Nancy Williams

By Gina Cargas, Communications & Social Media Intern

It's no surprise that Love Without Boundaries changes lives. The nonprofit, after all, provides hope and healing to impoverished and orphaned children in China. But according to Associate HR Director Nancy Williams, Love Without Boundaries transforms lives beyond those of the children it helps; it also impacts the staff and volunteers.

"While I had volunteered with adoptive family organizations and school groups, LWB has been the most life-impacting work I've ever done," she said. "Truly life-changing for everyone involved."

Nancy first got involved with Love Without Boundaries when she responded to an online ad for help with the Education Program. For four years, she coordinated a tutoring program for children with special needs who were unable to attend school in China.

"Starting with LWB's Education Program was a great way to get to know individual kids through their periodic reports," Nancy said. "As I got to know some of the other programs, such as the Healing Homes that provide pre- and post-surgery care, I came to realize how important it is to address the multiple needs of these children."

Love Without Boundaries offers humanitarian aid to children in China in the form of education, foster care, Healing Homes, medicine, nutrition and orphanage assistance - and they involve volunteers in each of these vital areas.

A longtime member of VolunteerMatch, LWB also recently won our #WhyIVolunteer Photo Contest with the inspiring story of Dr. John Ness, a surgeon who traveled to China to repair the cleft lips and palates of 49 infants.

By Gina Cargas, Communications & Social Media Intern

"Seeing the results of the cleft medical exchange with the before and after photos makes every effort worth it," Nancy told us. "And then I love to see the same children months later with big, beautiful smiles on their faces."

While cleft palate surgeries are an important part of Love Without Boundaries' work, the organization needs volunteers with all sorts of skills. "We can use people with medical, education, financial and technical backgrounds, as well as volunteers who have good writing skills to communicate updates to our many wonderful sponsors," said Nancy, who manages over 180 such volunteers. "Having a heart for helping the children is a key motivator for our volunteers."

No matter what skills volunteers can offer, their experience is bound to be rewarding. Watching a child's life transform for the better is the best part of being a volunteer, Nancy believes.

"This last year, I've seen four of my former tutoring students get adopted - that is the best news for the kids!" she said. "It has been so gratifying to know we have been a part of that child's overall well-being until they could join a family."

Prior to surgery, many of these children are ineligible for adoption due to a cleft palate, cleft lip or other medical issue. After Love Without Boundaries operates, the children are able to connect with a loving family.

"You can see the change - one child at a time - with the surgery, and then you see that child gain a family because their special need has been addressed," Nancy said. "Being able to provide good foster care to help children feel loved and cared for by a family is something that changes the course of their development for life."