Grateful for the chance to give back

Around Thanksgiving last year, many of you may remember that I talked about my team’s “Gratitude Challenge”

Even now in August, I’ve still been trying to keep up with the challenge.  This week, I found a lot to be grateful for, especially as I learned that Modern Healthcare magazine has chosen me as a finalist for its national Community Leadership Award.

I was excited and humbled to hear about the award, and it made me reflect on how grateful I am for the time I have been able to spend working on community projects.  It is truly been a privilege to work with the wonderful people who are dedicated to making our world a better place.

It also made me very grateful that the culture of volunteerism at UnitedHealthcare encourages community work, because I am not alone.  Many members of my team also devote their time to community projects, just as our fellow employees are doing nationwide.  In fact, 81% of our employees and 96% of our executives reported volunteering in 2012. 

And it helps to have the support of your employer.  Many of our employees find volunteer opportunities by working on UnitedHealthcare’s community initiatives, such as events related to our HEROES program, like the Moon Walk Challenge event at the Allegheny Valley YMCA or throwing a puppy shower for a kid in the Make-A-Wish program.

As I’ve gotten involved with my own volunteer projects, UnitedHealthcare has been supporting me every step of the way.  One project dear to my heart has been the annual UnitedHealthcare Dash to Make a Difference with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  I had been interested in doing an event to help young kids get involved in the fight against breast cancer ever since I had two friends, both with young children, call me in the same week to tell me they had breast cancer.  When I joined the board of directors at Komen, UnitedHealthcare was happy to support my idea for the Dash to Make a Difference.

UnitedHealthcare and my coworkers were also very supportive when I spoke about healthy pregnancies at the March of Dimes 75th Anniversary celebration earlier this year,  and when JDRF honored me at the annual Promise Ball in April to raise money for type 1 diabetes research.

So I’m feeling very grateful lately – grateful to have the opportunity to work with the wonderful people at  Susan G. Komen, March of Dimes, JDRF and others, grateful to work for a company that supports community involvement, and grateful to be honored as a finalist for the Community Leadership Award.

The public will have a chance to vote for the winner for the award.  Voting has already begun and will last until September 20th.  If any of you would be so kind as to take a moment and send a vote my way by clicking here, I’d be – you guessed it – grateful!