By: Melina Farahmand

Founder of Past Present Future Co.

Executive Director at Guardians of Our Democracy

Author of: From Dust to Breath and When the Stars Collide

Today, I sat down with one of my dearest friends to ask her about her recent children’s book release. This book is a testament to her nonprofit's remarkable work.

Meet Lisa Leone, an actress and the founder of Volunteer Together, who is now a published author. Lisa's dedication to her work is awe-inspiring. She wears many hats and approaches whatever endeavor she takes on with a positive attitude and lots of love and care. Her dedication to connecting community members through their shared love of volunteering has helped raise over one hundred thousand dollars for various charities. This has led to the creation of a nonprofit organization with over 250 volunteers called #VolunteerTogether, significantly impacting communities on the East and West Coasts. Lisa has gathered people coast to coast to make a difference for many organizations.

For the past few years, she has worked on a series of children’s books highlighting various things she’s passionate about. The first book, published this past September, is about motivating children to volunteer in their communities. Tony the Turtle is about to discover the magic of community in the beautiful, written, and illustrated story “Tony Moves to Volunteer Valley!” You can purchase the book on Amazon!

I asked Lisa a few questions about the process of writing her book and what the ultimate motivation was behind the launch of her first story. I’m going to pass the keyboard to her so she can tell her story.

I’m thrilled to share the inspiration behind writing my first children’s book. It’s quite interesting how it happened: after unexpectedly breaking my ankle, I found myself seeking a creative outlet during the healing process, which led me to write children's books. Being a nanny for over nine years in Southern California helped me create something special, drawing inspiration from all the children’s books I’ve read throughout the years.
One of the three books I wrote, Tony Moves to Volunteer Valley, deeply resonated with me, leading me to hire an illustrator to bring it to life. The inspiration behind this book was to exemplify the beauty and power of "More People, More Impact," which is the motto of the nonprofit I founded called Volunteer Together. I was excited to present this message in a way that resonates with the younger generation.
Many volunteer members have expressed interest in getting their siblings or kids involved in our events, but age restrictions often pose a challenge. I envisioned this book as a way for children to participate while supporting our mission. All proceeds will go directly to our nonprofit, helping us organize even more impactful community events.
Tony Moves to Volunteer Valley is now available on Amazon for purchase, and we’re thrilled to share that we sold over 150 copies in the first 10 days, raising more than $1,000 for the nonprofit! I hope this book inspires young readers to understand the importance of giving back and recognize that every small action can lead to meaningful change. Thank you for helping to share this special project!