The JoyJ Initiative was not born like a typical charity and continues to operate like no other.
Charities start when one or more individuals decide to dedicate their time and energy to a cause deemed worthy. Over time, many charities grow in staff and reach, making a tangible and positive impact on their cause.

JoyJ began with an unusual yet powerful goal: to unleash the transformative power of charitable work itself. Yes, we center our outreach on helping those in dire need and are very proud of this work; however, our true mission is another. At JoyJ, we strive to involve the average person in direct acts of kindness and service to form connections across social divides and foster understanding in the volunteers themselves. We work to impact the perceptions of those who have potentially never encountered one-on-one service in their lives.

Direct outreach creates a unique human experience with profoundly lasting effects for both the person in need and the volunteer. Our programs foster a shared sense of responsibility for each other, strengthen the communities we reach, and create connections between people of all walks of life.

It is uplifting to watch hundreds of JoyJ volunteers get together to pack comfort bags, soon departing to several locations throughout New York City to find and comfort people experiencing homelessness. It is extraordinary to watch our volunteers travel to Ecuador’s mountains to help and spend time with the elderly living in poverty. It is restorative to watch teenage high school students in London organize a JoyJ outreach on their account to help the people living on their city streets. Many locations, many stories, but one transformative bonding experience for all who are involved.

As human beings, we know we have a responsibility to each other regardless of our place in the world or circumstances we have encountered in our lives. JoyJ celebrates our humanity with impactful but straightforward community work; our volunteers see a need and rally to help anywhere on the planet. JoyJ allows non-professional charity workers to directly organize and participate in a quintessential part of being a person: finding, supporting and connecting with those in need.

Simple, but profoundly human.

– The JoyJ Founders & Volunteers