Personally and professionally, sometimes it seems like there are never enough hours in the day to get things done, let alone take on something more. But I like to think I’m fortunate to be so busy – it means I have a good job, family and friends who want to spend time with me, hobbies I enjoy and my health. Others may not be so lucky, and that’s why I believe that no matter how busy life gets, we need to find time to help others.
Imagine not only being sick, but being home-bound and unable to obtain or prepare the kinds of food you need to get better. To serve those people, MANNA, a Philadelphia-area non-profit organization, cooks, packages, and delivers nutritious, medically-appropriate meals and provides nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease and HIV/AIDS. D&Z and LGBT&Allies ERG members in Philadelphia have a longstanding history of supporting this organization and I’ve been fortunate to volunteer there on many occasions. That is one way I have found to honor our company value of Success, by giving back to others in a meaningful way.
As Executive Sponsor of the LGBT&A group, I want to thank Dani Reed, the ERG co-chair, who organized our most recent volunteer workday at MANNA, and all those who gave of their time to make this a success. All our ERGs do great things to assist various community and national organizations and causes, and I encourage everyone to find something, whether with an ERG or on your own, that you can believe in and support. Volunteering is rewarding when you find something that you connect with and feel good about helping. That’s part of what you get back by giving back.