The Power of Showing Up: A New Case for Engagement

Community need is rising. Resources are tightening. And at the same time, more people than ever are feeling disconnected—from their employers, their neighbors, and a sense of purpose. What if one solution could begin to address all three?
Across Central Ohio, nonprofits are being asked to do more with less—just as workplaces struggle to engage employees and build meaningful culture. Increasingly, the answer is showing up: in our neighborhoods, in our organizations, and alongside one another. Volunteering, board service, and community engagement aren’t just acts of generosity—they’re powerful tools for connection, leadership development, and shared impact.
Volunteering in the community—whether organizing shelves at a food bank alongside co-workers or friends, mentoring students, or serving on a nonprofit board—can strengthen workplace culture, enhance employee retention, and build personal connections while addressing critical community needs in meaningful ways.
This conversation brings together nonprofit leaders, business executives, and community builders to explore a simple but urgent idea: what if the path to stronger organizations—and a stronger region—starts with businesses and communities working side by side?

Featuring Matthew Goldstein, CEO, Besa; Carrie Maun-Smith, Associate Vice President, Culture and Community Impact, Grange Insurance, and Foundation President, Grange Enterprise Gives; Kerri Mollard, Founder and CEO, Mollard Consulting; with moderator Janelle Coleman, President, American Electric Power Foundation.

If you would like to dive more deeply into this topic, our friends at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out Mastering Community: the Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us From Surviving to Thriving, by Christine Porath, 2022.