On the journey to a better world, even the smallest acts of kindness can move a mountain.
We in the nonprofit sector live and breathe this philosophy everyday. And we are always looking for individuals who feel the same to join our journey towards filling this life with as much joy as possible.
Three such people recently joined Family Giving Tree's board, and we could not be more delighted to introduce them to you.
Over the past week, we've had the opportunity to sit down with Joanne Peters, David Proulx, and Brenda Swiney, who all joined our board in September. Each of them is fascinating in their own way, but they share one unifying conviction: to help those around them.
Read a bit about each of them below.
Joanne Peters, an upstate New York native, has been in the Bay Area for four decades. In the time she's spent here, she's taken stock of quite a bit.
One thing that's sat with her all these years is the stark contrast between those with financial freedom and those with financial uncertainty. She hadn't ever seen the two cohorts live in such close proximity. And it sparked a lasting determination within her.
Peters has been active in volunteerism since 2009. She was introduced to FGT while at VISA when she and her coworkers embraced their first opportunity to grant wishes during the Holiday Wish Drive.
In 2017, she led the Holiday Wish Drive Initiative for VISA, which contributed 450 gifts to the drive overall. She's returned every year since.
Peters is someone driven by the desire to see others at their best. She gets her philanthropic spirit from her mother, a caring individual who spent years helping those in her community. By giving back, Peters feels that she is doing so much more than just uplifting those around her. She is embodying the essence of the woman who raised her.
It's sentiments like this that make Peters, and people like her, so very special. Giving back to the community is doesn't just help those around you. It's so much more than a purely external expereince. And here at FGT, we beleive our work feeds the soul. Because it feels good to see those around you feel good.
Thank you, Joanne Peters, for feeding your soul with us.
David Proulx is a man who loves competition and who bleeds compassion.
A naturalized Bay Area native, meaning he's been here for over 40 years, Proulx was pulled into the tech scene upon graduation. His naturally curious mind stumbled into computer science during his undergrad years, and its creative aspect grabbed him by his core. It's been holding him ever since.
Something else that's had a hold on Proulx is his desire for the world to be a better place. Specifically, for people to feel as much joy as they possibly could. That's what led him to the Family Giving Tree.
After seeing Holiday Wish Cards hanging from trees around the Bay Area, Proulx became interested in FGT. He got involved with his first Holiday Wish Drive and stayed involved for his first Back-to-School Drive. All the while, he imagined the happiness that young ones would feel after having their holiday wishes granted or receiving their very own backpacks.
Now, we're painting a picture here. And it's one that might posture Proulx as some eternally gentle quasi-Santa Claus-spirited person, but don't be fooled. Within him, right next to that giving spirit, burns the flame of a competitor.
For as long as he can remember, Proulx has been an avid, lifelong Hockey player: roller and ice. So rest assured that with him on the team, there is no option other than success. And we can't wait for his creativity to lead us across the finish line, and into a world where joy is felt by all.
Thank you, David Proulx, for joining the team and skating us towards our goal.
Remember Inspector Gadget? Well, let us introduce you to the Inspector of the Gadgets!
Brenda Swiney has been lending her expertise to emerging tech companies for years and recently joined one as their full-time CFO. A significant part of what she's done for these startups has been to play around with their technologies and ensure that they worked well and the data was safe. In other words, she got to inspect the gadgets.
See what we did there?
But, jokes aside, inside Swiney lives an innate thirst for knowledge and insight. She wants to understand how things work and how to improve them.
Performance optimization is a recurring theme in Swiney's life. As someone who has always wanted to be involved in uplifting the communities around her, she is happy to be involved in whatever capacity makes the most sense for the situation.
Before joining Family Giving Tree's board, Swiney was already a constant in the philanthropic sphere, donating, volunteering, and being a member of Rotary International, one of the largest service organizations in the world.In her opinion, no job is too big or small to be done. What matters is that you get involved.
Swiney is also an avid animal lover, and loves dogs specifically. A special type of bond forms between a person and their dog, especially when they share the spirit of giving.
Think of it this way. A dog wants nothing more than to give you their best selves in hopes that you will be as happy as you can be. Not only does Swiney reciprocate that for her furry friend, but she also does it for her community.
Thank you, Brenda Swiney, for showing up as your best, most authentic self and embarking on this journey towards a better world with us.
