buildOn students serve their neighbors

A Year of Growth and Service: buildOn’s 2023 U.S. Impact Report

This summer, we shared our 2023 Global Impact Report, highlighting the remarkable growth of our global programs last year. Now, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on our U.S. programs and the many accomplishments we made during the 2023-24 school year. Just like with our global work, our U.S. programs are growing steadily! Despite national trends showing declining volunteerism over the past 13 years, buildOn students are stepping up to serve their communities in unprecedented numbers.

Record-Breaking Student Engagement
buildOn students serve their neighbors at a soup kitchen.
Across the country, buildOn students are tackling food insecurity.

The 2023-24 school year saw exceptional growth in student participation across all six of our U.S. regions. We engaged 10,525 students—a significant increase from 6,743 students just one year prior. These passionate young leaders contributed an impressive 66,519 service learning hours, surpassing last year’s 49,442 hours by a wide margin.

Meeting Critical Community Needs
A buildOn student mentors youth in her community
buildOn students serve as mentors for younger students in their communities.

All across the regions we work in, the need for community service is greater than ever. Our students responded to pressing challenges in their communities, including:

  • Rising numbers of unhoused individuals
  • Increasing food insecurity
  • The ongoing migrant crisis
  • Environmental racism
  • Gun violence

Through direct action and the I.P.A.R.D. Model (Investigation, Preparation, Action, Reflection and Demonstration), students tackled these issues while developing crucial leadership skills. By helping seniors, the unhoused, and advocating for environmental justice, these students are learning to lead their communities by learning how to serve their neighbors. 

Service Project Highlights

Across the country, buildOn students made a meaningful impact through a wide variety of service projects:

From coast to coast, buildOn students saw the issues facing their communities and rolled up their sleeves to become part of the solution. In a time where many are becoming more isolated and disconnected from their neighbors, buildOn students were active forces for good in their communities.

From serving with buildOn I’ve learned that people can make a difference—it doesn’t matter how many people, if it’s two or five or ten, they will make a difference in some way. —Zachary, buildOn Bronx Student

Expanding Our Reach
buildOn students make sandwiches for their communities
We’re committed to scaling deep in all of our regions.

Our growth in the Bronx exemplified our commitment to scaling deep in our regions, adding seven new partner schools this year, bringing the total to 17. By 2027-28, we aim to reach 51 Bronx schools and engage over 15,600 students annually.

In Bridgeport, we’ve already achieved a remarkable milestone–engaging 39% of all high school students, exceeding our 2041 goal of 30% engagement. Student participation grew by 72%, resulting in 11,253 service learning hours.

The Impact of Trek

Our Trek program continued to provide transformative experiences for students, offering opportunities to construct schools in Malawi, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Senegal. These experiences fostered global citizenship and deep cultural understanding while making education accessible in partner communities.

buildOn students build a school on Trek
Trek fosters global citizenship and cultural understanding.

I learned that I have to be much more appreciative of what I have. I learned that I should come back to my school and take advantage of every opportunity given to me so that I can give back. —Emily, buildOn Bronx Student

Looking Ahead

Since 1991, buildOn has impacted over 200,000 students, with our participants achieving a 98% high school graduation rate and attending an average of 15 more days of school per year than their peers. 

This graduation rate means a brighter future for these students, as high school graduates earn on average $500K more than their peers over the course of their lives. buildOn students also gain career readiness skills through buildOn’s Service Immersions, which offer business professionals a unique opportunity to serve alongside our students. Through this experience, buildOn students not only enhance their leadership skills but also are introduced to career options they might not have considered.

A buildOn immersion event with students
Immersions introduce buildOn students to career opportunities they may not have considered.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to expanding our reach and deepening our impact. With your continued support, we can create even more opportunities for students to serve, lead, and transform their communities.

Want to get involved? Consider supporting buildOn’s U.S. programs so we can help more young leaders create positive change through service.