Employee commitment to service extends into the community

CGCC employees serving dinner at Paz de Christo on Dec. 2.

Members of the Professional Staff Association volunteering
at United Food Bank

As public employees, staff at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) are already committed to public service, but one group has made it part of their mission to also conduct service in the community as well. Each month, members of the Professional Staff Association (PSA) work with local organizations on a selected community service project.

“As a long-time member of PSA, I know that many of our members volunteer individually in the community,” said Julie Wright, fiscal technician and PSA president of the CGCC chapter. “When I became president, I wanted to combine our individual efforts because we can do greater things with greater numbers of participants.”

On Dec 2, the group prepared and served dinner for hungry families along with other CGCC employees at Paz de Cristo community center in Mesa. They gathered and donated school supplies in September in collaboration with Humphrey Elementary School for Concordia Charter School which teaches children in disadvantaged communities. They also put together food boxes for United Food Bank in October. In support of the holiday season, they will work with Student Life to collect gifts and food for struggling student families.

“Initially, I thought the projects would just attract the same people who volunteer individually,” said Wright. “Instead, each event is getting larger and we are beginning to work with other groups like student clubs and other employee groups, which is exciting and rewarding. It’s validation that we are more than just a title or person behind a desk; that, individually and collectively, we truly care about our college and local community.”