Most Impactful Staff Member: Hannah Gerard, United Way of Central Missouri
If someone had asked what kind of career Hannah Gerard wanted while she was still in college at Missouri State University, she would have said that she’d like to move to a big city and work in a corporate office. It seemed the most likely scenario at the time. However, her reality played out a bit differently. Looking back, Hannah, who now works as the operations specialist with United Way of Central Missouri, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I like that each day at my job is different, and each day is important,” Hannah says. “I love knowing that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.”
When the COVID pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, Hannah was a senior in college preparing to graduate and move into the next phase of her life. But there was just one problem, no one was hiring. Even for someone in her position, a business analyst major who planned to work in the IT field, there were no jobs available. So, Hannah moved back home with her parents, took a job at a country club, and started networking.
“I come from a strong faith and Christian background, and I remember praying nonstop during that time that something would open up that was meant for me, or something that was a bigger purpose,” Hannah says.
Eventually, Hannah made a connection at the country club that led her to an internship with a bank, which led to her making a connection with the board chair for United Way. When an administrative coordinator position opened up at United Way, she landed the position.
After six months in that role, Hannah moved into her current position as an operations specialist, a position she has held for three years. Her duties can vary throughout the year, but her primary focus is maintaining the nonprofit’s campaign database and coordinating volunteers for recurring events, such as United Way’s mobile food pantries.
Hannah has also been instrumental to the organization by implementing the Give 5 program, which was originally created by the United Way of the Ozarks in Springfield, Missouri. With the help of state funding through a partnership with Aging Best in Columbia, Hannah brought the program to Jefferson City in 2023. She has lent a hand in every part of the program, from getting the word out about the Give 5 program through social media and newspaper ads to coordinating volunteers.
This “civic matchmaking” program is essential to connecting retirees with volunteer opportunities that best match their skill sets and passions. Within the first year of the program, Hannah helped bring in over 50 participants.