Q: Where are you from?

A: I am originally from the Portland area but came up to Tacoma to attend the University of Puget Sound. After graduating I stuck around because I really enjoy the opportunity to be a part of a city that’s big enough there is a lot going on, but small enough that a person can be an active part in helping shape what is going on.

Q: Why do you believe volunteering is important for the community?

A: Volunteering is important for many different reasons, but there are three particular reasons that make volunteering important for me. The first reason is the fact one person can make a significant difference. Here in Tacoma, our city is small enough that we can, with everybody involved, make an impact.

The second reason I think it is important to volunteer is because volunteering helps people realize how fortunate they are. Here at TPU, our employees realize they are fortunate to have jobs. They feel compelled to help our community by “paying it forward” and giving back in some way.

Finally I think volunteering is a great way for people to develop skills. There are so many nonprofits in the need of quality skills that individuals can either improve or develop through their work with a particular organization. If you want to build a house, put together a marketing plan or learn to create a website, I know of a nonprofit that could you use your help.

Q: Why do you volunteer?

A: I volunteer because it is important to give back and it is rewarding. There hasn’t been a volunteer experience I’ve ever walked away from that hasn’t changed me somehow.

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of city that’s big enough that there is a lot going on, but small enough that you can be a real active part of helping shape what is going on”

Q: Are their particular nonprofits that you like to volunteer for?

A: I like working with organizations that allow me to see direct results and where I know my work is going to help someone move forward. There is no particular organization that I enjoy working with over another, but I do enjoy working with food bank projects and Habitat for Humanity. Through these experiences I can see the direct change that occurs in the lives of people we help.

Q: What is your most memorable volunteer experience you’ve had to date?

A: Probably a trip I took to Honduras with Habitat for Humanity when I was in college. I went primarily to improve my Spanish skills but took a lot more from this experience then I ever imagined. While I was in Honduras, I was able to see firsthand how my volunteer work building houses was changing the lives of the people within in the community. It was amazing to see people so grateful for items we consider so basic, like hammers and nails. This experience was life changing for me and is probably a major reason I ended up working in the nonprofit sector.

Q: What do you enjoy most about Community Connection program here at TPU?

A: One of the things that I enjoy most about our program are the employees who volunteer. Many in our TPU family are really humble. They underestimate the value of what they contribute and don’t stop to think about the magnitude of their giving. But what they don’t realize is that without their time and efforts, these nonprofit organizations wouldn’t be able to do what they do. Our employees are a huge asset to our community because they are highly skilled, often with multiple talents in addition to their jobs here as electricians, lineman, engineers, etc.

Another aspect of the program I enjoy is our employee’s dedication to the volunteer projects that we take on. Because many of our employees have such technical trade skills, our volunteer projects usually include long days of physical labor. We often have employees that are out on a project site multiple Saturdays for long hours, doing something hard, physical and manual. They are giving up their day off to work for someone they just met. Most people would give up after the pizza shows up, but our employees work hard until the project is complete. The next Monday employees from the project inevitably show up at my desk and tell me that grueling Saturday was the best day they’ve had in a long time. That’s why the employees here are my favorite part of the program. I am truly humbled to work with them.

“There hasn’t been a volunteer experience I’ve ever walked away from that hasn’t changed me somehow.”

Q: How would you describe Community Connection's missions and goals?

A:  Community Connection seeks to match the unique resources and skills of our employees with the urgent needs in our community. We focus on using our human capital to influence change. We work closely with our community partners and listen to their specific needs. We are constantly checking in with local food banks, transitional housing and other nonprofits trying to influence change and asking what these nonprofits need the most from us.

Q: What skills and or assets do you bring to volunteer projects?

A: As a former employee of the United Way of Pierce County, I have years of experience working in the nonprofit community. I understand the need that exists within our community. I know where our resources can make a significant impact and how to bring in agencies our employees may not know about. I occasionally schedule nonprofit representatives to talk with our employees about the trends they face in their area of expertise in our community.

I also help Tacoma Public Utilities keep up to date on the latest changes in social responsibility. Currently we are recognized regionally for our efforts .

I make sure we are collaborating with other local companies, big and small. There is a whole council of us that get together and exchange best practice ideas. It is exciting for us to share and talk about the big things our employees having been doing in the community. Hopefully others will see why it is so important and why we need their participation too.