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Blog Post – Why I Volunteer by Michael Humenansky
“Essentially, Compass is maximizing my most valuable resource: time”
Time… As a child it seems all we have is time. Times were great, times were easy, and best of all times were stress-free. And for that, I am eternally grateful to my parents. But at some point, times changed. The inevitable transition to adulthood occurred and along with it came new time commitments; the career, the bills, the few extra pounds, and countless other responsibilities which hurt too much to mention (like supporting the Redskins). And now time, that sweet, sweet time I once took for granted, has become a most precious commodity.
For as long as I can remember, my mother has striven to instill the value of getting to know my community through service. She pushed and pulled me through it all; neighborhood clean-ups, tutoring, clinics, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, and of course to “always do a good deed daily.” Even though I stomped my feet and fussed through the majority of it, in retrospect, I couldn’t be more thankful for the lessons my mom provided me. As I grew older, I began to realize the value of service and started to proactively seek out community engagement opportunities on my own.
“Compass [...] promotes the organic growth of community and culture
in the DC Metropolitan area”
Just over three years ago, I was an eager young college graduate with a new job in a familiar city. It didn’t take more than a few months to realize that this so-called job-thing was really taking up a whole lot of my time and was getting in the way of what I like to call living. Regardless of my new and exhausting work demands, I still had the urge to do something more. I wanted to identify the most effective outlet to maximize my personal impact (and my time) on the broader community. A colleague of mine suggested investigating an organization called Compass, and, after a bit of “Google-ing,” I was sold. Compass effectively strengthens the capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of nonprofits, as well as promotes the organic growth of community and culture in the DC Metropolitan area. By joining Compass, I didn’t have to pick just one distinct cause or a specific charitable organization. Compass enriches the arts, fosters community, aids the needy and impoverished, educates our future young leaders, protects our natural environment and wildlife, celebrates our heritage and history and supports our veterans and our grandparents.
As a relatively new member of the professional workforce in the DC Metro area, I saw Compass as a great outlet to immerse myself in the community, utilize skills acquired academically and professionally to strengthen local non-profits, and to grow my social and professional network. Not only did Compass fulfill each of my presumptions, but it exceeded my expectations.
When I met my team members during the first meeting of my first project, I began to think I might have gotten myself in over my head. I found myself sitting at a table with a high-powered lawyer, various business executives and other volunteers with MBAs from top ten schools. However, what I quickly realized is everyone brings something different to the table. Compass teams are great because they interconnect a diverse set of people with various perspectives, occupations and skill-sets. The result is a team capable of generating unbiased, comprehensive solutions. I began to recognize that I could have more impact on critical social issues by offering the professional expertise I developed and used every day at my firm. I was able to contribute to the team by providing data-gathering techniques, leveraging best practices/benchmarking strategies, analyzing options, facilitating leadership decision-making processes and by providing recommendations in the form of our infamous “decks” (PowerPoint).
“I began to recognize that I could have more impact on critical social issues by offering [my] professional expertise”
I continue to volunteer and donate to Compass because I believe it is a well-run organization, with an incredible mission, which values its volunteers and shows a true dedication to providing only the highest quality consulting services to its non-profit clientele. How could I not, when, year-after-year, Compass has provided me with incredible experiences as they supported my project team(s), empowering us to deliver solutions with exponentially more short-term and long-term impact on non-profits than I could have done on my own. Essentially, Compass is maximizing my most valuable resource: time. The five-year strategic plan recommendation we put together three years ago continues to strengthen the non-profit we were supporting. The fundraising project I am currently supporting will enable my non-profit client to continue operating and serving the community I grew up in for years to come. By collaborating one-on-one with leaders of the non-profit world, I feel we create a ripple effect throughout the DC Metro area. By providing guidance and strategic support at the leadership level we maximize our impact on the overall community, for the service providers, and eventually on individual end-users. One of the most powerful statistics Compass can advertise is the fact that it generates $10 in pro bono consulting services for every dollar invested. It is a simple Return-on-Investment opportunity. Give me those odds in just about any situation, and I am taking the opportunity, particularly when paired with such a great organization.
Year after year, I have enjoyed interacting, learning from and developing relationships with team members, Compass personnel and everyone on the non-profit side. My experience has provided a rewarding sense of accomplishment and impact on my community. Most importantly, I had a great time doing it. I am sure you have heard the phrase “you get out of it, what you put into it,” but, as you can tell, I feel I have received much greater returns from my three short years with Compass… and I am still collecting.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a thought from a man who knows a little something about time; a man much, much more profound than I.
“We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right”
- Nelson Mandela
Michael Humenansky, a Booz Allen Hamilton employee, has over four years of experience in providing business analysis, strategic planning and program management to various clients. Michael graduated from Miami University and is looking forward to pursuing an MBA next fall. He has conducted three Compass consulting engagements and is currently the Deputy Project Leader of Main Street Child Development Center. In his free time, he is passionate about playing sports, staying active, and giving back whenever possible. Last, but not least, Michael is proud to be an avid fan of each and every Washington sports team.
