More Than Volunteering: Margaret’s Inspiring Story of Finding Purpose & Community

A Life Built Around Giving Back 

Giving back is nothing new for Margaret. A 30-year Vienna resident, she spent years volunteering for her children’s PTA and sports activities, the kind of community involvement that quietly shapes a neighborhood. Her professional background is in software development. She spent years working for defense contractors Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton, and later served as a computer trainer at Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS). 

It was during her time at Booz Allen that something shifted. 

“I always liked giving back. When I worked at Booz Allen, that somehow got instilled in me because I did a lot of community service work,” she reflects. 

That instinct never went away. Today, alongside her work at The Women’s Center, Margaret volunteers as a first grade reading buddy at her children’s former elementary school, supports the NVFS Training Futures program, and is an active member of Social for Good, a women’s community organization that puts together monthly projects for local nonprofits. In fact, Social for Good will be partnering with The Center again this October. 

For Margaret, it all connects.

An Unexpected Community 

One of the things Margaret didn’t anticipate when she signed up with The Center was the community she would find. “It is nice because things connect. I’ve met people here; I met a woman here who is local and we’re in the same book club. I also met someone who is best friends with my boss’s wife. You just make these unexpected connections,” she says with a smile in her voice. 

Margaret also found that there are workshops offered that she could benefit from, like The Center’s DucksRow life planning workshop series, and a self-defense workshop, which she brought eight of her friends along to take it too. 

“The more I know about The Center, the more I’m able to share about it in my network, in my community,” she says. She has pointed friends going through difficult divorces toward resources here, and several have since attended the Divorce 101 workshop.  

When she mentions her volunteer work in conversation, the responses often surprise her. “Many people tell me that they’ve been a client here or have been connected in some way, and I only ever hear good things about The Center.” 

Meeting People Where They Are 

Working the Information and Referral Desk has given Margaret a front-row seat to the depth of need in the community, and to the very human moments that come with it. 

“It certainly makes you very empathetic. A lot of women call who are in a bad situation and they are mostly thankful for the information that we provide,” she says. One call in particular has stayed with her. A vision-impaired woman reached out looking for information and made a simple but specific request: ‘please don’t email it, mail it to me’. So, Margaret did. She wrote down the address, gathered the information, and mailed it herself. “It’s meeting people where they are,” she says. 

Not every call is easy. Margaret recalls speaking with a man from the community services field who was searching for shelter options for someone in need. As she rattled off resources, he had already tried each one. “It made me feel like there are so many organizations serving the community, but there’s even more need,” she says. “In a way, you feel bad because there is so much need, but you also feel good knowing that the information you are providing will be helpful.” 

The Right Fit Makes All the Difference 

For anyone sitting on the fence about volunteering, Margaret has simple, honest advice. 

“I believe it’s finding what you are passionate about, something you enjoy doing, or a cause that you can connect with. I also think it’s understanding that in most places, volunteers are given a lot of grace, and it’s different than a paid position. It’s all about finding the right fit.” 

For Margaret, The Women’s Center turned out to be exactly that. She is ready to pitch in wherever she is needed, whether that is stuffing envelopes, organizing spreadsheets, or writing letters. 

“I keep coming back because of the mission of The Women’s Center and the people I work with. It is rewarding and makes me feel good, and the fact that I am sharing about it with other people is something I never expected to do,” she says. 

And perhaps that is the quiet power of a volunteer like Margaret. She came looking for something to do in retirement. What she found was a mission she now carries with her everywhere she goes. 

“Volunteering here has made me more knowledgeable, and I am able to pass that on to my friends and loved ones through resources I didn’t even know existed before coming to The Center.”