Why I Volunteer

By Alinda D.

For as long as I can remember, my mom was always volunteering somewhere in some capacity – from the local grade schools to Hospice, from record keeping for the sports teams to cleaning up garbage along the roads. Seeing her make an impact on our community in various ways during my formative years inspired me to also make a difference.

I started working at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in 2016. At the zoo, we strive to conserve and protect not only the species in our care but also their wild counterparts. This motivated me and built on what my mom taught me: one person really can make a difference. I was inspired to find other ways to get involved and started to attend various marches and rallies for women's rights, an issue that has always been close to my heart. Losing the basic right to bodily autonomy fueled my passion even more and it became the issue I wanted to dedicate my extra time to.

Volunteering as an escort at Planned Parenthood has really impacted my life. Being a comforting, supportive presence for the patients to focus on while walking into the clinic -- it makes a difference and I see it on their faces every time I am there. Since volunteering at Planned Parenthood, I have started attending the Day of Action at the Capitol every year with my mom. Talking about legislation that represents us with the people who make decisions for us is powerful. By being affiliated with Planned Parenthood, I truly feel that I have had a positive impact on many patients' lives as well as the community I live in.