If volunteerism is the practice of doing unpaid formal or informal volunteer work with the desire to better circumstances or create positive change, then we are all volunteers in one way or another. Whether it’s helping a neighbor shovel a driveway, providing assistance at a community event or supporting an organized cause, we all have our own ways of trying to support others and by doing so, inspiring other people to do the same. Then there are the people who make more of a formal commitment to volunteering a certain amount of time each week or month with a nonprofit organization. Milwaukee alone is home to more than 400,000 of those volunteers and though everyone’s individual experience is unique, the motivation behind volunteering remains constant: to make our communities and our world a better place to live. While volunteers don’t do what they do for praise, we want to introduce you to some of Milwaukee’s incredibly dedicated givers. We hope you find inspiration in their stories and are reminded that volunteering, in any form, has a meaningful impact.
Name: David Glenn
Job Title: Retired; Professional Volunteer
Hobby: Tap Dancing
David Glenn’s first official volunteer assignment was as an usher for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in 1974. Today, Glenn volunteers with about eight local performance groups in addition to offering his time at 20 other nonprofits and community causes, including the Greendale Health Department, Jewish Family Services, Milwaukee Public Museum, Pinehold Gardens CSA Farm and the Sojourner Family Peace Center.
“I value the work being done and I feel I am contributing to the success of the organizations I volunteer with,” says Glenn. “I worked for 30-plus years in the business world and I love to share my knowledge and experience. I am doing my part to help those that are underrepresented and generally underfinanced.”
For those interested in volunteering, Glenn advises finding an organization that fits your time and talent. “You don’t have to be a full-time volunteer,” says Glenn. “I think there’s this impression out there that, ‘I can’t be you, Dave, because I can’t commit that much time.’ Got it. Can you do one event a year? One is all you need to do. At least you’re contributing something. There’s no minimum or maximum here; you do what you feel comfortable with, whatever your time allows, and it’s all important.”
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Name: Lydia Gresham
Job Title: Senior at Alverno College
Hobby: Apprentice piercer at Homeward Bound Tattoo in Port Washington
Lydia Gresham has been involved with the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center since 2010. She started as a volunteer for the Breast Health Program, interned with the Anti-Violence Project and Project Q, and then stayed on as a volunteer case manager for Project Q. She’s taken on additional roles as well, such as curating the “College Corner” and running a Trans Youth Support Group.
Gresham describes volunteering as “a way to experience the city, witness our diversity and explore our vast range of organizations.” Addressing those who are considering volunteering, she advises, “If you have the ability to do it, do it! Whether it’s volunteering for a cause you’re truly passionate about or finding a new passion, you need to enjoy the volunteering you choose. Anything you give is worth receiving to somebody, so never be discouraged if you don’t think you will be able to make a difference with just a few hours here or there, because you will.”
Name: Dennis Havey
Job Title: Retired; Full-time Volunteer
Hobby: Studying astronomy
After retiring in 2007, Dennis Havey received a mailing from Community Projects for Seniors asking for volunteers. He helped with a meal distribution and afterwards said, “If you ever need me, give me a call.” With a smile, he now says, “They needed me, and I got lots of calls.” Havey currently serves on the nonprofit’s board of directors and participates in almost every program throughout the year, including the holiday hot meal distributions, summer outings to Blue Lotus Farm and Retreat Center and parties hosted at the Marian Center for Nonprofits. Additionally, Havey is a board member of the Oak Creek Public Library Foundation, which has provided fundraising to support Oak Creek’s new library.
“There are so many groups and nonprofits that are looking for volunteers. I just so happened to start at this one,” says Havey. “It’s very gratifying to work with Community Projects for Seniors because it does an awful lot of good. Yet there’s just a wealth of things that can be done on a volunteer basis. It’s just a matter of deciding which one you want to select, or working with more than one.”
Name: James H. Hall Jr.
Job Title: Partner with Hall, Burce & Olson law firm
Hobbies: Reading, playing guitar and keyboard
While growing up, James H. Hall Jr. placed high value on service and volunteering. As an adult, he was inspired to continue with his community service because of mentors including Irvin Charney, Lloyd Barbee and Bill Lynch. Today, Hall serves on many boards, including those of the ACLU of Wisconsin, the NAACP Milwaukee Branch, the Haggerty Museum of Art and the nonprofit Greater Together. He was also recently appointed to the Lakefront Development Advisory Commission and became the Parliamentarian of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
When asked what motivates him to fight for social justice, he says, “The work is never done; there are always more issues, more challenges, and it takes vigilance to address them. In theory you would want to use all available avenues to accomplish a mission and put yourself out of business, but as we know, it’s not like that. Even battles that you think you’ve won constantly recur. That’s what motivates me.”
Of giving back, Hall says, “If somebody were considering volunteering and they tried it, they would be surprised at how fulfilling it might be. I would sum it up by saying volunteering is like the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. While you’re doing it, you may not realize you’re helping people but then if you step back or you could somehow look at the big picture, you might find that you’ve really done a lot more than you realized.”
Name: Tabatha De Leon
Job Title: Mortgage Banker for BMO Harris Bank
Hobbies: Beekeeping and soap making
Tabatha De Leon became a volunteer at Make A Difference-Wisconsin five years ago. She helps teach youth through the nonprofit’s two financial education programs, providing valuable knowledge she wished she would have gotten as a senior in high school. De Leon additionally supports the Milwaukee Recreation Department as a classroom educator and is currently teaching a home-buyer crash course.
“In my day job, I see first-hand what happens when people make mistakes with their household finances,” says De Leon. “I really think that to give all this financial information to young adults before they develop any bad habits empowers them to make better choices.”
Why does she volunteer her time? “We all serve a purpose. We all have something to give, something to teach,” she says. “I volunteer because I want to give and be an active part of making our community a better and more pleasant place to live. I would like to encourage everyone to find something that you are passionate about, see if there is an organization out there that serves that purpose and get involved. If we all contribute, we will make Milwaukee a better place to live.”
Start your search for volunteer opportunities at volunteermilwaukee.org, volunteermatch.org and npcmilwaukee.org. Also, check out Amanda Sullivan’s column, Heroes of the Week, in print or at shepherdexpress.com/expresso for weekly nonprofit profiles.
