Making an Impact as a Research Volunteer

July 6th, 2022

Reggie Yamanaka

“I have found that many of the volunteers are thoughtful, compassionate, hard-working and proactive. If you’re that type of person or aspire to be working alongside people like that, Humanity Forward is a great organization to work with.”

My name is Reggie, and I’ve been volunteering with Humanity Forward since May 2021.

When I first started volunteering it was a natural transition from the 2020 presidential election in which I worked with candidates I supported, in my own city. Inspiration from my civic activities contributed to a reserve of energy and passion for advocating for causes I cared about. I was still in the middle of my graduate degree program; therefore, I was looking for volunteer opportunities where I could use my research skills while performing tasks from my own home. That’s when I found Humanity Forward.

Issue Based Agenda

Humanity Forward is a bi-partisan organization, which makes it easier for me to explain what I’m volunteering for without taking a political side. I can perform all my tasks online, which is great because I work from home. It’s very flexible to shift gears between the two. I can do many things with Humanity Forward, from coding to research, and most recently, my projects have focused on data entry.

I’ve gone from data entry to heading a team organizing data collected by the IRS. Right now, I’m a part of HF’s research volunteers which helps to aggregate and organize information on current events around the Child Tax Credit and other economic policies.

“I have found that many of the volunteers are thoughtful, compassionate, hard-working, and proactive. If you’re that type of person or aspire to be working alongside people like that, Humanity Forward is a great organization to work with.”
– Reggie Yamanaka

Choices & Information

My group supervisor has everyone meet bi-weekly and posts tasks for us to choose from. The group is diverse in age and background. I found many of the volunteers have mutual characteristics that are favorable for this type of work. They are thoughtful, compassionate, hard-working, and proactive. If you’re that type of person or aspire to be working alongside people like that, Humanity Forward is a great organization to work with

I love people; however, what I really love is that this opportunity gives so much back. Every week I have a pulse on the big issues affecting the people of our country, and I learn really substantial amounts of information on how our country works. These experiences have made me wiser and more sensitive to the plight of the working class in the United States.

Networking

Through my experiences, as a volunteer, I’ve met knowledgeable computer scientists, Ivy League students, community college students, and high-ranking state-level executives that even served alongside NATO. All of these people have inspired me.

I love being a part of Humanity Forward because it is bi-partisan, and utilitarian, with a mission to help those in our country who need it most. Volunteering with Humanity Forward has provided me a chance to be proactively engaged with tasks where I have the freedom to choose my projects and can create an immediate impact. Everything I contribute, whether big or small, has an equivalent sense of satisfaction for me. I know it’s helping a greater cause – that is my ultimate reward.