V Team volunteer spotlight: Caroline Ancheta.
With her family on the frontline, Caroline is committed to making a difference.
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While no one volunteers for points, some V Teamers would qualify for the podium based on the time and effort they invest in giving back.
Caroline Ancheta, a senior manager out of the VCM call center, is truly an Olympic-level volunteer. When we launched our virtual volunteer opportunities, guess who was one of the first to sign up? Caroline has volunteered with Love for the Elderly, Hunger Free America, Soldiers Angels, Be My Eyes, and many others. She even made headlines in the local news for her all-star volunteer status.
Like Caroline, you can make a difference across our social responsibility pillars: Digital Inclusion, Climate Protection, and Human Prosperity.
Check out our Volunteer Portal and select from over 150 virtual activities that contribute to our company-wide goal of 2.5 million volunteer hours by 2025. Everyone, meet Caroline, the Michael Phelps of volunteering.
Q: Tell us about yourself. How long have you been with Verizon?
A: I have been with the company for 12 years now, started with the tech side, then went to national operations, and now enjoying leading a sales team.
Q: What inspired you to sign up for the Volunteer Platform?
A: My family and I have always volunteered for different causes. It makes me feel so good to give back whether on the weekends or after work and provide whatever resources are needed. My husband is also a Shriner, so we are always up and about supporting the Shriner's Hospitals for Kids. And as a military spouse, I am also a fierce advocate for all veteran and military causes.
Q: What causes or groups have you volunteered for?
A: Shriner's Hospitals, Children's Hospital for the Kings Daughters, the following ERGs: WAVE, APEX, VAB, GLOBE, and the Verizon Green Team.
Q: Why is it important to give back and volunteer during COVID-19?
A: My mom, four of my siblings, and my sister-in-law are all medical frontliners. I am so proud of what they are doing right now, and I try to match their efforts by volunteering. I am also so grateful for Verizon, where I have the opportunity to continue my work from home. We are in a crisis, and I believe it's my responsibility to give back to those in need.
Q: What's your recommendation for V Teamers just getting started with the Volunteer Portal?
A: Start with what really connects with you, what you are passionate about. Also, for those who have kids, find family-friendly activities to introduce volunteering to your kids.
Q: How important is it to work for a company that actively promotes and encourages volunteer activities?
A: I see social responsibility being a core tenet of how a company lives its values. And I am so proud to be a V Teamer and champion all opportunities to give back.
Q: Do you have a story or specific example of how your volunteer efforts made a difference to an individual or in a community?
A: As an active APEX member, the ERG has always been great sponsoring events like dragon boat races. I have been part of the DC APEX dragon boat team for a few years, but I had to drive four hours from Norfolk to participate. After some searching, I discovered local events and connected with the dragon boat racing organizers for the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters' fundraiser. In September 2019, I successfully formed the VZ APEX Norfolk dragon boat team, which consisted of 25 volunteers from all over Hampton Roads and Richmond. I was not expecting to recruit a group that big so quickly or for people to offer their time after work and on Saturdays for practice - but they did! It was such a fun event, and we had representatives from different teams networking and getting to know each other.
The icing on the cake was the pride we felt to race for the CHKD kids. It was such a successful event that APEX pledged to sponsor it in the future. We will see if the race will happen this summer, but forming the team and racing together was one of my proudest volunteer efforts.
