VolunTravel isn’t just about going places—it’s about becoming part of something bigger. Our programs are designed to open hearts, expand minds, and inspire lifelong action.
✔️ A Meaningful Mission
Every trip is rooted in genuine need. You’ll work side by side with local partners on projects that matter—leaving a real and lasting impact.
🌐 Global Citizenship in Action
We believe travel should transform both the traveler and the world. VolunTravel fosters empathy, awareness, and action through cross-cultural collaboration.
📚 Education That Goes Beyond the Classroom
Our volunteers return home with more than memories—they gain perspective, purpose, and a deeper understanding of global issues.
🌟 For You. For Others. Forever.
Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or a retiree, VolunTravel offers a powerful chance to connect, contribute, and grow—as part of a global community committed to good.
At VolunTravel, we believe that meaningful service should be accessible to everyone—not just students in college programs or members of religious organizations. That’s why we offer unforgettable, impact-driven journeys to people of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs who are ready to explore the world and make a difference.
🧭 Authentic, Immersive Travel—Not a Tour Package
VolunTravel is not a tour company. Our experiences are designed to be raw, real, and transformative. You’ll eat local food, stay in locally-run lodgings, travel like a local, and connect with people on a human level—not behind glass.
👥 Small by Design, Personal by Nature
We keep things intentionally small and community-focused, so every trip is personal and meaningful. With minimal staff and low overhead, we direct your funds straight toward the trip—not bureaucracy. In fact, our founder, Craig Dreves, draws no salary from VolunTravel—he works full-time as a public school teacher.
💰 Affordable, Transparent Pricing
Volunteer costs cover only actual travel expenses and a modest share of the chaperone’s trip. No inflated fees. No hidden agendas. We’ll also help you fundraise through tried-and-true methods like letter-writing campaigns so your trip can be more affordable—or even fully covered.
🌍 Led by Locals. Rooted in Respect.
We only operate in regions where our team has deep, firsthand knowledge. Each destination is personally vetted by our founder, and every guide is a local expert, Peace Corps alum, or someone with meaningful ties to the country and its culture.
🎯 A Mission That Puts People First
VolunTravel is driven by the belief that travel should transform both the traveler and the world. We foster authentic connections and support community-led efforts that create lasting, positive change.
The Journey of a Volunteer, Educator, and Changemaker: Craig Dreves
The idea for VolunTravel was born high in the Andes, as founder Craig Dreves hiked through the Peruvian mountains after six months working with street children in Trujillo. It wasn’t just the altitude that took his breath away—it was the realization that service, travel, and human connection had profoundly shaped his life. He knew then: this was an experience worth sharing.
Craig’s journey into service began during his time at Boston College, where the Jesuit ideal of “men and women for others” became a guiding light. As a student volunteer in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica, he witnessed firsthand the deep impact of cross-cultural service. That fire for global learning continued to grow—eventually leading him into the Peace Corps, where he served for three years in Romania, teaching English and launching a Big Brother/Big Sister program for children in a local orphanage.
After earning a master’s degree in International Economics and Development from Fordham University, Craig spent nearly a decade abroad—living, learning, and teaching in countries as diverse as Japan, Romania, Peru, and Costa Rica. These years deepened his understanding of our shared humanity and the power of immersive, community-based work.
When he returned home to Westchester County, New York, Craig continued to live his mission through education. He taught English and history for nine years in Rye City Schools and also served as an ESL instructor at Westchester Community College. Today, Craig serves as the principal of Park Avenue Elementary School in Port Chester, the very district that shaped him as a student growing up.
His leadership journey includes serving as an assistant principal for nearly a decade in Ossining, followed by two impactful years as a principal in Nyack, New York, before returning to his hometown community. These hands-on roles in diverse school settings have shaped Craig into a reflective, relationship-driven leader who believes deeply in empowering others and working toward a shared vision.
Through it all, VolunTravel has remained his passion project—seven years in the making and built from the heart. With a strong board of advisors and a grassroots philosophy, the organization connects people across borders and backgrounds through shared service, education, and lasting impact.
VolunTravel is more than a nonprofit—it’s a call to action for those who believe in building a better world, one relationship at a time.
VolunTravel seeks to create the ripples that Kennedy speaks of through the efforts of volunteers at home and abroad.
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