MVLA Service League of Boys – informally known as SLOBs – provides parents and their sons a way to contribute to the community through philanthropy.
Inspired by the National Charity League, a mother-daughter service organization, SLOBs has been around since 2004. The Los Altos chapter was established in 2012 and has grown to serve more than 40 nonprofits. Open to grades 7-12, MVLA SLOBs has members from 20 local schools, according to its website.
“A big thing with SLOBs is empowerment because none of it is restricting,” said Henri Smit, a junior at Crystal Springs Uplands School who serves on SLOBs’ executive board. “You literally get to choose how much you want to volunteer, where you want to volunteer, and how long you want to volunteer. And with that … you’re able to gain a breath and understand what you want to do.”
His mom, Judy Smit, works alongside him as a vice president for the chapter. Judy said the group contributed 4,700 hours of community service during its last membership year.
The pair said the organization’s abundance of partnerships allows its members to discover their passions through service.
Henri noted that through his service, he developed a passion for combating food insecurity. His interest led him to become a philanthropy liaison (PL) for Grassroots Ecology and Sacred Heart Community Service, which partner with SLOBs.
“I think with Grassroots Ecology, not only does it teach you about the ecosystem, but it’s also about getting knee-deep in the mud and being with people who are strangers,” Henri said. “You kind of build almost a connection with them. I mean, sometimes you go in and it’s all quiet, and by halfway through the volunteering event, everyone’s all chatty, and we’re all kind of friends at that point.”
In addition to making friends, Henri noted that SLOBs members frequently attend service events together and that some PLs informally organize volunteer groups pertaining to a service area of interest. Judy added that a formal mentorship program is also being created.
SLOBs president Soveen Agarwal, a senior at Mountain View High School, said that through the organization, he has been able to connect with students he otherwise would have never met.
However, it’s not just the connections between volunteers that make the work gratifying, according to Judy, it’s also the opportunity to support the broader community that is sometimes inaccessible in places like Los Altos.
“Through the exposure from SLOBs, you were able to become exposed to other challenges and issues that folks face, right?” Judy said of Henri’s service experience. “And that gave you, sort of, more agency to try and start to do something about it.”
In addition to service opportunities, students convene in five general meetings throughout the year, followed by grade-specific events meant to foster connection between members, according to Henri.
Students can also gain leadership experience by becoming PLs or applying to the organization’s executive board.
According to Agarwal, the board is modeled after a corporate team, allowing the students to learn about real-life applications of their work.
“I think that’s one of the really nice things about SLOBs is that you have a lot of boys who come together and create, run these general meetings, which is really nice to see,” Agarwal said of the board.
The meetings occasionally feature guest speakers. This spring, SLOBs is set to host Los Altos Mayor Pete Dailey and GreenTown board member Gary Hedden.
SLOBs is open to all boys in grades 7-12 who attend local schools or live in the area.
Registration for the organization begins in the fall.
For more information, visit mvlaslobs.org.
