Introducing Triangle Cares

Welcome everyone! We are so excited to announce the launching of the Triangle Cares website. We wanted to tell you a little bit about Triangle Cares and how it was founded. Triangle Cares was born through iCube, an entrepreneur organization at Cardinal Gibbons High School. Jim Baker, an entrepreneur, volunteer, and parent of 4 Gibbons alumni, hired Catherine Pabalate and Lily Linton in August 2020 to create a way to connect nonprofits and volunteers. After extensive research and multiple interviews with nonprofit organizations, Triangle Cares was born. The Triangle Cares team wanted to create an efficient way for volunteers to find a nonprofit that perfectly matches their schedule, skill set, and interests. Since the winter of 2020, Catherine and Lily have been designing and creating the logo and website for Triangle Cares.

In honor of the website’s launch, two of Triangle Cares’ founders, Lily Linton and Catherine Pabalate, decided to speak about their experiences with the organization. 

Lily Linton:

Why did you choose to be a part of Triangle Cares? I have always been passionate about helping others, so when Mr. Baker approached me with the idea of helping volunteers and nonprofit organizations at the same time I jumped at the opportunity. 

How have you grown since you started working on Triangle Cares? I have grown both personally and professionally since I started working on Triangle Cares. Personally, I have made more room in my life for volunteering, as I have been able to see the need the nonprofit organizations have especially during COVID-19. Professionally, I have developed in communication, marketing, website design, and logo design. 

Do you see yourself doing similar work in the future? Yes, I see myself continuing with Triangle Cares and continuing to volunteer. Later in life I would like to build on my want for helping others by becoming a Child Psychiatrist or Child Psychologist. I would also like to dedicate myself and my resources to help children in poverty who can’t afford such care. 

How have your past experiences helped shape Triangle Cares? My experiences volunteering in the past have allowed me to understand the need that the nonprofits have. This has allowed me to shape Triangle Cares to aid both the nonprofits and promote volunteering to fill that need. When I have volunteered in the past, I also noticed that there is a lack of youth volunteers, which is why Triangle Cares is focusing on bringing in more youth volunteers. 

Catherine Pabalate:

Why did you choose to be a part of Triangle Cares? I have always had an affinity for volunteering and working with others in my community, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to create a way for people in the Triangle to find volunteer options. I was also glad to be given the opportunity to build relationships with other volunteers in the area and expand the horizons of my community.

How have you grown since you started working on Triangle Cares? Through Triangle Cares, I have learned a lot about professionalism and how to build and maintain strong relationships with different people and organizations. I have learned more about the inner functions of an organization and what it takes to develop and launch one. Furthermore, I have gained extensive experience in marketing and design from researching optimal marketing techniques, creating social media accounts, and constructing a website.

Do you see yourself doing similar work in the future? Yes, I do. Volunteering is a substantial part of my life, and I love being in such a nurturing and guiding community. Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to utilize my skills to continue the cycle of giving through the volunteer community so that others can have similar experiences to myself. I hope to find a job within marketing or public health, where I can develop these skills and put them to use.

How have your past experiences helped shape Triangle Cares? I have always had a strong connection with the volunteering community, and I think that has really helped me to shape Triangle Cares into what it is now. Of all of my experiences in community service, the one that stands out to me the most is when I was running a donations stand for Note in the Pocket at a festival, and a woman approached me with a bag of clothing. She had told me how the organization had helped change her life for providing for her and her family, and she wanted to give back by donating back some of her old clothes. This helped me to learn about how giving is a cycle, and I wanted to help others have the chance to take part in this cycle.