This blog post was written by Kae Hondorp, an Emerging Leaders 365 donor and Connect For Good participant

This was the second Connect for Good program I’ve participated in, but the first (well, everyone’s first) that was entirely virtual. I’m happy to say that it was just as impactful and engaging as the in-person sessions. On our Zoom calls, the United Way crew walked us through the historical context and present-day state of hunger in King County and we had honest conversations about the data presented and how we felt about it. 

When it came to the fundraising portion of the program, I thought hard about whether and how to participate in this moment—not only is the country in the middle of a pandemic, but we’re in such an important fight for racial justice, that I was concerned about burdening my network with an ask to donate to another cause. But our sessions illustrated how it’s all interconnected. Communities of color in King County are disproportionately affected by hunger during COVID-19, so I felt it was more important than ever to fundraise. I reached out to my family and friends and, to my surprise, I received more donations than I ever had before—it’s true that sometimes all you have to do is ask.

For those looking to make a positive impact on their community in these uncertain times, I highly recommend signing up for the next Connect for Good program and the upcoming Monthly Volunteer Challenge: Create thank you cards for essential workers.