Natick is home to dozens of nonprofit organizations in need of support, and like most schools across the Commonwealth, Natick High requires students to complete community service hours before graduating. Surprisingly, connecting NHS students with volunteer opportunities has been a challenge. That’s where ServeNatick comes in. The students who founded ServeNatick recognized this gap and have become a vital part of the solution.
Less than five years ago, the now 11th grade ServeNatick founders Kabir Anand (President), Cameron Bernard (Treasurer), and Phineas Rando (Secretary) were learning online during Covid. They first had fleeting exposure to the details surrounding the NHS community service requirement during an online meeting in 8th grade. In fall 2023, they realized that they were somewhat disconnected from the community they had all lived in their whole lives, they desired to do something bigger than themselves and, yes, they needed to continue to log more community service hours.
When he started learning about the needs of nonprofits in Natick, Anand said that he “was surprised by the number of organizations that lack volunteers.” At the same time, Rando shared that many opportunities offered by the service organizations he encountered were short-term gigs at events. They wondered if they could unite to create a project that would have lasting impact in their community.
The challenge provided by the annual Erica and Jay Ball IMPACT Award competition provided the inspiration they were seeking. The Ball family, longstanding supporters of Natick’s schools, challenged those who wished to apply for the IMPACT Award to create “a proposal for a service project impacting the community.” The competition birthed the ServeNatick concept and Anand, Bernard and Rando were named as winners in May 2024.
Anand has been volunteering for more than a decade, starting with helping the Keep Natick Beautiful organization. He said that giving back to Natick–a town that has given him so much–is personally fulfilling.
“The meaning of ‘giving back’ can take many forms and I’m glad I’ve been able to give back to my community to benefit it in the long run–whether that has meant putting in hours of community service with different organizations; connecting these groups with volunteers; or inspiring other students,” he said.
How ServeNatick Connects Individuals
Visitors to ServeNatick’s website (located at https://www.servenatick.org/) can view volunteer postings for nonprofit organizations and easily fill out a form to express interest in helping out. Likewise, Metrowest nonprofits can use the site to showcase their cause; share their need for helping hands; provide schedule details, and list volunteer requirements by age range.
While the students originally started the ServeNatick site on their own, they received a wealth of support from adults in the community, starting with the Ball family and including their parents, NHS Social Studies Teacher Matthew Brenneman, and Jay Poropatich, Director of Communications for the Town of Natick.
ServeNatick credits Poropatich as one of their biggest supporters and are grateful for his assistance with so much of their work, especially help with enhancing their web presence. Unbeknownst to Anand, Bernard and Rando, Poropatich had launched a community service directory on the town’s website and had seen the good that comes from forging community connections.
"The Town of Natick is lucky to have civic-minded high school students with the ingenuity, drive and commitment to create a valuable service for residents,” Poropatich said.
“I've had the opportunity to sit with Kabir, Cameron, and Phineas a few times to further discuss how Town staff can better assist their startup idea. I leave each meeting convinced that our NPS school system has produced three budding entrepreneurs. Congrats to the ServeNatick team!"
A Passion Project Always in Progress
Anand, Bernard, and Rando regularly talk with community members and have implemented biweekly meetings to keep the site current. After learning more from Poropatich and now that many months have passed since their launch, they’ve realized that adult community members can also benefit from the website. With school demands and other extracurriculars, it’s no small feat to keep ServeNatick afloat.
“I personally check the website daily to make sure there are no issues in the UI or functionality,” Anand said.
When asked to describe ServeNatick in just three words, its founders picked very fitting ones: Inspiring, Connecting and Empowering. ServeNatick does all these and is always striving to do more. The organization states that it’s continually “creating meaningful bonds that benefit the community.”
Stay tuned for information about the Natick Impact Collaborative Event hosted by ServeNatick (a TEDx-style event) in early spring 2025. Visit ServeNatick today and consider committing your time to a worthy organization. Sign up for regular updates. Check out the merch store featuring colorful tshirts and sweatshirts for sale and maybe pay it forward by sharing your personal volunteer story or the ServeNatick URL with someone you know.