Volunteer Spotlight
This year the Board selected Jan Hamilton and Julie Hocking as our Volunteers of the Year for the North County Philanthropy Council Volunteer Awards program. Each NCPC member is able to select a volunteer (or two) each year as their Volunteer of the Year, who is recognized at a special annual celebration.
Jan Hamilton is a long-time volunteer with WE, serving as Asst. Secretary, performing key duties that keep our organization running and donor database in order. She knows many (if not nearly all!) of our donors and plays a vital role in strengthening those relationships. She is a warm, friendly face at our events with her passion for the mission shining through.
“As I was ending my administrative career in 2011, I was looking for something to “retire to.” An on-line search of women-centered San Diego organizations turned up WE. At my first volunteer welcome meeting I was inspired by WE’s leaders and their dedication to improving women’s lives through microfinance and to educating others about the significant need. They diligently vet organizations providing services and loans to deserving women, tirelessly monitor the administration and impact of their gifts, including by in-person visits to their partners around the world.
In 2012 WE gave me the opportunity to visit their microfinance partner in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. I met dozens of brave women who, with their loans from GDLF, were working hard to establish businesses and improve the lives of their children and families. The loan officers were enthusiastic and dedicated to the community. It was inspiring to see how a small initial loan grows and grows as it is paid and repaid again to numerous women.
I am grateful to be a small part of the administrative team of WE. In return for donating my time and treasure, I receive multifold inspiration and optimism, friendship and support from these smart, warm-hearted women and men, who truly believe that improving the lives of women will change the world.”
Julie Hocking is long-time volunteer with WE, serving as Asst. Treasurer (and Interim Treasurer through multiple transitions), working with diligence to keep our books in order and organization running. She brings her compassion, expertise, and dedication to all she does, approaching her service with a spirit of partnership and heart-felt focus on the mission.
“My journey with Women’s Empowerment International (WE) began in 2011 when a colleague invited me to an International Women’s Day celebration at UCSD. I had long been passionate about the life-changing potential of microloans for women, and I was immediately drawn to WE’s mission. At the event, I signed up for volunteer opportunities and began my role as Assistant Treasurer, a position I’ve held ever since.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of participating in several site visits to WE partner organizations, which deepened my connection to the work. One such visit took me to Grameen de la Frontera in central western Mexico, where I witnessed firsthand the impact of WE’s loans on women’s lives. I had the honor of meeting women who, through the support of WE, were able to start and expand small businesses. One story that stood out was that of two sisters who ran a bread-baking business and later grew flowers to meet the demand for Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Their vibrant garden, buzzing with butterflies and bees, was a symbol of growth and resilience.
Most recently, I visited a partner program in Tijuana that supports refugee women with safe housing and small business development. Connecting with these women and hearing their stories reaffirmed my belief in the power of WE’s mission to uplift women from poverty and empower them to change their futures.
Volunteering with WE has enriched my life in countless ways. The opportunity to contribute both my time and financial support has been incredibly rewarding, knowing that my efforts are helping create lasting change for women. It is an honor to be part of an organization that uplifts and empowers women, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.”