The Info@ Team Reflects on 2025

Go behind the scenes with Third Act’s info@ volunteer team and discover how these dedicated volunteers keep the organization connected, responsive, and human.

The 2025 journey of the Third Act info@ volunteer team has been remarkable– one filled with growth, dedication, learning and joy. It’s a testament to Third Act’s determination to give agency to volunteers.

A bit of context

info@thirdact.org is the email address where anyone can ask questions about Third Act, share information, suggestions, praises, and discontent. The inbox is known for its wide range of unexpected inquiries and rants.

History

Prior to 2025, Jeremy Friedman managed the email responses using a Gmail interface, providing a consistently gentle and reassuring voice. As the clean energy campaign at Third Act bloomed and blossomed, the staff came to National Volunteers with a crucial request– would it be possible to recruit a team of volunteers who could respond to all incoming emails on a new platform, HelpScout?

The new team of volunteers

Following a number of memorable Zoom conversations, Barbara, Judith and Andrea stepped up. National Volunteers since the inception of the initiative in early 2024, they each came to this work with unique and very different lived experiences. Barbara, a retired social worker with a distinguished and diverse career, now in her 90s and unable to participate in large demonstrations lives in Manhattan. Judith, a former environmental chemist and grant writer who humbly professed to be an introvert and “wanted to be a part of something” hails from Rhode Island. Andrea, a former consultant with a Masters in Public Health, was finding it challenging to find a community committed to taking actions against the growing threats of climate change in the red state of Texas. As different as night and day, and from across the country, this diverse trio has united to become one of Third Act’s most vital volunteer teams.

The journey

The first step in late 2024 was learning to navigate the software platform on which they’d be replying to emails and the Thirdact.org website where so much of the Third Act information resides. Their major concern was what to do if we don’t know an answer – so a ‘running questions’ Google doc was created and has served them well as they are able to ask questions and get feedback in real time. As to the question, who will facilitate the team: we want to be a co-op. Really!? Unbeknownst to anyone else in Third Act, they had taken on full ownership by organizing their own meetings, offering mutual support, and making autonomous decisions—a true testament to the agency given to Third Act volunteers. The team meets monthly with Tyler and other staff and volunteers to check in, share what’s been happening, and learn of new developments. When the volume of email is high– think No Kings, Sun Day- the team is there to reply. When the staff are off on holidays or retreat, Andrea, Judith and Barbara are there to respond to all those with queries about Third Act. A welcome bonus: never having met in person, Andrea, Judith, and Barbara have become true friends who connect, laugh, and share across the miles.

In the collective (co op) voice from the team

As members of the INFO@ team, we are honored to support Third Act and its critical mission of combating climate change and the threats to our democracy. Our team of 3 (Barbara, Judith and Andrea) see our role as an important bridge between the general public and Third Act Central. 

Our work ensures that questions, observations and suggestions are routed to the appropriate staff and volunteers across the Third Act network, including central staff, working groups, special interest groups and committees who can respond, collaborate and offer meaningful feedback. We also reply directly to incoming emails: providing links to various resources such as “self service” and recordings of events. 

This service has been truly fulfilling for each of us. Although we live in different parts of the country, this work allows us to engage with people in many states and even other countries. We consistently receive appreciative feedback as people are genuinely grateful to get a reply from an actual human being.

For example, one gentleman wondered if our warm human info@ replies were “standard Third Act talk” because he really liked it. Many inquiries are simple requests for help accessing a recording or a local working group or perhaps a presentation link. But others share personal stories such as “I use a walker so won’t be going to No Kings Day but I’ll hang signs in my windows in support!” 

It seems interactions through info@ emails is another way to build community within the Third Act network, small steps of mutual aid and connection.

Finally, we wish to thank the staff and super volunteers for their steadfast guidance and support without which we could not have done this work.

Lani Ritter Hall

Lani cherishes her more than thirty-five years of diverse teaching experiences in urban, suburban, and independent schools in the United States and Canada. A National Board Certified Teacher, she created and facilitated professional development around technology infusion into learning for more than twenty years.

Lani served as a community leader and facilitator of connected coaches in online communities with Powerful Learning Practice, during which time she co-authored The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach. She currently is a national volunteer with Third Act. She’s out in her gardens every chance she gets in Northeast Ohio.