Debbie Hartman is a mother of three and came to Nashville from San Diego to be closer to her first grandchild. In the eight months she’s lived here, giving back and meeting people have been two of her top priorities, and she found volunteering fulfills both roles. Currently, she volunteers with The Store, a local nonprofit started by the country music singer Brad Paisley and his wife. The Store is a place where people with financial challenges can come and purchase groceries for their families. Volunteers, like Debbie, help stock the store, as well as help with decorations and preparations for special events, particularly the holiday toy store.
Debbie has a long history of volunteering, going back to when she was a child. Her mother, a stay-at-home-mom, filled much of her time with volunteering, and Debbie followed her lead. One of her first experiences volunteering was with the Girl Scouts of the USA. In high school, she was part of a business club associated with DECA and spent her time with Home of Guiding Hands. Afterward, in adulthood, she spent her time as a mother and as a promotional product salesperson. One of her clients, the Rady’s Children’s Hospital of San Diego, actually reignited her passion for volunteering when her youngest child ended up as a patient with them. He fully recovered and from that point on, Debbie was always ready to ask how she could help next. Since then, she has worked with different organizations in San Diego, from Kiwanis International to the Ronald McDonald House. One of her favorite volunteer experiences was with the Salvation Army, helping as a bell ringer during the holiday season.
Volunteer work took on a whole new meaning for Debbie. Instead of just raising her hand to join volunteer opportunities, she now actively seeks them out to meet people and change lives.
“If you’ve not volunteered before, that feeling is like nothing else, you know, to be able to try to make a difference in somebody’s life.”
This blog is brought to you by Doing Good, a 501c3 nonprofit. Listen to Debbie’s podcast episode at www.doinggood.tv/podcast.
