Putting a Capital V in Volunteer at Kaiser Permanente

South San Francisco, CA   August 31, 2015            Submitted by Joe Fragola Kaiser Permanente

“I needed to do this, what a great feeling!  I think that we all need to do things like this to know how truly blessed we are writes Vangie Cade, Volunteer Services Manager at KP South San Francisco.

Vangie brings new meaning to the term volunteerism.

Here’s some background that should help you better understand our culture at Kaiser Permanente.  Our employees at KP South San Francisco volunteer every 2nd and 3rd Monday of the Month at the North

Peninsula Food Pantry in Daly City.  The volunteer program is just a little more than a year old.The North Peninsula Food Pantry serves hot meals three days a week to local residents in need and supplies three days’ worth of food to more than a hundred local families in need.  Denise Kelly, the Executive Director of the program partners with Matt Jacobs, KP San Mateo Area Community and Government Relations manager to allow our employees an opportunity to volunteer.  Kaiser Permanente also sponsors the Food Bank’s annual Take my Hand fundraising event in October.

Vangie Cade, Volunteer Services Manager at KP SSF
Photo: Kaiser

Now, let’s get back to Vangie Cade who truly walks the walk.  Vangie leads our hospital volunteers and recently was looking to give back a little bit more.  She joined our volunteer team at the North Peninsula Food Pantry on a recent Monday night after work and was so impressed with the program and how good it made her feel to serve local families in need that she signed up for the next program the following week.

Well, Vangie didn’t stop there, she realized that twice a month for her wasn’t enough.  And with a little help from the Food Pantry leadership, Vangie is now able to volunteer every Monday evening after work.Everyone benefits from Vangie’s efforts.  The Food Bank, the people in need, and especially Vangie.

“It was also a humbling experience,” says Vangie. “I saw a former volunteer who volunteered close to 18 years for KP standing in the food line.  She saw me and came up to me and hugged me tight and for a long time.”

Vangie says she went home that night with such joy in her heart knowing that she was a part of something wonderful, needed and well received in our community.