Why Volunteering Is So Important to Me

People sometimes ask me why I volunteer as much as I do, why I keep adding one more event, one more collection drive, one more way to give back. The short answer? Because it matters. The longer answer? Because it shapes who I am, how I raise my kids, and how I view my community and my work.

Volunteering isn’t just something I do when I have time, it’s part of how I define success. To me, success isn’t only measured by professional milestones, sales goals, or business growth though those things matter. True success is about impact. It’s about using the resources, skills, and network I’ve built through my Allstate agency to make life a little easier for someone else.

Gratitude in Action

I’ve been blessed with so much including family, health, a thriving business, and a community that supports me every single day. Volunteering is how I say “thank you” in the most tangible way I know. It’s gratitude in motion. Every time I help distribute coats in winter, sponsor a local school event, or organize a fundraiser for a cause close to my heart, I’m reminded how lucky I am and how connected we all are.

When I see the relief on someone’s face because a problem was solved, even temporarily, it reinforces my belief that kindness ripples outward. What might feel like a small gesture, donating supplies, giving time, making introductions, can have a much bigger impact than we realize. Gratitude grows when it’s shared, and volunteering is my favorite way to share it.

Being a Role Model for My Kids

One of the big reasons I volunteer is for my children. I want them to see compassion in action, not just hear about it. Kids learn what they live. When they watch their mom collect donations, spend a Saturday at a community event, host a fundraiser in our home, or write thank-you cards to local volunteers, they learn that giving isn’t optional, it’s part of who we are.

I don’t ever want them to take what they have for granted. Volunteering opens their eyes to how diverse people’s experiences are. It helps them understand that not everyone has the same safety net, and that we have a responsibility to help when we can. Watching them jump in to pack lunches or run charity 5Ks with me fills me with pride. They’re growing into empathetic, aware young people and that’s the greatest return on investment I could ever hope for.

Building Awareness and Empathy

Running an insurance agency gives me a front-row seat to life’s unpredictability. Every day, I talk to people who are trying to protect what matters most, family, homes, businesses, futures. That perspective makes me even more aware of how fragile stability can be. Volunteering keeps me grounded in that reality.

When I work alongside others in need or hear their stories, I’m reminded that anyone can find themselves in a tough situation. It could be a job loss, illness, natural disaster, or just a string of bad luck. Volunteering strips away assumptions and replaces them with empathy. It helps me serve my clients better, too, because I understand on a deeper level what security and peace of mind truly mean.

Strengthening Community Connections

Volunteering also strengthens the bonds within our community. Whether I’m working with local nonprofits, schools, or fellow business owners, these shared experiences create trust and collaboration. The same teamwork that builds strong neighborhoods also builds strong businesses.

I’ve met some of the most inspiring, hardworking, and big-hearted people through volunteer efforts. These relationships remind me that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about showing up. Sometimes that means donating money, but often it just means giving time, energy, or ideas. When we come together for a purpose greater than ourselves, something extraordinary happens, we start to see how powerful we are collectively.

Giving Feeds the Soul

There’s also something deeply personal about volunteering. It fills me up. On the busiest, most stressful days, doing something for someone else rebalances me. It reminds me that I can make a difference even in small ways. That sense of purpose is energizing and it fuels my creativity, my resilience, and my faith in people.

We live in a world where it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of “more” such as more business, more likes, more goals. Volunteering slows me down in the best way. It reminds me that what really matters is connection, compassion, contribution.

Paying It Forward

In the end, I volunteer because I believe in paying it forward. So many people have helped me along the way, mentors, friends, clients, even strangers who gave me opportunities when I needed them most. Giving back is my way of keeping that chain of kindness going.

And that’s why volunteering isn’t just important to me, it’s essential. It’s who I am, how I lead, and what I hope to pass on to the next generation.