Welcome to the everyday matters podcast, a show from NetSmart. Everyday matters is about the opportunity we have to make a difference. Our collective cause connected mission is about impacting health care in meaningful ways. We seek to provide a place to share stories about the progress being made, how to overcome challenges, and ideas to inspire. Each conversation is about the work being done and the opportunity before us. Whether it’s about advocacy, awareness, or challenging stigmas, we know that together anything and everything is possible. Let’s get into the show where we learn from yesterday in pursuit of tomorrow. Here, we all work to ensure every day matters. Welcome to another everyday matters podcast, an opportunity for us to connect and have conversations as we talk about some of the many organizations that are doing wonderful things in our community near and far. But today, we’re gonna take a break. We’re gonna pause if you will, and I’ve got two special guests with me. If you’re looking on video, anytime that I do a podcast with these two, I get all dressed up. So that’s just how it works. So I’m gonna let them introduce ourselves first, and then we’ll jump into the topic. And it’s gonna be focused on volunteering to give you a little insight. But, Wendy, if you don’t mind beginning. Yeah. My name is Wendy Hill, and I’m the chief people officer at Netsmart. Yes. And I’m Mary McCann, and I support our community partnerships. So we chose today to begin talking about volunteering because it’s National Volunteering Month, and we want to be able to have a conversation around why why we do that. And I’m just gonna hit some of the topics head on because we’ve all we’re all in our circles talking, and sometimes we see companies do it. And it feels like, are they just bragging? Are they saying, hey. Just be able to look at me, or is it meaningful, something important to our culture? And so we wanted to just have a chat, have a conversation. But before I thought we’d jump into that topic, I thought I’d begin with how we began volunteering. And, Wendy, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna follow on you first. And do you remember your first volunteer experience? And if you don’t mind, kinda lead where that took you. Yeah. I I actually do. So I started volunteering at a really young age. The very first time I remember volunteering was I believe it was either on Thanksgiving or maybe the Friday of Thanksgiving when I was young, and I did Meals on Wheels where you take you take food to the less fortunate. And a lot of it was the elderly who couldn’t leave their homes, and I did it with my mom and my grandmother, my sister. And that was really my first entrance, I think, into into volunteering. And then, honestly, it just it probably stayed with me maybe not as much as high in high school, but I remember as an adult, it was just kind of always something that was innate to me, something that was important. And then I got the opportunity to do a lot of volunteer work through different companies I’ve worked with. And then here at Netsmart, I’ve been here just over seven years now. And one of the things I loved is from the very beginning orientation, you learn about everyday matters, and it’s just so much of who we are from a culture perspective. It doesn’t feel it’s not like some other thing that sits over here. It’s just kind of part of our everyday, and it’s part of what people talk about. And I think if you talk to our associates, one of the things that draws so many people in is really about the fact that community and giving back to the community is something that is just part of who we are. And I and I will echo, I remember when you seven years, time flies. I did not realize it’s been seven years. But since day one, I knew you in a prior life. But since day one, hear the volunteering wasn’t anything about this is what Netsmart does. It was a part of who you are, which made it such a great fit because it is a big part of who Netsmart is. And we don’t claim to have it all figured out. We’re figuring it out, and sometimes we do it really well, and sometimes we don’t. And and and be and before we get into some of the work things, what do do you mind talking about what it means to you to be a volunteer? Because also because I know you, it’s not just you. It’s your family. Yes. Absolutely. Of your your friend circle group as well. Absolutely. You know, when I was kind of looking for my first opportunity to be kind of even participate on a board, so I volunteered all my life, whether it was through running for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and and raising money because I had a personal connection or to now to being on part of the Operation Breakthrough, it was really important to me to do something that my family could be involved in. Yeah. I just want to be able to pass that tradition down to my to my kids and get them involved from an early age. And, honestly, it’s been great because not only have they volunteered with Operation Breakthrough, but Abby is a part of a program where that’s my oldest daughter that where she has to be, she has not has to, but gets the opportunity, to volunteer fifteen hours a year, and she’s fourteen years old. And it actually started when she was twelve in seventh grade. And so I’m always looking for opportunities because I just think it’s such an important part of being a part of a community that I’ve always looked for things that not only I get to do from a workplace perspective, but that I get to do with my family. So I wanna come back to that, but before I do around the community piece, because I think we share a common passion around that. But before I do, Mary, do you remember your first time volunteering? Yeah. I grew up in a very civic oriented and service minded household. So my father’s a military officer. My mom was a Peace Corps volunteer and then a social worker and then led a head start center in our community. So I had lots of entry points through them to connect with people in need. So that really shaped my mindset and how I carry myself to this day. As far as, like, an initial volunteering opportunity, you know, serving with our church a lot, but I think my earliest times are going to the Head Start Center and working with the children there and supporting my mom in the different programming she was doing. Well and I remember I love it. You’ve you’ve leveled up on volunteering. So when you start dropping Peace Corps and all those things, I’m like, well, where do I go now at this point? So it also explains why you’re a great person in the role that you’re helping us leave with everyday matters, and we’ll get to that here in a second. So, you know, I was thinking back to when my first time was, and it really started around the holidays. And I didn’t know why. I I love to tell you all this. That’s because I had a calling. No. That’s what our family did. And every holiday, we would do various volunteer work. Some of them was just collecting drives, food drives. Some of it was handing out information. And I remember vividly the reason behind doing it began with just the the camaraderie in the community, but then I got connected to the people, and everything changed on that. And I say that because I think sometimes we stumble into voluntary. We think that, hey. I’ll go do that. And then all of a sudden, at some point in our story, a light goes off. And, Wendy, that’s kind of the next segue I wanna move to is you and I have talked a lot about this. This isn’t just something that Netsmart feels that it must do. It’s something that we wanna do, and we’re passionate about it. We also we have some values here, and one of the values is NetSmart’s a team sport. Life’s a team sport. Community’s a team sport. And we believe in order for society and our communities to work well, we have to give back. And as an organization, as a company, we don’t believe it’s just, hey. This we wanna show people that we’re doing good. It’s something that we believe we have an Mike Valentine will call it an opportunity and an obligation, and we believe in both of those. Hey. It’s an opportunity to do it, but it’s also an obligation for our communities to work really well. Do you mind sharing a little bit about the passion on worldwide Netsmart? So, you know, we’re we’re advertising the number of hours and those types of things, not necessarily just to brag about us, hopefully, to inspire other people as well. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, you know, we talked about how even when I just started here seven years ago, it was very clear that giving back to our communities was just part of who we were. Right. I mean, that was that was probably one of the clearest things from the get go for me. And we had we’ve had Everyday Matters Foundation for a long time, and Mary is leveling up not only on Peace Corps, but also on her work with everyday the Everyday Matters Foundation just because of how we are creating opportunities for our associates. Right. So I think because it’s such a part of our culture, we seem to attract talent that this is important to them as well. Yeah. And so everybody is looking for opportunities to give back. You know, we we provide the everyday matters days. Right? So we give people two days every year to volunteer their time, and we love the fact that people lean into that. And we and it’s and I they do it not because they have to. It’s because they want to. And because the communities we serve from a business perspective too, there is so much need out there Oh, yeah. That our associates feel the need not only from our clients, but just even things that they’re involved in in the community. So it is a part of our fabric Right. Of the people that want to work at NetSmart, and it is demonstrated by their willingness to give their time throughout the year in all different in all different ways. Yeah. I agree. You know, I’m sitting listening to I get to be part of some of the meetings around everyday matters and hearing what our associate’s doing, and it’s mind blowing. Actually, it’s convicting. I mean, at times, it’s easy to say, man, I’m just busy. I got this going on. And then you hear about the work. You see about the work that we’re doing. And I love that we’re pushing it out there. And, again, I’m gonna underscore. We’re not pushing out there to say, look at me. We’re saying, why not us? And if we’re doing it, can you do it? The reality is we need more volunteers in our communities, in our schools, in our neighborhoods, in society, not fewer. Yeah. It was interesting. We had a conversation last week. One of the big things that we did in twenty twenty four and twenty five here at Netsmart was around Toys for Tots. Oh, yeah. And one of the things that we found is not only do our associates have a passion to give back, but they also have a passion for competition. Me too. And so one of the things that we’ve been talking about is how does that spread throughout our community. Right? Like, how do we challenge the next organization or the broader part of our community to continue to do good work? Because to your point, I mean, if you can give back, it’s what makes your community better. And so is with all the passion that we have, how do we take what we have done inside Netsmart and continue to move the meter just even in our broader communities? Yeah. And that’s why we really believe it’s a team sport. This isn’t time about competition. Look at what we’re doing in other people. This is really how can we collectively work together. And I think we know the challenges that are in society. You know? You you and they’re numerous. We also know the opportunity. And I think sometimes the answers that we’re looking for are right in front of the mirror that we need to stand in front of. We’re the answer, being able to step in and be able to lend a hand, a voice, an ear, if you will, to be able to say, I’m here to help. Mary, you get the fun of not only organizations reaching out to us, but also associates. You mind talking about some of the things that we’re doing, our associates are doing? And and I because I think sometimes people think volunteering is how it’s it’s complicated, or I don’t have enough time, or I need to make enough time to be able to do it. And then we all know how that goes. You never find the time. Do you mind sharing a little bit about that? Yeah. I feel so privileged to be in my role because I do get to see and hear a lot of the stories and the way that our associates are impacting the communities that they live and work in. You know, we have such we’ve been offering these sixteen hours of paid volunteer time, and so our associates do input that information so we can learn, you know, where they’re volunteering and see the impact that they’re making in the community, and it varies. So they’re everywhere from PTAs to supporting their local churches to joining in on our group volunteer events that we do here at Netsmart too. One of those is, you know, we were in Topeka last or yesterday, actually, at Kansas Mental Health Advocacy Day, and I had ten volunteers so quickly sign up to go support that event. So one of the things that I think about our Netsmart associates that makes us different is when we show up in the community, whether as an individual or as a team, there’s just so much heart and passion in what we’re doing, and you really see the care behind, behind that. And I think that Netsmart supports them in going out and and doing good work. Well, I think, you know, Mary, it gives us a perspective we all need. We all lose touch with reality at times. And I know as a young kid when I first started volunteering, it brought much needed perspective in my life at that time that the world all of a sudden is bigger but smaller, and that we’re all more alike than not. And there are these common grounds that we have. We all want to live in healthy, thriving, well-being communities, and they don’t just happen by accident. Wendy, when you think of volunteering and you have companies call you and reach out to you and ask, hey. You know, you guys give two days to go do this. Are are you really doing that? And the reality is, a little secret, our associates donate way more than the two days. The two days is huge intentionality on our part. We probably couldn’t offer enough days for some of what what them do, but we want to be very intentional. And so for that organization that’s living, that maybe this isn’t a part of their fabric or their culture, what would you tell them on why volunteering is important, not just for your associates but for your organization. Yeah. I think I mean, there’s a lot of research behind the fact that volunteering is good for your mental health and your physical health. So from a from a work engagement perspective, I think there’s nothing but upside if you create an avenue for your associate based, employee base to have an opportunity to give back. Because I think it creates a connection to your organization that has only positive consequences from a you’re giving back to the community. Right. And you’re recognizing that the fact that you have an opportunity, and I would argue an obligation, to continue to make our communities thrive. So if you can do that with your employees or your associates, like we call them, and you have a way that it creates a better connection, and I would say, a more engagement from your associates and you’re giving back to the community, I’d love to understand why you wouldn’t do it. Yeah. So I think if somebody were to call me, I would probably challenge more on why they wouldn’t or haven’t. Yeah. Because I think the ability to sell them on why they should Yeah. Is pretty easy. Yeah. I think it’s you know, one of the things you just got my mind spinning. One of the things I enjoy most about the voluntary, the giving back and all that’s really cool, just getting to know other people, getting to know our own associates, my own team members at times because so many times you’re you’re focused on the work part, and all of a sudden, you’re outside of that. And you may be doing something simple as cleanup, painting, handing out, donating, just being a smile, welcoming someone. And those conversations happen in such a way, I don’t know if I would have gotten to know them in the same manner. Yeah. I think you’re I think you’re spot on, and I think we hear that feedback from all of our volunteers that it’s just a different it’s just a different part of work. Right? So you’re taking yourself and your team, and you’re moving it to outside of work. So there’s not necessarily pressures that you might have here where it’s not that you don’t wanna talk to the next person, but you’re working on a project. But here, you’re just doing something different. And so the conversation that takes place amongst the team Right. I mean, just it provides a whole new level of understanding between who your coworker is maybe or your team member that you didn’t necessarily have before. And you might hear something about their background that you didn’t know before or why they might be really into being at that certain event that you didn’t know. So, again, it kinda goes back to my point. You you probably become a better team. You become more engaged. You have more trust, you know, with with your team Yeah. When you’re in these environments where you’re all have this shared common ground on trying to give back. And I think it’s needed. I mean, we know the tension that we feel within our communities. We’ve seemingly lost the ability to communicate at times or be able to connect. And just being able to not be on devices, be able to sit there and do those types of things is a breath of fresh air. And it’s something that we’ve lost that we gotta figure out how to get back to. Mary, question for you is you you get a lot of the calls from community organizations that are looking for volunteers. I’m guessing there isn’t any need out there for volunteering, and we have way too many volunteers. Is that a fair assumption? There is plenty of need for volunteers in community, actually. Yes. And we do have wonderful volunteers within Netsmart and within our communities in general. Right? But, yeah, we’re being getting calls to do anything to help with a service project, you know, a facility cleanup type of thing or work directly with people in care. For example, you know, we have several client volunteer partnerships that have been really wonderful for our associates to really understand the work that our clients are doing Yeah. While also, you know, giving back to them in a a different way. So What’s some of the feedback you’ve gotten from organizations that they’ve called and said, hey. Your volunteers were here. And Yes. And they’re wonderful. They’re one of our favorite groups to have. They’ve made such a difference, you know, the way that they interacted and took leadership when they were on their assignment or they’re were proactive and found other things to do if they finished their shift early. I, without hesitation, would send any Netsmart associate out to serve in the community because of how they show up as such hard and just to do the right thing. Yeah. I think it’s, you know, it’s I’ve had the opportunity to hear from some of the organizations, and you know it’s special when they go out of the way or if they hear, oh, you’re from Netsmart? Can I tell you something? Your team was here. And I’ll tell you, it is hard to not just glow and smile so big. So proud of our associates. I mean, I I’ve had the opportunity to do, you know, many volunteer things over the years. Our associates, they see no walls, one of our values. They jump in. They’re passionate, you know, and want to go make a difference. And I will tell you for that organization kind of the topic that Wendy and I just got done talking about around organizations. It’s made us a better company. I mean, it’s it’s brought needed perspective to us at times. We get we serve a lot of volunteer organizations. We serve a lot of organizations that are doing work for the greater good, and I’ve better understood at times as I’ve seen them try to navigate the challenges that can happen in a day to day situation. I’m curious. Do you either of you have a volunteer story that you wanna share of something you’ve heard or something that people need to hear about that say, hey. I’m kind of on the cusp of whether I should go in on this volunteering, and your story would be the thing that was the tipping point. When I started volunteering in operation breakthrough, I am on my sixth year there. And I think when you get to be a part of an organization like that, and there’s several others that in our community and the communities across the US that would have something similar. But when you when you step into the facilities and you see in this case, it’s most mostly children, but also also the parents. There’s a lot of services that operation breakthrough provides to the parents. When you see the small kids thriving in their preschool classrooms, when you see the middle schoolers working together to build a remote Yeah. Whatever, and then when you see the high schoolers running their own food truck Yes. None of those possibilities would have happened to these children without operation breakthrough. Right. And so I think when you are able to step into any organization and you are able to connect that directly with the person that received something from the organization you’re working for working with. There’s not much more that is gonna make you a very committed person. It is you know, I when I was choosing to work with them and when they were choosing to work with me, I wanted something that was with children. I wanted something my family could be a part of, and I wanted something that would connect back to, like, my work. Correct. You know? And there’s a large component of mental health, which was important to me at Operation Breakthrough. But until you set foot in there and you see the services and what is being provided and how the kids are interacting and how the teachers are interacting with the kids and the complications that go on that, like, the CEO has to manage, it’s pretty hard to step away and be like, yeah. I I don’t know if this is for you know what I mean? You will find your passion when you step in and you get to see the people that get impacted by these organizations. That because I think it can feel awkward. I mean, let’s just talk candidly. I mean, it can feel awkward to show up at a volunteering event. Right? I mean, if you wanna see awkward, watch me at a volunteer event. I’m probably sitting in my car for the first part. How do I do this? Who do I talk to? And you show and then you go in there and you’re like, you know, does anybody really wanna talk to me, or what am I supposed to do? And I agree, Wendy, is I’ve never walked away from an event saying I wish I didn’t do that. And when people ask me, you know, what what’s it mean to you? I can tell you I’ve been busy. I’ve been tired. I wasn’t feeling it. And after any of those engagements, I walk away. I am better for it. I can never give as much as I get from those situations. And that may sound cliche line. Far from it. That is the reality of it. And I think it’s some of the things that are missing that we need right now, and it doesn’t take much to start. I just I I mean, my easiest thing would be just show up. I don’t know what to do. Just show up. I don’t have any skills or talent. Just show up. I I remember, you know, it was a it was a moment. It was a very surreal moment for me. And I remember showing up and having a conversation, feeling very insecure, very unqualified to be in the be in the spot. And I finally just asked the person who was trying to guide me, what what what do I do? And they looked at me and said, Tom, let me be honest with you. You may be the brightest light of the people that you come in contact day to day. And it broke me. I was like, oh my that I was like, wow, in the heaviness of that moment. And I think we forget sometimes the opportunity we have to say a word at the right time in the right way or just showing up and people saying, I matter. And and that’s the power of volunteering. Everything else, the work is cool. You know? You you may you may paint some things. You may organize some things. You may distribute some things. It’s that human connection that’s the power of volunteering. Yeah. I’d like to expand on that. A couple years ago at NetSmart, we took a group of associates out to at a local client here and did a wheelchair walker cleaning exercise. And so we were washing cleaner or walkers and wheelchairs for these residents at a senior living community. And, you know, I’m always like, I’m kind of a perfectionist, but I’m not a very good cleaner, Tom. Like, Wendy’s been in my car before. He’s not the cleanest. That’s small. I have a lot pressure on myself to make sure, like, I’m getting this walker perfect and, you know, getting it all nice and clean for this resident. And at the end, you know, she doesn’t expect it at all. She just says, thank you so much. You’ve not only, or I feel like you’ve lifted up my heart in doing this for me today and asked if she could give me a hug. And I was like, yes. But does this look okay? Yeah. Do a snap job. It’s not and just so many stories like that of just showing up. And even if you feel unqualified like I did to, you know, fully detail someone’s wheelchair or whatever, knowing that it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just showing up and making that connection. Yeah. I think I mean, that’s the powerful. If you if you’re listening right now and you’re wondering, am I needed? Yes. You’re needed. Am I gonna make a difference? Yes. You’ll make a difference. It may be something you feel right away. It may be something that happens over time, but the void and the need in our community is great as it’s ever been. That’s not just here in our where we’re headquartered. That’s across the entire US. That’s across the world. What I thought thought it would be good is if has that person sitting out there listening? Maybe they’re a leader within their organization. Maybe they’re an employee at another organization. Maybe they’re an associate in our organization, and they’re contemplating, is this something that I should make part of my twenty twenty six plan? I’d like to hear from both of you. Mary, I’m gonna go to you first, and you can whatever you wanna talk about with them, you just imagine you’re talking to them right now. What would you tell them? Then we’ll go to Wendy. Yes. I would say absolutely without hesitation. We don’t give to gain, but you’ll gain more from being out in the community serving than you’ll ever imagine. And at Netsmart, we’re here to make this as easy as possible for you. That’s something I’m really focused on this year within my roles. So whether you’re a community member and need a to a place to get started, I’m happy to be a resource, but especially for our associates. Right? Like, we’re here to find opportunities for you, help matchmake for you, I feel honored to do that. So So if there’s somebody looking for questions or answers or direction, they could reach out to you. We’ll put that in the show notes. I love people saying that. Hundred percent. And That if you’re an organization or someone out there, you’re just looking for a place to start, Mary has volunteered to be able to help you with that. She is. Wendy, you’ve been doing this for many years. I know it’s not just a NetSmart thing. It’s it’s your family thing. It’s your circle thing. It’s to that person out there who’s who’s like, I don’t know if it really matters. Is it enough people volunteering? What would you tell them? I would say there are not enough people volunteering and that the communities and the organizations would take one hour of your time. And there is nothing better than taking an opportunity to give that one hour that will probably turn into two, that will probably turn into five, and that will probably turn into more than you ever thought. But when the opportunity comes, I say you jump on it. And I think that if you’re not sure where to start, one of the things that I did was I was like, what is important to me? Where are things I want to spend time? So whether it’s with you had somebody who passed away of heart disease, and you wanna do something with the American Heart Association, or if you want to do something with childhood cancer, or if you want to do something for those less fortunate like, there’s so many places. Right. I mean, there’s so many opportunities. And if you just spend a little bit of time thinking about things that are important to you or maybe that have happened to you or a family member where you’re like, that’s really where I mean, that was what one of the first things I did kind of as an adult was with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My grandfather was a lymphoma survivor, and so that was something that was you know, I was drawn to. And so that’s where I started. And then it just kind of spirals from there. You and you get you’ll get the itch, and you will continue to want to scratch the itch. I love that. I love that where do you start? Start with something that is you’re passionate about where you wanna be. But I’m just thinking about the many you’ve got many great statistics. And, you know, what you what you, Wendy, and team have put together, I’m looking at that sheet, and I’m like, we’ve done that many hours. We’ve done that many engagements. Pretty amazing. What would you tell them right now who are listening to this podcast? Well, we have these statistics, Tom, because you measure what matters. Right? And this matters to Netsmart. Right. Right? It matters to all of us here in our community. So to our associates, I’d just say, get out there. Take advantage of the opportunities that we’re creating for you. If you feel nervous about where to start, start with an hour. We’ll have an hour opportunity available to you, and and let it grow like Maggie said. So Wendy? I would say I would start with a thank you for those that have given their time. Absolutely. I’m trying to was looking at Mary share Mary Sheet. You know, the sixty two hundred hours, which you Tom made a very good point. I know that we are doing more than that Yeah. Which is fine. I’d rather underreport. So but thank you to those who did the sixty two hundred hours that you recorded. Thank you to those who are doing a lot more than that. And like Mary said, we want to create opportunities that everyone feels like they can be a part of. So if you ever have questions, reach out to me. Reach out to Mary. Tom, I know, would be open to the question too. I mean, because we all are in it for the same purpose. We just wanna create a mechanism in which everyone feels comfortable and confident going out and giving back to the community because, again, it is just a fabric of who we are, and we know that our communities thrive because we’re able to give back. So as much as we love living in the places that we live across the United States, we want to give back to those communities. I agree. Well said by both of you. And just a couple of thoughts here as we bring this in for a landing. And I’ll tell you what volunteering is not. It’s not a marketing campaign. It’s not a social media campaign. It’s not a, hey. Look at us type thing. It’s everything but that. But you should tell people about that. We do that so that we can inspire and challenge as others. You know, our foundation is named everyday matters because we live off a simple principle. We believe everyday matters. We believe that right here, right now, we can make a difference by the things we do. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for joining this conversation, and let’s all go forward thinking about how we can volunteer to make a difference for reps. You’ve been listening to everyday matters, a NetSmart podcast. Keep connected with us by subscribing to the show in your favorite podcast player. If you like what you’ve heard, please rate the show. That helps us keep sharing the stories that inspire our communities. Thanks for listening. Until next time.