The Rewarding Life at Philabundance

After almost three years of college and public relations courses, I still am not positive on what I want to do with the rest of my life. It was only recently that I became interested in non-profit organizations, like Philabundance.

Philabunance is a non-profit organization in Philadelphia whose mission is ending hunger and helping the less fortunate in the Delaware Valley. I was given the opportunity to interview Marlo DelSordo, the Director of Communications and Marketing at Philabundance. Since this is an area I am interested in, I was eager to hear what Ms. DelSordo had to say about her work at Philabundance.

For me, the idea of a non-profit organization is intriguing because you are working for a cause that impacts real lives. Ms. DelSordo agreed, saying that she was drawn to Philabundance because of its mission of ending hunger and the positive impact they make across the Delaware Valley. The work is more meaningful and fulfilling when you know that your role has allowed families to have food on their table.

As with any job, there will always be challenges. For Ms. DelSordo, there are fewer resources in the non-profit sector, so messages must be constructed creatively and with a smaller budget. Just from these two questions, it appears that non-profit work, like Philabundance is both extremely rewarding and challenging.

As a young professional, I have seen that school and an internship can be a tricky balancing act. I was curious as to what a professional’s opinion on this idea was. Ms. DelSordo said this was something she still struggles with. She is technically on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but during family time she does not answer any emails. She is committed to her job and the Philabundance cause, but realizes that her family life is a priority too. Her passion for her job is what drives her dedication to the position and organization.

When a PR student has the opportunity to talk with a current PR professional, he or she is always curious about how to find a job in today’s competitive market. Ms. DelSordo had helpful tips for job searching while still in college. She recommended identifying organizations you’d like to work for and completing informational interviews with them. It is great practice and can foster new relationships. Additionally, she said to get involved in organizations like PRSA and PPRA. Her advice has proven true, considering I was given the opportunity to interview her through PPRA and PRSA's event, Careers 101. My interview with Ms. DelSordo has reaffirmed the idea of working in a non-profit environment and has helped me better understand the skills necessary for success.


This blog post was written by Temple University student, Alex Crispino. Alex is a junior Strategic Communications major at Temple University, with minors in Spanish and Psychology. She is a member of PRowl Public Relations, Temple's student-run PR firm, PRSSA and is a Resistant Assistant at Temple. In her free time, Alex likes to blog and is an avid baseball and football fan. Connect with Alex on Twitter.