When asked what compels him to donate his time to non-profit endeavors, volunteer Kini Akaka’s answer reflected the reality of many philanthropic organizations.
“Most small nonprofits can’t really afford to hire someone to do what I do, so my time ends up going further than a donation would. Also, I just enjoy the work. Using what I’m good at for causes I care about seems like it has a bigger impact than writing a check.”
Kini, a strategic operations executive and founder of Forma Consultants, has shared his extensive knowledge and experience directly with Jericho Road Pasadena, building and running an outreach initiative aimed at re-engaging past clients and reaching new nonprofits.
“On the systems side, I designed and deployed an automated, AI-powered email outreach workflow to handle personalized correspondence at scale.
On the relationship side, I personally took the discovery Zoom calls, walking nonprofit leaders through JRP’s services and listening for where they actually needed support. The work has already brought a few new client engagements into the pipeline and is still ongoing.”
Asked what he most enjoys about working with Jericho Road, Kini admitted “Honestly, the discovery calls have been my favorite part. Although I’m there to discuss JRP’s mission and services, I’ve really enjoyed just listening.
These nonprofit leaders light up when they talk about their work, and you can tell how much they care about the people they serve. That’s been the best part for me, and it’s a good reminder of why I signed up to do this in the first place.”
Kini’s advice for anyone considering volunteer work with a nonprofit?
“I’d say go for it. The work is rewarding and the people you’ll meet care deeply about what they’re doing. You might be surprised how much you take away from it yourself.”
If you have professional skills and want to make a difference in your community, we invite you to volunteer your expertise.
Thanks to our volunteer, Lee Houck, for writing the JRP Volunteer Spotlights!