Ordinary people are accomplishing extraordinary things by volunteering. Every year, more than 10,000 United Way volunteers improve lives across Chicagoland. These caring men and women give back to their community in many valuable ways and serve in a broad range of capacities, such as evaluating programs and making funding recommendations, serving on our Board of Directors, and providing hands-on support at partner agencies across the region. We would like to sincerely thank all of our wonderful volunteers because they are truly the backbone of United Way.
February/March 2010
The next edition of our Volunteer Spotlight features UWDA’s Resource Development Co-Chair, Tammy Lemke!
Tammy is President of Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation. She joined the UWDA Board in April 2008 and has been the Resource Development Co-Chair since June 2009.
Tammy was born in Indiana, but calls Central Illinois her home. She currently lives in Glen Ellyn with her husband of 14 years, Eric, and their two daughters Macy (a 6th grader) and Morgan (a 4th grader). This past October, their family grew by one puppy — a golden colored Morkie named Laney. Tammy says that their family will be complete once they are matched with and able to bring home their adopted toddler son.
Please continue reading below to learn more about Tammy’s involvement with United Way and some interesting details about her personal life:
How did you get started volunteering with UW? What made you want to get involved?
I was the former CEO of United Way of Champaign County in Champaign, Illinois. I took on that role to give back to a community in which was so instrumental in who I was. Living United is in my blood. After my family moved to Glen Ellyn, I had to continue giving back to the community in which I lived and worked — no better way than through United Way of the Dupage Area.
What makes you excited about volunteering with United Way?
Volunteering my time and talents to UWDA gives me the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of people in my community and gives me the opportunity to surround myself with people who share the same passion.
Why would you encourage others to get involved with United Way?
United Way is committed to providing the highest level of integrity and making the greatest impact in the lives of people. Giving of your time, talents and/or financial resources to United Way will return to you a strong feeling of community and a deep feeling of satisfaction.
Favorite food: Grilled scallops with Pesto Sauce or anything else my wonderful husband makes!
Favorite movie: Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts
Favorite book: I just finished There are no Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz. It’s a story of two boys growing up in the Henry Horner Projects in Chicago
Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy reading, walking/jogging, and spending time with friends and family.
Two Words you’d use to describe yourself: Passionate and Family Centered
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go: I would go to the country of Nepal and bring home our little boy.
August/September 2009
The third edition of our Volunteer Spotlight features UWDA’s new Board Vice President, Nathasha Bonomo!
Natasha is the Total Financial Fitness Advisor and Veteran Private Banker with Northern Trust, which involves coordinating lending, banking, investing, and planning solutions for successful individuals, families and small businesses. She joined the UWDA board in 2008 with the merger of UWDA and the Naperville United Way. She was a volunteer with the Naperville United Way since 2005 and had been a board member for a couple years prior to the merger. Currently, she is Vice President of UWDA’s board, and the representative for UWDA when the area member United Ways meet each month.
Natasha was born in Boulder, Colorado and grew up there before moving to the Indianapolis, IN area and attending Indiana University. Presently, she resides in Naperville with her husband, Ken (an elementary school principal in the Wheaton district), and their two daughters, ages 8 &10, who stay busy with school and sports.
Please continue reading below to learn more about Natasha’s involvement with United Way and some interesting details about her personal life:
How did you get started volunteering with UW? What made you want to get involved?
As President Elect of the Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, I found myself reaching out to community leaders in an effort to determine where there were unmet needs and partnering opportunities. I was directed to the United Way because of the needs assessment work and was invited to participate on a community impact committee with the United Way. Aside from my individual giving through Northern Trust’s work place campaign, this was my first real glimpse at the work of the United Way. It gave me a great appreciation for the collaboration and impact in the community.
What makes you excited about volunteering with United Way?
I have had the opportunity to spend the last three years volunteering with the community impact committee. This group gets to review agency applications, perform site visits and make funding decisions. It is wonderful to visit the agencies, talk with staff and see first hand the impact they are making. You just wish you had more dollars to meet all the requests but still feel confident that the United Way is directing dollars where they will make the most impact.
Why would you encourage others to get involved with United Way?
I love that the United Way puts my dollars back to work in the community where I work and live. With the current economic challenges, the demand for the services of our partner agencies has increased. It is an important time to give back. Even if we all just do a little, together we can really make an impact. I know that we’ll continue to see new ways to be engaged and involved through United Way.
Hobbies/Interests: Working hard to make time for exercise. I’m either jogging in the neighborhood or heading to the YMCA for a class. We have fun playing cards with the kids before their bedtime and I enjoy reading a good mystery to wind down at the end of the day.
Two words you would use to describe yourself: Responsive & Advocate (for my clients and my community)
June 2009
The second edition of our Volunteer Spotlight focuses on Jerry Broz, UWDA’s new Board President!
Jerry has served on the UWDA Board for the past four years – the last two as Board Vice President. He has also served on several committees over the years. Currently, he is a member of the UWDA finance committee and just finished representing UWDA on the Member’s Advisory Committee of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.
Jerry was born and raised on Chicago’s southeast side, but despite growing up on the south side, is a die-hard CUBS fan. He received his undergraduate degree in accounting from Marquette University and master’s degree in human resource management from DePaul University.
In 2004, after 29 years in management with the Chicago Stock Exchange, Jerry retired. He held several positions where he was responsible for examining and regulating the Exchange’s member organizations. For many years he was also responsible for the operations of two Exchange subsidiaries that cleared and settled securities transactions.
Jerry currently lives in Lisle with his wife, Joan, who was and still is his high school sweetheart. She is a columnist with a major Chicagoland newspaper. Together, they are the proud parents of four married children, who along with their spouses, have given them ten fantastic grandchildren.
Please continue reading below to learn more about Jerry’s involvement with United Way and some interesting details about his personal life:
How did you get started volunteering with United Way of the DuPage Area? What made you want to get involved?
Upon retirement, I was looking for a non-profit organization where I could spend a few hours volunteering. My sister-in-law, who works for a company who is a major supporter of UWDA, was volunteering with UWDA at the time. She suggested that United Way might be that worthwhile non-profit I was looking for. After a year of reviewing agencies, I was asked to join the UWDA Board.
Having spent most of my career in management, I was impressed with the consolidation effort United Way had just undertaken in Chicago and the suburbs. They had significantly consolidated over fifty United Way facilities down to less than ten thereby making operations more efficient and significantly reducing overhead. It reflected a sincere effort by United Way to have donated funds make the greatest impact.
What makes you excited about volunteering with United Way?
I like the direction United Way has headed by requiring their partner agencies to establish measurable goals for programs being funded by United Way. Then to continue funding these programs, United Way requires agencies to demonstrate the progress they are making toward those goals. I also am excited that United Way is not only funding programs that help individuals who are in need today, but they are looking to the future by trying to identify the causes of joblessness and homelessness and fund programs that help to reduce those causes.
Why would you encourage others to get involved with United Way?
The need is great in every community for United Way partner services and in these difficult economic times the needs are growing just as the donated dollars are decreasing. United Way is working harder and trying to do more, but like all non-profits, they depend on and survive through their volunteers. Each of us, no matter our position in life, has something to offer. We each need to find our own niche where we are comfortable whether it is by donating our hours, our talents or our dollars or, better yet, a combination of all three. I encourage others to get involved with United Way.
Favorite food: My favorite food is any Italian meal. My favorite Italian meal is my wife’s homemade ravioli and meat sauce. It is the favorite of everyone, every age in our family. As far as dessert, I have never met a chocolate dessert I didn’t like.
Hobbies/Interests: I love to sing. For the past seven years I have been singing with a barbershop chorus. We sing four-part a capella harmony with between 25 and 30 men on stage. We are a non-profit chorus that entertains audiences throughout Chicago’s west and southwest suburbs.
Two words you would use to describe yourself: Humorous and committed. Humor is necessary in every ones life and I try hard to share mine with everyone I meet. Committed, in that when I become involved with something, I am committed to getting it done and done right.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?: Two places I would like to return to would be Alaska and Italy.
April 2009
We are proud to present the first edition of our Volunteer Spotlight and shine our light on Phil Smith, UWDA Board Secretary & Community Impact Steering Committee Chair.
Phil is Director of the DuPage County Department of Community Services. He has been on the UWDA’s Board of Directors for about three years. Currently, he is the Board Secretary and chairs the Community Impact Steering Committee. He has also done some work with the UWMC staff, particularly in the area of planning and community impact.
Phil was born in Indianapolis and grew up on its south side. Now he resides in Winfield, IL with his wife, Liz, who is an artist and retired school teacher (she taught art and language arts). They have one daughter, Gwen, who lives in Oak Park and manages senior nutrition site in Lemont. Phil and Liz also have three cats who rule their lives.
We asked Phil some questions about his involvement with United Way and a little about his personal life:
How did you get started volunteering with United Way of the DuPage Area? What made you want to get involved?
As a manager of government funding for many of the programs that are also supported by the UW, I have been working to coordinate our activities for a number of years. I also participated in an advisory group to the UWMC before joining the UWDA Board. It seemed pretty natural when I was asked to join the UWDA Board in 2006.
What makes you excited about volunteering with United Way?
Continuing the work of planning and coordinating the work of various funders is very exciting to me because of the potential for community impact and efficiency in the use of UW and other dollars. In other words, I enjoy working with the staff and other volunteers to get the most out of the UW dollars going to local programs. It is also very exciting to work with other people who are also very devoted to the mission of the UW.
Why would you encourage others to get involved with United Way?
There are so many ways to volunteer. No matter what your expertise or interest, there are opportunities to use those talents to benefit the UW and, ultimately, the people in the community that need assistance from UW agencies. Also, you will have a lot fun volunteering because you will get to know some great people.
Favorite food: I don’t have a favorite food, but I like to eat healthy (in moderation, of course).
Favorite movie: I don’t watch many movies.
Favorite book: I like to read about science, including physics, math, biology, anthropology, psychology and brain science, etc., but no favorite book.
Hobbies and Interests: I have been a musician basically all my life. I’m pretty serious (but not too serious) about it. Check out my band’s website at www.randomaxeband.com, and also look for our singer Erin Vaughan who is another UWDA Board member.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?: Right now, the top of the list is probably Italy.
Two words you would use to describe yourself: I guess they would have to be musical and analytical which suggests that the two sides of my brain are always tugging at each other.
Thank you, Phil!
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