Give & Take: Helping the New York community, while finding my place in the Prosek community
You might say that giving back is “in my DNA.” My mom has dedicated most of her adult life to volunteer work, and since my dad retired, he’s enjoyed joining her. So when I saw the opportunity to volunteer with Prosek’s Give Back team (in-person!) during my first two months at the firm, I knew it was a natural way for me to help out those in need and also meet some of my new colleagues.
I signed up to spend a morning in December helping an organization called “God’s Love We Deliver” prep food for medically tailored meals they deliver to thousands of New Yorkers every day. But when we arrived, instead of seeing food being prepared or packed, we encountered a pile of winter hats, sheets of paper, and plastic bags. Instead of working in the kitchen, we were going to be packing up bags with special holiday hats and letters to go along with the holiday meals that were being sent out. In what I’ve learned in my short time at the firm, is that in true Prosek spirit, my new colleagues and I jumped into our task with a positive attitude and a plan for how to best accomplish it.
While I’ve been lucky enough to have many volunteer opportunities in my life, this was the first to come from my job. Before joining Prosek, I worked in the entertainment industry and at TV shows, places that don’t really have a “corporate culture.” When I started my search for a new job, I was worried I would land somewhere I didn’t fit in. I was also worried that starting a new job during a pandemic would prevent me from meeting new people and making friends.
My volunteer experience not only enabled me to meet friends and feel like there was a place for me at Prosek, but also assured me that I was surrounded by a team that shared my passion for giving back and caring for the larger New York Community. I knew I had landed somewhere that I fit in.
I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to work with God’s Love and also to be surrounded by people who were enjoying it as much as I was. I knew no one when I walked in that morning, and left with new bonds and also knowing I had done something to help people who really need it. Now that’s a give and take. 