Pro Bono Perspectives S3E6: Anusha Venkataraman

NYC Chief Service Officer Anusha Venkataraman leads NYC Service, a division of the Mayor’s Office that builds nonprofit and corporate partnerships to advance lifelong civic engagement through volunteer and service programs. In this episode of Common Impact's Pro Bono Perspectives podcast, Anusha shares that even though COVID-19 put constraints on in-person volunteering, the City still saw an increased interest in service this past year. According to the most recent NYC Civic Engagement Survey, 52.8% of New Yorkers volunteer either formally or informally.

Anusha encourages us to adopt a broader view of service, one that recognizes the many ways - big and small - that people show up for their communities every day. She also shares about the City’s racial inclusion and equity work and how she and her colleagues are dismantling problematic systems and building more equitable ones that create true, transformative change.

Visit nycservice.org to learn more about initiatives and resources including the NYC Civic Engagement Survey, NYC Volunteers Count, the NYC Corporate Volunteer Council, and the Mayoral Service Recognition Awards.