Interview with Mercy Alvarez: Founder of The Ripple Project

Mercy Alvarez started The Ripple Project five years ago as a volunteer postcard program to connect isolated seniors with the community. Today the project operates across three countries. We spoke with Mercy about scaling, failures, and the surprising lessons she learned along the way.

From postcard idea to international project

Mercy explains the project's humble beginning: "I began writing postcards during a winter when our local senior center was closed and neighbors felt disconnected. A single postcard turned into a network when people asked how they could help."

"One of the most surprising things was how simple acts build credibility over time," Mercy says. "People start trusting you after small, consistent follow-through."

Key lessons in scaling

Mercy emphasizes four lessons:

1. Start with a replicable unit: A postcard, a phone check-in, a neighbor buddy system — keep it small and standardizable.
2. Document protocols early: As volunteers join, written protocols help maintain quality and reduce onboarding friction.
3. Invest in local leaders: The best scale happens when local volunteers lead adaptations, not when a central office dictates changes.
4. Measure what matters: Track simple outcomes: number of interactions, reported well-being improvements, and volunteer retention.

Funding and sustainability

Mercy stresses diversified funding: small grants, community donations, and earned revenue from simulation workshops offered to organizations. "We avoid dependency on a single funder," she says. "It allows us to be responsive."

Handling volunteer burnout

When growth accelerates, volunteer burnout is a risk. Mercy recommends time-boxed commitments (e.g., one hour per week) and peer support groups for volunteers. "If you ask too much too fast, the project becomes brittle," she warns.

An example of impact

Mercy recounts a story: "In one neighborhood, volunteers started a monthly tea and storytelling salon for older adults who had little social contact. After six months, hospital readmission rates for that group decreased — an outcome we hadn't anticipated but tracked when a local clinic shared data."

Advice for new organizers

Mercy's practical tips for those starting out:

• Begin with a small, visible pilot to test your assumptions.
• Prioritize relationships over formal structures in the first year.
• Collect stories and use them to recruit new volunteers and small donors.

On partnerships

Mercy looks for partners who bring complementary value: a school that offers space, a clinic providing referrals, or a local artist facilitating postcard workshops. "Partnerships should expand reach without diluting the mission," she notes.

What's next for The Ripple Project

The organization plans to launch a digital toolkit next quarter that provides step-by-step guidance for community groups to copy the postcard model. Mercy hopes this toolkit will accelerate local adaptations while preserving the core focus on consistent, human-centered interactions.

Final thought

"Kindness scales when it's designed for people, not for impressions," Mercy tells us. "Design for the slow, steady build rather than the viral spike."

How to connect

If you'd like to learn from The Ripple Project or join a volunteer cohort, Mercy recommends visiting their website or attending a local workshop. She encourages new organizers to start with curiosity and a single, replicable action.