Loaned Executives, A Coveted Post

by Mark Kawabata, State Farm Insurance Loaned Executive

I’d like to share about my experience as a Loaned Executive (LE). Being an Auto Claim representative for State Farm I have been given the opportunity to temporarily leave my position to work directly for the United Way of Pierce County for 16 weeks. My time at the United Way is half way over, it has been an adventure that I will always remember and I wish everyone could experience. It has been humbling to say the least.

The LE position is highly thought of and coveted within State Farm. Not only does one get great exposure and experience but also the fulfillment of helping others. I must point out that State Farm has been very gracious while I’m on loan. They have made sure that my work responsibilities are covered so that I can dedicate all my energies to the United Way without having to worry about managing work at State Farm too. Not all LEs have been as lucky.

Many ask what exactly does an LE do? Well, my main goal is to raise donations for the United Way of Pierce County. There are 116 funded programs that depend on funds from the United Way to keep providing services the community. These can be shelters for women of domestic violence, dental care for children whose parents can’t afford it, or food banks, just to name a few. I also educate people on what the United Way is and why it is so very important.

I have been given a book of various companies and organizations. I meet with a coordinator at each company, plan out their United Way campaign, set up guest speakers, make sure they have pledge form, give presentations, collect money raised, and do everything else possible to make each campaign a success. I spend a good deal of my day meeting with people, delivering materials, and helping with events to show support. The work can be challenging as there just does not seem to be enough time in each day to accomplish everything. But like with most jobs, I prioritize the best I know how.

Having visited many companies, one reoccurring concern I see consistently is that everyone is worried for their jobs. Factory worker’s hours are being cut, raises are not being given, and people are scared about the economy. (On a side note, in the midst of all their financial worries, that is where I come in to ask them to donate money.) People’s Holiday parties are being cut from a catered luncheon to cookies and coffee, for many, times are getting tough.

I have been very lucky at State Farm as I have never needed to worry about being laid off or if I would be able to support my family. Working at State Farm, it is easy to become immune to many concerns. In my time at the United Way, I have met people who need basic services as well as those who are afraid they will need those services in the near future. I stated before that I have been humbled by my experience. It can be easy to complain, but seeing what I have, I realize just how lucky I am.

My intent is not to preach, but I do feel obligated to share what I have learned. If you have a job, whether you like it or not, be thankful. And if you can help, be it with donating money, gently used items, or your time, please do.

In closing, I wanted to tell about one company I work with that knew it would be tough for employees to give cash donations. So we came up with the idea of doing “Birthday Rescue Packages.” If a family is going to a food bank, it probably means things are tight. This company decided to have each workers donate one Birthday item; cake mix, plates, balloons, party napkins, etc. Then they put together and wrapped up care packages to take to the food bank so if a family had a child who has a Birthday, they could just take the pre-made box of goodies and the child could still have a party. It is looking like there will be 100% participation from all the factory workers! Even when some do not have a lot, they still find ways to give.

Loaned Executives, A Closer Look

by Liz Stanton, 2009 Loaned Executive

Twelve Loaned Executives (LEs), 16 weeks on "the campaign trail" and 290 accounts. There is a ton of work to be done. At first, it sounded daunting but immediately after I started my job as a loaned executive my outlook changed.

As a loaned executive, or in my case "sponsored executive"—my position is sponsored by the Boeing Company—I am assigned approximately 30 company accounts in Pierce County. My role is to visit each one and ask every employee to consider giving their time and money. Now, I don't consider sales to be my strongest attribute and yet, somehow, I found myself in a sales position. However, when I saw the type of facilities the United Way supports and the people who are served, my perspective shifted.

While touring the Good Samaritan Hospital's Children’s Therapy Unit, I had a moment where I began to see beyond the forthcoming to-do lists, appointments and presentations. It was here I saw firsthand the dedication, optimism and compassion of the staff. They provide therapy options created specifically for kids, who are born with physical disabilities that limit their day-to-day life. If a child cannot ride a big-wheel because of a physical disability, a staff-person will alter the big-wheel so the child can ride it. After seeing the piles of customized equipment that has built for the kids, I had "the moment" I spoke of above. I cannot take my ability to do good work for granted.

We are in week 7 and my time at United Way is going by too fast. I am truly having fun with my fellow LEs. They are all fascinating people and I love getting to know them. More on that in another post... Until then, I look forward to more experiences and meeting more people and sharing more stories.

Along with my delightful LEs, I visited:

L'Arche Farms
Washington's Women in Employment & Education
Bridges
Lindquist Dental Clinic
Tacoma Community College's Childcare Center

Additionally, we each participated in United Way's Day of Caring where local businesses collaborate in volunteer group projects at local non-profits. I went to the Boys & Girls Club, Gonyea Branch.

VOLUNTEER - Day of Caring, A Staff Perspective

by Monika Sundbaum, Account Executive

September 18, 2009 was an absolutely perfect autumn day in Pierce County - a day whose crisp, chilly morning transformed into an explosion of gorgeous warm sunshine by 10 a.m.

I made my way through the twisty, winding path to the FISH Food Bank in Edgewood, excited to meet my fellow volunteers for the day! I pulled into the parking lot and met three incredible women from Puget Sound Energy: Janet, Jennifer and Rayme. They were decked out in LIVE UNITED t-shirts and ready to roll. We were warmly welcomed by Pat and Steven who were working at FISH that day.

They took us on a tour of the beautiful facility and talked to us about the need for basic food assistance. We talked about how families who never pictured not being able to buy their own food are now standing in line, asking for help.

We also talked about solutions: FISH staff members look at their clients’ needs holistically – in fact, the Edgewood site (one of seven FISH sites in Pierce County) is piloting a partnership with South Sound Outreach Services – check out this great article in The News Tribune about it.

The four of us performed many tasks the staff have been wanting to work on, but just hadn’t had time to get to. Perfectly understandable, considering they’ve gone from serving 800 people to 3,000 people a month! Who has time to refinish wood when you can barely keep up stocking the shelves?

It was an honor to help – and Janet, Jennifer and Rayme were wonderful! Huge thanks to them and Puget Sound Energy for LIVING UNITED, and to Pat and Steven for the incredible work they do every day.

Pierce County Hunger Facts
More than 140,000 children, seniors and adults seek help finding food in Pierce County. Of these individuals:

• 52% are children and seniors (38% children under 19, 14% individuals over 55)
• 98% fall below the national poverty line
• Almost half are families with at least one adult working

During 2008 there were a total of 844,551 visits to Food banks and 833,230 visits to Hot Meal Sites in Pierce County. (Source: Pierce County Community Indicators Website)

VOLUNTEER - Day of Caring, A Volunteer's Perspective

by Guest Blogger Len Ganduglia
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber & Day of Caring Volunteer

September 18, 2009 was a glorious day to be outdoors at the Tacoma Nature Center at Snake Lake. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s Team volunteered to do something outdoors like gardening, but I don’t think any of us expected what eventually transpired.

Terry from the Nature Center was our facilitator and informed us that we would indeed be “trail-blazers”: we would be going to the most northern part of the area and begin a new hiking trail. So, armed with the necessary tools (and a little red wagon to convey them), our trusty band of six (plus Sarah from UWPC) took about a 20-minute hike up the northern rim to a clearing. The next thing we know, Terry pulls out wire clippers and opens a hole in a chain-link fence, leading to a fairly densely overgrown area. Undaunted, with clippers and branch cutters in gloved hands, the Chamber’s intrepid crew managed to clear a path of about 100 feet in less than two hours. After hiking back to the Lodge for lunch, pulling weeds in the shrub nursery afterward seemed literally like “a walk in the park”!

So why did we volunteer? Because the United Way does a lot of good and it’s important for those or us who “have” to “pay it forward”, that is, show that we know we are blessed and to share what we have. In this case, it was time, energy and enthusiasm.

We want others to know that we “got” as good as we “gave”; the level of appreciation from Terry and Sarah was incredibly warm and genuine. We felt we could have done more but they made us feel like world-beaters. Also it was a joy for the members of the Chamber Team to get out and work together and enjoy the camaraderie.

Photo Courtesy of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber. Photographer: Christina Kitchens

VOLUNTEER - Day of Caring, A Host's Perspective

By Linda
Day of Caring Host

A little bit of this and a lot of that goes into serving 1,200 meals-a-day at the Hospitality Kitchen on Yakima Street. Five days a week, breakfast and lunch are served to anyone who shows up. It doesn’t matter who you are, as long as you respect the rules, you can eat, have a cup of coffee and rest in a safe environment.

Besides the regular volunteers who help prepare and serve meals, do dishes and unload donations, about twenty folks from Rainier Pacific Bank, DaVita and Fred Meyer came ready to do whatever was needed during United Way of Pierce County’s Day of Caring, Friday, September 18th. We were divided into work teams and off we went to paint the outside of the Catholic Community Center building, do landscaping, prep and serve lunch and organize the storage room.

Myself and three gentlemen from Rainier Pacific spent the day organizing the storage room unloading pallets, moving canned goods, unpacking thousands of coffee packets – I now know what inhaling coffee grounds can do to a person – and scrambled up and down ladders. I used muscles I hadn’t used in a long time. We were fast, efficient and funny. Bill, our supervisor, was happy to give us more to do whenever we asked, “What’s next, Bill?” At the end of the day, the Fabulous Four went back to their usual jobs counting their blessings.

VOLUNTEER - Day of Caring

by Nicole Milbradt, Sr. Marketing Associate & Events Manager

If you had a day off from work, how would you spend it? Stocking shelves at a food bank? Washing windows at a daycare? Carving a new trail at a local park? I'm sure few of us would answer this way. But for 1,000 volunteers who had a day away from the office Friday, September 18th, a Day of Caring was the answer.

Nearly 1,000 volunteers took time away from their busy schedules to give back to the community. Many banded with co-workers to clean up parks, pull weeds, paint a shelter, rip up carpet and organize storage. Others worked with patients to create artwork for a new clinic or helped conduct an art fair for seniors. The work was varied and at the end of the day, many had worked harder away from the office than they would have if they'd stayed at their desks.

But no matter what they did on September 18th, they made a difference. For those agencies focused on feeding the hungry and sheltering those without homes, landscaping their property is low on the list of priorities. There are agencies who want to provide more for their clients, but don't have the money to pay for labor for small repairs. Many nonprofits are working hard to serve our most vulnerable neighbors and don't have the time to put on a new coat of paint. Thankfully, Day of Caring volunteers did have the time and were able to help our community warriors continue to focus on their mission.

One team summed it up best, "We were sweaty and dirty and tired, but it was a great day."

Thanks again to all who participated in this year's Day of Caring.

Check out more photos from the event on our Flickr page.
WE WANT TO KNOW...Did you volunteer for Day of Caring? Tell us about your experience.