprofit she’s started from the ground up, so she shares about the realities of working in the trenches of the nonprofit world. A trained therapist, Camillie also shares her own tender experiences with grief through infertility an...
When it comes to service, the most important part is the doing! We have to be able to take the steps that actually lead to action and start serving and helping in the ways we feel called to do in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities. In this episode I am giving you very actionable items: one you can do today, one you can do this week, and one you can do this month. I also give simple ideas for each one. I hope it he...
On this episode I'm celebrating 100 Episodes of the 'Do Something More' podcast! At the end of each episode, I ask my guests to give general advice for how people can serve, volunteer, and give back to their communities. I took eight of those nuggets of wisdom and rolled them all together to mark this 100th episode. Come and be inspired and empowered and also get a reminder of the great caliber of guests w...
'Big Brothers Big Sisters' began over 100 years ago as an alternative to the juvenile justice system when a group of adults realized they could help vulnerable kids by giving them connection and meaningful relationships. Now with over 230 chapters in the United States, they have many programs to help youth reach their full potential in a variety of ways.
On this episode I feature Jill Sundstrom, who is the Presi...
Kenra Keddington has been a Camp Director for Royal Family Kids Camp for 22 years. These are week-long summer camps for 7 to 11 year old foster kids. Kenra says their main goal every year is to pour love and connection into each participant and give them the chance to just be a kid again.
The camps are 100% volunteer run, with some of their volunteers being previous camp attendees who return as teenagers to help create t...
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