Sarah Sheppard is a recent transplant to Minneapolis. As a motivated young professional making her way in a new city, Sarah appreciates how getting involved with Greater Twin Cities United Way has opened doors to her philanthropic and professional goals.
“It’s been so much fun building a community in a new location, especially in a city like Minneapolis. And there’s so many things to get involved in, so many great non-profits,” said Sarah.
Joining her company’s workplace giving campaign has helped Sarah feel connected to her new community and provided opportunities to expand her professional network. “I’ve definitely met a lot of people that I wouldn’t have met before, including people at the United Way, who have been amazing. You meet so many cool people,” said Sarah.
Choosing which nonprofits to support when you’re new to a community can feel overwhelming. Sarah loves that through United Way she can support other trusted community partners.
“I love that they’ve already vetted some nonprofits for me… so I don’t have to do all the research on my own,” said Sarah. “I also really enjoy that a lot of the work they support goes directly to the problem itself and not the symptoms.”
Through her involvement with United Way, Sarah was able to learn more about our work in areas of impact that align with her philanthropic goals. She was pleased learn about our work addressing youth homelessness, particularly in the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities. “It’s such an important thing to be able to get these kids into a place where they can strive. Because you can’t succeed if you don’t have a safe place,” said Sarah.
