Mother’s Day Special: Volunteering – My Gift to the World

I love helping others, and my enthusiasm and passion for volunteering stem from that. Throughout my life, I have always jumped at any opportunity to volunteer especially when it supported my family. Whether it be volunteering for my local Dutch schools (both here in California and when I lived in Illinois), supporting the Swim Across America Foundation to help raise awareness and money for cancer research, supporting my children through their various Gold Award and Eagle Scout projects, or supporting my friends and family throughout their respective activities and careers. I love that volunteering allows me to support and spend time with my family and loved ones. As a mother, I love being able to spend extra quality time with my three amazing children. Witnessing their compassion and watching them lend a helping hand to important causes only fuels my passion for volunteering even more.

Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life and still is today. Currently, I volunteer at the Joint Educational Project (JEP) for the Young Scientists Program (YSP). I love working with the kids and seeing their excitement and curiosity for STEM education grow. I am glad that I am able to support the work that JEP and YSP does in the community in so many different ways.

JEP in partnership with the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center has also recently initiated the Cancer STEM Education Partnership Program (C-SEPP), the goal of which is to teach elementary school kids about cancer. As a breast cancer survivor, I feel honored to be able to volunteer within this program. I loved creating pillows to give to cancer patients at a YSP Studio at Weemes Elementary with the fourth and fifth grade photo. Additionally, I volunteer at the USC Norris Cancer Center handing out cookies and tea to patients undergoing their chemotherapy treatments and try to keep their spirits up as they undergo this difficult treatment. It brings me great joy to be able to volunteer with the USC Norris Cancer Center as it gives me the opportunity to give back to them for the amazing way they took care of me during my personal cancer treatment. Furthermore, I am also very active in our local boy scout troop, Troop 509, and volunteer my time for them quite often.

Due to COVID-19, many of my volunteer efforts are on hold, however, I look forward to the day where I can be out in the community lending a helping hand once again. In the meantime, I try to support our local small businesses and contribute to causes that are helping people in need during these unprecedented times. To be able to give is a gift and volunteering is a gift I want to keep on giving for the rest of my life.