This Thanksgiving column is dedicated to the incredible team members at United Way of Charlotte County.
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
It comes down to the heart. In my estimation, teamwork really does make the world go round. When I was living in Atlanta, I had the most incredible experience of working with a group of community health nurses. The heart of this group was that we each felt responsible for one another. If someone asked for help, everyone said, “Here I am”. We knew the other had our back. Everyone cared for one another and while doing very challenging work, everyone also had fun. Many years later, these women are still so dear to me.
I left that job thinking I would never experience that again. Thankfully, I can honestly say that I have, due to the incredible team working at United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC).
Within just a few months of assuming the Executive Director role at UWCC, both my parents died within ten weeks. I will never forget the love and caring and support that the team in our office provided for me. Linda Dobson, our Finance Director, stepped in the first moment I called her and made sure we never missed a beat. Everyone asked what they could do. And they did it. As a new ‘boss’ (not my favorite word by the way), my dream was to hire people who were working within their giftedness, their sweet spot. It is my experience that people thrive and enjoy their work more when they are within that sweet spot.
What makes the UWCC team so unique? They all care for one another, are honest with each other and we thrive on ‘no drama’. We spend so much time together as do many office teams. Even during the pandemic we’ve been able to work intensely yet physically apart.
You can’t isolate someone’s work from their passion. That passion comes from their heart. The sweet spot is who they are. UWCC’s vision is a community where all citizens achieve their potential through education, financial stability and healthy lives. The UWCC team has a heart and passion for serving this community. Each team member sees this as the reason they are there and they make sure they do what they can each and every day to help someone who is hurting to see a better life, one person or task at a time.
We do life together and everything that comes up, whether it’s a pandemic, an illness or a life changing turn of the page, we’re all there for one another. Along the way, there has been lots of joy and laughter to feed our souls. And I couldn’t be more grateful. Each one personally has a place in my heart, the ones who have come and gone and the ones who are still there. I’m just so very thankful.
The United Way of Charlotte County team is the best ever.
For more information, please call the United Way of Charlotte County at 941-627-3539. Mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty. Angie Matthiessen is the Executive Director of United Way of Charlotte County. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org