Along with thousands of Americans I was looking for work. I always had a strong sense of empathy for those people - you know the sad people you pass on the street. They are cold, they are hungry, they are homeless. I always wonder how life on the streets became their fate. I now understand that without education, income and health, we could all be moments away from desperation?
During my job search, I came across an opportunity to help people, people just like me, but without the resources to advance beyond their circumstances. Without families, without severance, without advanced degrees. In March 2009, I started working with United Way, an organization that believes education, income and health are the building blocks of a good life.
Within the first few months, I helped build a marketing and communications department. I established an online presence for the organization. In the midst of many other pressing priorities we had to find people where they were gathering.
We recruited former Washington Post columnist and radio personality, Bob Levey, to jumpstart this effort. Within a few months, where there once was no presence now two blogs, an active facebook page, a twitter account and a you tube channel were quickly up and running. I tried to do it with some true focus and I continue to keep our channels full of interesting user generated content. I took pride in using my role to help area residents lead a better quality of life. In keeping with the national United Way brand, I infused the tone and feel of the LIVE UNITED campaign into our 2009-2010 campaign materials and in an advertorial featured in the Washington Post Express (visit December 16, 2009 issue (pages 16-24). I was fortunate enough to land in a stable place and now it was my turn to give back.
