Employees across Seattle are making a difference. It’s easy to get involved in small or large projects and to make an impact – every little bit helps. We love seeing innovation workers show up! Read about Seattle’s Inspirational Innovators, get excited, and find tips on how you can help.
This month we speak to Delaney Gaughan, Amperity, Seattle City Rotaract member and TAF volunteer.
How long have you worked for Amperity and what do you do there?
I’ve worked with Amperity for a few months and I run proof of concept implementations with our clients to show them everything our solution can help them with!
Did you grow up in the Seattle area or did you move here for work?
I grew up in NJ, moved to Chicago for 8 years, and moved to Seattle while working remote for a Chicago office because of the nature and the political inclinations of the city.
How did you get interested in community service and volunteering?
I was lucky enough to have gone to a Jesuit university where ‘service learning’ is a big part of the education. There was a phenomenal emphasis on the individual’s effect on society through service and practical applications of that lesson through volunteering.
What drew you to working with your current organization instead of other organizations?
I volunteer with TAF but I also volunteer with a number of other organizations. I am a member of Seattle City Rotaract and through my specific club, along with the Rotaract and Rotary organizations as a whole, I have been connected with quite a few organizations I have worked with. TAF specifically is a great organization as they work alongside school districts themselves to augment educational resources to historically underserved populations of students, and they have been around long enough that they can show their amazing track record – 99% of students that go through TAF go on to college!
Can you give us a glimpse of what you do with TAF and Seattle City Rotaract?
I am looking to become a mentor in the upcoming year for TAF and have in the past acted as an industry-specialized judge for year-long student projects on STEM subjects. For Seattle City Rotaract I am a programs coordinator, meaning that I bring in outside organizations with which our members can interact individually, from which they can take valuable lessons (some are more educational), or with which we as a club can begin a longer relationship.
What other ways do you support our local community?
Outside of TAF and Seattle City Rotaract, I am on the Service Committee at Amperity, where we are actively looking to connect our employees with organizations in the Seattle area and make service more accessible in a world where seven thousand things are tugging at your attention at any given time. I am also working with the Healthcare Alliance, a group within Seattle Against Slavery. I am also beginning training this year to become a volunteer Beach Naturalist for local beaches!
It can be taxing trying to solve complex social problems. How do you stay motivated as a volunteer?
Great question! I am lucky to have a great support group made up of other Rotaract and Rotary members. When you’re surrounded by other folks that really care about confronting and trying to help do their part in the community, you get a wealth of support, whether that be emotional or hands-on for your project.
What words of advice do you have for anyone interested in helping our community, but are unsure where to start?
There are so many organizations that are tied to different social issues facing our community today. My advice is to narrow the issues you’re looking to put your energies towards to two or three, then decide how much time you are able / willing to dedicate, and then research local organizations knee deep in those areas. Reach out to them – due to varying levels of busy-ness, you will likely hear back from only a few. Volunteer a few times with each and decide which one or two organizations you can really spend your time with. An alternative is to join a Rotaract or Rotary club whose mission really resounds with you – in that way you can simply plug into an existing network and most of the administrative legwork is down for you!