Stephanie Shack spent many years supporting United Way through her company’s employee fundraisers. When she moved to Baltimore more than two decades ago, though, she saw an opportunity to get more involved with the organization. She wanted a hands-on experience to truly understand the issues in her community and see her impact in action.
After participating in a program where people assume the role of a hardworking person struggling to make ends meet, she experienced what it’s really like to navigate difficult and often life-altering decisions on a daily basis. “I spent this very short amount of time living my life as many of my neighbors do, and I felt so much stress. I was overwhelmed, and it took me aback to think how difficult it can be for so many to just try to live their lives.”
Today, she is working to bring United Way to her employer, encouraging them to get more involved and engaging her colleagues to join forces with her in their own community. As Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Continental Realty Corporation, Stephanie wants to help more people learn about United Way and the breadth and depth of the work they do. “There’s a lot of passion among the people involved with the United Way, and I am always amazed at the level of commitment that people show as donors and volunteers, which is one of the reasons I was drawn to working with them.”
Stephanie hopes that in the coming years United Way will continue providing what’s needed, where it’s needed, just as it has for the last 100 years. Want to get more involved with United Way through or as an employer? Check out ways to partner with us.
