When one of Olivia Mulford’s friends asked the teen and her mom, Gina Mulford, to join National Charity League (NCL) last year, the two readily agreed, joining the NCL San Tan Chapter in 2018, when Olivia was in the eighth grade.
“We thought it would be a fun way to give back to the community and we could also spend quality time volunteering together,” Gina says, adding that she and Olivia, who is now a freshman at Perry High School, are both definitely pleased with their decision to join NCL.
As Gina explains, NCL is a nonprofit organization committed to the development of mothers and daughters as leaders and improving communities by volunteering.
“The mothers in the organization are called Patronesses and the daughters are Ticktockers. To be in good standing, both Patronesses and Ticktockers are required to fulfill a certain amount of philanthropy hours and league hours each year,” Gina explains.
So far, the mother-daughter duo has worked on a number of projects through NCL. For example, they assisted with the RAD Recreation and Athletics for Individuals with Disabilities Fashion Show and Bowling Competitions. They also volunteered with The Cinderella Affair, working to collect items like formal wear, jewelry and dress shoes so that it would be affordable for teenagers to attend their high school events.
Gina and Olivia have also helped to pack meals at Feed My Starving Children, and they assisted with the set up, break down and clean up at the 12Ks of Christmas event.
While Gina and Olivia say they have enjoyed all of their work through NCL, the RAD Fashion Show was definitely one of the most memorable events for them both.
“We had the opportunity to help serve dinner at the event and help sell tickets for the auction. It was great to be able to speak with the folks that have special needs, as well as their families,” Gina says. “After dinner, an auction and fashion show took place and the individuals with special needs walked in it. It was awesome to see the smiles of joy on their faces as they took on the catwalk.”
Having the opportunity to choose from so many philanthropies to work with is a highlight for Gina.
“One weekend we could be volunteering at the Live Love House or the i.d.e.a. Museum helping kids with crafts, and the next week we could be packing meals for Feed My Starving Children,” she says.
For Olivia, volunteering along with her mom is definitely a bonus.
“It’s fun to be able to spend time with my mom while giving back to my community, and I have also made a lot of new friends in the process,” she says.
Both Gina and Olivia say they would definitely encourage other moms and daughters to join NCL.
“The older our children get, the less time they want to spend with family and the more time they want to spend with friends,” Gina says. “I feel like this is a great opportunity for us to give back to the community together while also spending time together. I feel it also teaches Olivia compassion and leadership skills.”
“It makes you feel good to do something for others and it’s also fun, as well,” Olivia adds.
To learn more about National Charity League, visit NationalCharityLeague.org.