The Art of Giving
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, there’s no better time to reflect on what we’re thankful for and how we can help and enrich the lives of others. Knowing the satisfaction that comes from serving, the team members at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center try to practice it as well — from volunteer programs like Reading is Fundamental (RIF) to donating blood to stocking our student food closet to building homes with Habitat for Humanity. And every year, nearly 100 volunteers from UCLA help sort and pack food at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Of that experience, Luskin’s Senior Group Sales Manager Hedy Varga says, “We were so grateful to be able to do it! It feels so gratifying to work for an organization like UCLA that has service as part of its core mission and partners with places like the L.A. Regional Food Bank where we have an opportunity to give back to the community.”
Adds Senior Conference Planning Manager Jeannine Pham, “People may not realize hunger is a big issue in the U.S. and it was great to see that we (UCLA) connected with a local organization to service people within our community. Not only did it provide the “feel good” feeling to give back, it was a nice to connect with fellow co-workers that I normally wouldn’t be able to connect with on a daily basis. The high-spirited atmosphere during that day is something I look forward to every year!” To keep paying the spirit of giving forward, we’d love to hear your stories and share them on our social medial channels. Please send them to lcc@ha.ucla.edu. And if you have a photo to go with it, even better! Here’s to giving this season!