Did you know we love our volunteers? Well, it is National Volunteer Week, so now is the time to broadcast it! We had a moment to pick the brain of Sarah J. Keaton, Esq., who volunteers with Connectedly as a member of our board, about the power of volunteering.
What brought you to volunteering as a board member for Connectedly?
I had been wanting to get involved in serving on a nonprofit board for quite some time, but wasn’t sure how, when I received an email from the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association offering the opportunity to observe a nonprofit board. I was lucky enough to be matched with Connectedly and after observing their Board for a year, even luckier that they invited me to join the Board and I have served for about a year now.
What do you value the most about volunteering at a non-profit?
SK: In my current role as an in-house lawyer, I don’t always have the opportunity to see the impact of my work on my firm’s clients. Volunteering with Connectedly, especially when we hear from the employees who run the programs or receive feedback from people who are the beneficiaries of the programs, is a chance to see the impact of what we are doing. It’s also a chance for me to (gladly!) fulfill my obligation as an attorney to give back.
What aspects of Connectedly’s mission resonate with you?
SK: There is no aspect of Connectedly’s mission that doesn’t resonate with me. Social isolation is something that can affect anyone at any point in their life, but it’s especially important for your health and wellbeing to remain connected with your community as you age, and Connectedly supports that. I’m also in full favor of doing anything we can to support grandparents raising their grandchildren and keeping families together under the right circumstances.
As a board member, what do you foresee as the future of Connectedly?
SK: I would love for us to continue to grow our partnerships with community organizations such as area hospitals and perhaps even insurance companies because I believe the services we offer have the potential to lower health care costs while, more importantly, having tremendously positive health outcomes for participants.
Is there a competition amongst board members to see who can raise the most money during the spring appeal?
SK: Only a friendly one, because nobody wants to let the people who depend on us down or be the weakest link! Okay, and maybe some of us are all about the bragging rights too!
