Led2Serve was created to equip, inspire and mobilize people to serve others in their local communities, throughout the United States, and in several regions of Costa Rica. It was created for any person, regardless of age, gender, faith, skill level, identity, or belief that wants to join others in a service related experience and serve in a variety of meaningful ways. Led2Serve was created after their founder realized that not everyone feels welcome to go and serve others across the country or the world.
Their mission is to provide life-changing service experiences for individuals, couples, families or groups through one of three kinds of Journeys. The Service Learning Journey is designed for those who desire an educational experience linked with service. The Service Mission, is for those with in a faith foundation who want to serve in community together. And the third is their Service Adventures. This last journey combines service to others with more adventurous activities such as zip-lining, snorkeling, hiking or white-water rafting. Below is our interview with Vanessa Puleo, the Founder and Executive Director at Led2Serve:
Q: You’ve recently announced two new Service Journeys, tell us more?
A: This past spring we launched a new Washington DC Service Journey where we travel to our nation’s capital with school groups (Service Learning Journeys) or youth groups (our Service Mission Journey) who want to combine learning about our Country’s history with meaningful service projects. We engage in food packing events two of the days with a local partner that feeds over 700 of the area’s families in need each year, and explore the city and sights another 3-4 days. It’s an awesome experience!
Our other most recent Journey announced is our “Bird and Serve” Journey which is for avid bird watchers! We travel into our partner locations in beautiful Costa Rica to explore and enjoy a wide array of stunning birds and nature as a whole. Typical serve projects during this type of Journey may be spending time at a local school teaching English, engaging the local kids in sports programs, participating in a community renovation project, and ongoing reforestation efforts. This Journey is for the person that loves to adventure, enjoys birding and making a difference!
Q: What can we expect from led2serve in the future? What are your plans?
A: We are currently expanding our team of Journey Leaders, and developing Journey Connectors across the USA. This means that more individuals who may want to lead a journey, or help others connect to Journeys can be a part of this growing team. Our goal is to add 12 individuals to the team be-fore the end of the year that are motivated to engage in something meaningful and life changing for themselves and others.
Additionally, in 2018 we are opening a new region in the stunning Talamanca Mountain Range of Costa Rica. This Journey takes us into a remote mountainside village where the local people welcome us to learn about the history of their area and its origin as coffee country. We will serve together in a variety of projects to assist their community in it’s further development. To balance the week we will take part in a variety of fun excursions such as a visit to the nearby coast for a day at the beach, zip-lining and hiking to the stunning waterfalls.
Q: What is the motto that guides led2serve’s decisions?
A: We have several guiding principles and mottos at Led2Serve! One motto is to Equip, Inspire and Mobilize others to do good stuff. We combine traveling with purpose, and having meaningful serving experiences. Another motto has always been “serving without boundaries”. This means everyone can join a journey, and anyone can be served. We believe that wherever you travel, there is a way to engage in meaningful projects and dig a little deep-er into the community relationships as you play, visit, and explore.
Q: What’s the best thing about led2serve that people might not know about?
A: One of the best things about Led2Serve is that anyone and everyone can join a journey. We customize the serving projects and tailor make them to each person regardless of how old or young they may be, what their interests are, whether or not they have a faith foundation, are single, married, etc. Anyone can join a Journey and experience what being Led2Serve is all about!
Below is SuperBCrew.com’s interview with Vanessa Puleo, the Founder and Executive Director at Led2Serve