About

What We Do

PMD organizes a variety of fun,
one-time volunteer opportunities.

Make a Difference by:

  • Volunteering personally with PMD
  • Partnering with PMD as a business
  • Partner with PMD as a charity
  • Donating to PMD’s upcoming events
GET INVOLVED

PMD partners with community-based charities that need our help.

Past PMD Projects:

  • Serving meals to people in need
  • Assembling print-Braille books
  • Packing street outreach supplies
  • Helping community gardens
  • Improving urban greenspaces
  • Running school science bowls
  • 6 PMD volunteers are facing the camera, proudly displaying their completed project for the day of fulfilling seed requests for the Boston community gardens. They are holding up a box of packaged seeds, and also holding individual seed packets to show the items that they have packaged. They are wearing facemasks, gloves, PMD badges, and one volunteer wears a shirt that reads “Be the change.” The image also contains a volunteer quote stating “PMD is an amazing opportunity for people of all backgrounds to find interesting and impactful opportunities to volunteer!”

Mission

PMD seeks to create a world in which people and businesses are socially aware and engaged in their communities such that they approach volunteerism by learning about problems and needs, becoming familiar with local charities that are working to address them, volunteering reliably, and providing other needed resources to make a difference.

Vision

Our vision is for everyone to be able to
volunteer productively a few times a year so that together we make a real difference
throughout the year while learning important things along the way.

Philosophy

People Making a Difference (PMD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes informed and responsible volunteerism by involving people in tangible work that meets local needs and by assisting companies in building successful community involvement programs that:

  • Produce appreciable results while conserving recipients’ limited resources
  • Educate volunteers about broader issues
  • Bring people together to make a difference

Video Introduction to PMD

Watch a video showing PMD’s philosophy in action.

PMD Since 1992

1.4K+

Projects

Completed

50+

Corporate

Partners

154+

Charity

Partners

10K+

Volunteers

Engaged

Leadership

Founder & Executive Director

Lori Tsuruda

Board of Directors

Jennifer Blackmon, Vice Chair
Alyssa Faria, Treasurer
Florence Jones
Ellie Sanford Marois, Clerk
Ian McEmber

Recognition

3 adult male PMD volunteers in matching cream-colored t-shirts with "PMD" on front assist low-income youth with pumpkin carving at community Halloween celebration outdoors in Roxbury, MA, with tree with yellow leaves in background.
PMD Volunteers in Panera Bread Commercial, 2012
5 PMD board members are posing in front of the camera, displaying the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award received from Hearth in 2015.
PMD Receives Outstanding Volunteer Service Award from Hearth, 2015
A woman with blond hair wearing a red suit is standing on stage, behind a podium that states Tufts. PMD founder Lori Tsuruda approaches the stage, to be presented with an award.
PMD Founder Receives Active Citizenship & Public Service Award from Tufts, 2012

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