Time magazine has singled out Idealist.org founder and executive director Ami Dar as a nonprofit "innovator" in its annual series highlighting men and women whose ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to improving the lives of others have had a significant impact on their own communities and the world at large.

Israeli-born Dar, who also grew up in Peru and Mexico, was chosen for his commitment to connecting talented and passionate people with nonprofit organizations that need help. At the age of eighteen, he was drafted into the Israeli army and served in the Lebanese war of 1982. According to Dar, the misery and senseless destruction he witnessed in Lebanon, combined with the extreme poverty he had seen growing up in Latin America, led him to start New York City-based Idealist.org — the largest volunteer and nonprofit career resource on the Internet — to make it easier for people around the world to take action on issues that concern them. Launched in 1996, Idealist.org features volunteer opportunities, paid positions, and other information provided by more than 45,000 organizations in 170 countries.

"We started in 1995 with the idea of creating a one-stop shop for volunteer opportunities and nonprofit services in communities around the world," said Dar. "Today, Idealist.org is a global organization that functions as the 'glue' between volunteers, job seekers, and nonprofit organizations."