Information: www.communitybucket.com.
Based on his own experience, Marietta native Jesse Grossman took a chance that Atlanta is steeped in young professionals who want to do volunteer service and make new friends at the same time. Two years ago, he and fellow Emory University graduate Mike Guardalabene started Community Bucket, a business with a model that Grossman describes as “service made social — meeting new people, doing good and having a blast.” For example, during this month’s “Weekend of Good” (May 1-3), participants gathered on Thursday for a pre-volunteer happy hour, then on Saturday, volunteered with environmental organizations and gathered again for a post-volunteer party. “We tap into a universal desire to do good and meet like-minded people,” Grossman said. “It’s all about having fun.”
Q: Where did the idea for Community Bucket come from?
A: After college, I worked as a marketing consultant but searched for something more meaningful in my spare time. I explored volunteer opportunities around Atlanta and found it was overly difficult for someone like me, and probably many others, to get started.
Q: Explain how Community Bucket works?
A: We are a connector for individuals who want to give back and meet new people. Working with a variety of nonprofits and community groups, volunteers can make an impact with relative ease, and do so with other people their age. It’s our focus on the social component that differentiates us from traditional volunteer groups.
Q: You are a for-profit business, right?
A: We discovered that a for-profit model made more sense for us. Participants pay to attend events, which always include a service and social component. For instance, our May Weekend of Good cost $30, which included two social events at local restaurants, plus all of the project planning for the morning. Since 2012, we have hosted 37 volunteer projects attended by 1,500 people.
Q: Who are your volunteers?
A: Most fall within the 24-to-32 age range, and they come looking to meet new people. The Community Bucket experience is about as organic and genuine as it gets for building relationships.
Q: Is it also a place to get a date?
A: I would never pitch Community Bucket as a dating service — that would send the wrong message. But plenty of volunteers have either met their significant others or established new friend groups by attending events. It’s just a great way to get to know someone on a personal level.
Q: How would you describe your generation?
A: Millennials are sometimes described as lazy and entitled, but Community Bucket showcases a different side of our generation. We enjoy being connected and belonging to a community. Community Bucket is not another app or social networking platform; instead, we bring people together in real-life and create exciting experiences for volunteers to connect. And if you ask me, waking up on a Saturday morning to volunteer is neither lazy nor entitled, so hopefully we can help change this perception about millennials.
Q: Do you miss the corporate world?
A: Not at all. Having been my own boss and built something from nothing, it is hard to think about going back to the corporate world. I do miss the salary of a corporate job.
Q: Are you at all disillusioned that you now are facilitating volunteerism instead of doing it?
A: I am definitely not disillusioned. Seeing new faces at events is a constant reminder of why we do this. I don’t always get to volunteer though, which is somewhat disappointing. When I do get the chance to participate, it brings back the excitement and passion that inspired me to start Community Bucket.
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