Nick and Stephanie Anderson started volunteering with
Catholic Charities in 2016 because, like many young professionals in the D.C.
area, they wanted to make a difference in their community.
The Andersons met in high school and were married more than three years ago. When they’re not spending time with their Siberian Husky, Princess, the couple from Maryland is regularly seen serving warm meals to homeless and hungry residents through St. Maria’s Meals, their favorite Catholic Charities’ volunteer project.
Nick, a sales representative in the dental industry,
enjoys being able to form personal connections to the people who come for meal
service each week.
“Some clients have been coming to St. Maria’s Meals
since I started volunteering in 2016,” Nick said. “I’m always amazed at the joy
and happiness clients can have even when life has been hard on them and they’re
just struggling to survive. This helps put things in perspective for me.”
Building personal relationships with clients has also been important to Stephanie, a data analytics specialist for the General Services Administration.
“When I first started volunteering, I met one specific
client who just had a baby,” Stephanie recalled. “Over the years, I have seen
that baby grow into a little lady and have been able to meet another addition
to their family — a second daughter. It’s been very special to form bonds with
the clients we see regularly and be a part of helping and encouraging them.”
This is another in a series about the contributions of Catholic Charities’ emerging philanthropists. To learn more about how you can get involved, visit the volunteer page.
Previously:
- CPAs Share Their Knowledge and Skills in Volunteer Roles
- Young Professionals are Changing the Face of Philanthropy at Catholic Charities
