MISO’s community service resource group works throughout the year to build relationships with organizations in our community who can use a helping hand. We see it as a benefit for both our communities and our employees.

Recently, teams in each office gathered to recognize our 2023 top volunteers. Volunteers play a crucial role in our communities and with MISO’s four hours per month of paid volunteer time, employees are free to support an organization of their choice. Whether you and your family have a personal connection to a cause, or you just like to snuggle dogs in need of a home, volunteering supports our communities, encourages work-life balance and offers a short break from the challenging work we do daily.

Last year, our employees performed 3,717 hours of service and our top volunteers accounted for nearly a third of that. Words cannot express our gratitude. On behalf of MISO and the numerous organizations served, thank you to our employees who share their time, talents and treasures.

MISO’s top volunteer, Cindy Roberts, served over 100 hours at a local food pantry where she volunteers every Monday evening. Other employees support the Special Olympics, donate blood, volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation and support their kid’s sport programs. No matter how big or small the contribution, every hour counts.

“Everyone can make an impact by volunteering with a cause that speaks to your heart,” said community service resource group chair, Tracy Toumi. “I’m always so inspired listening to our volunteers’ stories and learning more about the organizations they support.”

The journey has been slow and steady. Like most organizations, recovering from the pandemic took time. We witnessed a gradual increase in volunteer hours over the past several years and are excited to return to our pre-2020 goal of 4,321 hours of service for 2024.

Kudos to our top volunteers: Cindy Roberts, Scott Maymon, Mike Mattox, Jeffrey Hayes, Jennifer Ross, Usha Pyreddy, Dana Cochran, Patrick Sager, Mark Enderle, Kailey Sells, Levi Kiser, John Kramer, Paul Britton, Nick Przybilla, Mark Burtnett, Julie Arteaga and Tim Liffrig.         

Thank you to the community service resource group planning committee: Tracy Toumi, Karen King, Julie Arteaga, Brandon Morris, Mark Enderle, Amy Deden, Kenny Thomas, Vicki Bukowski, Dana Cochran, Brittanye Gyce and Angela Schnippel.

Lastly, a sincere thank you to our executive sponsor, Kristina Tridico and MISO’s Diversity and Inclusion leadership team for their support.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the year, including information about our annual Week of Service this September. We hope you will join us in reaching this goal! It’s a win-win situation.