During Lehigh in Action — a week of service projects led by alumni across the country — Jimmy Mora ’20 rolled up his sleeves at Lehigh Valley Outreach Depot’s warehouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania, turning intention into impact.
The Outreach Depot is built on a simple but powerful idea: turning compassion into action. By mobilizing volunteers, the organization provides furniture, household goods, and essential supplies to families across the Lehigh Valley. Its work meets real, everyday needs with dignity and care.
“I’ve always believed that being part of a community comes with a responsibility to contribute to it,” Mora says. “Lehigh in Action gave me a simple, structured way to do that alongside others who feel the same.”
Mora’s volunteers focused first on debris removal before jumping into the organization’s day-to-day operations. They helped clean the parking lot, removing trash and filling a dumpster to keep the site running smoothly. From there, they assisted wherever needed, contributing to the steady rhythm of service that defines the Depot’s mission.
The volunteer team was small but impactful, comprised of two Lehigh in Action participants alongside three regular volunteers. In a moment that underscored the reach of Lehigh’s alumni network, one of those volunteers turned out to be Michael Radio ’76. They discovered the connection purely by chance, but it made the experience even more meaningful.
“Mike wasn’t there through Lehigh in Action, but simply as a committed volunteer,” Mora says. “It was a reminder that the Lehigh community extends far beyond campus and across generations.”
For Mora, the day was part of a larger commitment. Over the past month and a half, he has continued to volunteer with the Outreach Depot, motivated by a desire to give back and stay engaged in the community.
“Being part of it feels grounding. It’s easy to get caught up in your own goals, but experiences like this reset your perspective,” he says. “Even small contributions feel meaningful when you know they’re part of something bigger and ongoing. It really showed me how powerful small, coordinated efforts can be. In a volunteer-run environment, every single person has an outsized impact.”
Service, Mora emphasized, isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up and committing to do something selflessly. Even small efforts can create meaningful change.
“You don’t need experience to start — just the willingness to help others and turn that goodwill into action,” he says.
Check out the gallery below to see other alumni who led change during Lehigh in Action week. If you’re interested in hosting an event in your area, reach out to Katie Hrubenak for more information.
In This Image: Celia Williams MBA'15 coordinated a group to do field clean-up and prepare vegetable beds at Easton Urban Farm in Easton, Pennsylvania.
In This Image: David Thomson '83 MBA'84 and Nancy Liu '83 performed landscaping maintenance in historic Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
In This Image: Jamie DeBonis Cloyd MBA’04 coordinated a group to facilitate bingo at Serving Seniors in San Diego, California.
In This Image: Deidre Martin '06 coordinated a beach cleanup on Long Island Beach in Beach Haven Terrace, New Jersey and in the Township of Ocean in Barnegat, New Jersey.
In This Image: Jacalyn Askin ’75 coordinated a group to pack emergency food boxes in Phoenix, Arizona.
