Celebrating International Women's Day!

What difference can a person make in a couple of hours? How about a day, a year…or five years?

It’s my seventh year as a Valley of the Sun United Way volunteer, and thanks to the Generation United young professionals group I’ve been able to make a difference in my community by giving my time and donations.

The Past

Let’s rewind back to my life before joining Generation United: I was 24 years old living in the suburbs, a newlywed at a new job. I gave to United Way through payroll deduction and helped with my employer’s annual campaign, but that was pretty much it.

But things changed when I responded to an email about a “School Readiness Kit Assembly” volunteer opportunity at United Way. Showing up that night changed my life (and, I’d like to think, lives of the hundreds of families who received assembled kits). I learned about their community objectives and decided I wanted to do more for my community and create a positive impact through volunteerism and philanthropy. I joined Generation United, and the rest is history.

Present-Day

Fast forward to the present. I live in the city and work for a different company. My husband and I are now parents with a toddler, and board books are the norm in our home. I still volunteer, but it holds a different meaning for me:

• School Readiness Kits that help kids succeed? These will help MY child and her future classmates succeed in school. United Way has also implemented programs like the Million Minutes Volunteer Reading Challenge and Destination Graduation advance children’s learning from cradle to career
• When I moved from the suburbs into the city, I noticed how homelessness impacts people in my community. All around me. But, guess what? United Way and partners developed permanent supportive housing units to help end chronic homelessness in Maricopa County, and I’ve seen how lives change.

The Future

As I continue my journey, I know I’m contributing to building a stronger community for my family and thousands of other families across the Valley. So if you ever question whether a couple of hours can make a difference — just look the world of difference one person can make.

Farzana is a passionate advocate for giving back in our community. She joined Valley of the Sun United Way’s volunteer corps in 2009, and now serves as a Board Member. Farzana, formerly was Co-Chair of the Generation United Steering Committee and is an integral leader for United Way and Greater Phoenix. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and a Senior Staffing Specialist for Honeywell International.