Closeup picture of Riccardo posing for the camera. He's outside in the sunshine and is wearing big green sunglasses and a white and black cap.
Community story, A Volunteer Who’s Not Just Helping “Others”

A Volunteer Who’s Not Just Helping “Others”

Riccardo, Terni, Italy, volunteer

When Riccardo says “helping through Be My Eyes is a way to feel better,” he means it slightly differently than most. A Social Help Operator based in Italy, Riccardo has volunteered with Be My Eyes for four years, and the app is very close to his heart, but he’s different than most volunteers.

Living with glaucoma, Riccardo knows that someday he might make a call on Be My Eyes as well. That might be why Riccardo has answered so many Be My Eyes calls over the years– in case he one day might find himself on the other side.

In Be My Eyes’ early days of 2015, Riccardo learned about the app when a friend shared the Be My Eyes website on Facebook. Immediately after, he downloaded the app and signed up as a volunteer.

For me, it’s an honor and a pleasure to be able to make my contribution with the Be My Eyes app.

Helping comes naturally to Riccardo, as evidenced by the fact that he absolutely loves his job as a social worker. On Be My Eyes, Riccardo helps users do everything from reading an error message on a computer, setting the temperature on a thermostat, reading the expiration date on a jar of jam, to determining the type of shampoo, and much more.

The power to help and receive love, esteem and gratitude is priceless.

Riccardo knows that volunteering gives you a positive feeling that is hard to beat – and even better when you know you are supporting people who aren’t so different from you.