In 2009, Jay Shapiro and Alice Gugelev founded The Muskoka Foundation, an organization that inspires travelers to “use what you know, to do good as you go.” Volunteering and travel go hand-in-hand for Jay and Alice, and the mission of their organization is to transform the travel sector so that meaningful volunteering is a part of every travel experience. They are building a global network of travelers that are interested in donating their time and skills at partner organizations all over the world. All programs available through The Muskoka Foundation focus on building cross-cultural relationships, empowering youth and local staff through skill transfer workshops and providing market access for local products.
Though I don’t believe there is any right or wrong way to travel, I’m definitely a believer in travel that supports local communities and sustainable programs, so when I learned about The Muskoka Foundation, my interest was piqued. I haven’t worked with the organization, but I wanted to learn more about it, so I got in touch with Alice about how the organization works, what its goals are and what makes it different from other volunteer organizations.
1. Why did you start The Muskoka Foundation? Have you had volunteer experiences that shaped the way you created your organization?
When Jay and I embarked on an around-the-world trip a few years ago, we found it difficult to find the right volunteering opportunities that fit our experience, philosophy and mode of travel — hence The Muskoka Foundation was born. In the last three years, we have found that more and more people share a similar profile and intent. The Muskoka Foundation currently has 20 local partners around the world where volunteers can come for a short term to conduct training workshops based on local needs and on their skill sets.
