It’s in the jingle at the department store. The red and green colors around you. That spring (or stress!) in your step.

The festive spirit is here. So we want to share joy with our favorite people: You!

We asked United Way staffs at our Seattle office to share their favorite mission moment stories.

What the heck’s a mission moment? Some time or thing that reminds us why we do this work and how it’s making a difference for others. Not surprisingly, we heard some good ones.

FroYo and Tax Files

Lynne Eskil, a loaned executive helping us during our busy workplace giving season, told us how she stopped at a yogurt shop on her way back from learning about United Way’s Free Tax Campaign. She told Angie, the young woman behind the counter, about the tax program and how she could get her taxes done for free.

Angie replied that she was actually certified to do taxes in California. But she couldn’t afford the $80 certification class for Washington. She was very excited to learn she could volunteer, take the class and do taxes again. The minute volunteer signups were open, she was in.

“I want to make a career of doing taxes in the future,” Angie said. “This will be a big step toward that goal.”

Home for the Holidays

Wayne Wilson, our impact manager for ending homelessness, told us about a recent phone call he received. It was from a man who’d come to Seattle for a job that didn’t work out. He wanted to return home to Indiana but didn’t have the money for even the Greyhound. Homelessness was looming, and he was anxious.

“Mr. Wilson, I’ve never been homeless before,” said the gentleman. “I’m not used to living like this. And I’d like to go home. ”

Wayne put him in touch with a service provider from our Streets to Home program. Two days later he received a second telephone call from the gentleman. This time there was no anxiety in his voice.

Our grantee helped the man identify a shelter bed to get him off the street for the weekend. Within that week they worked to get him a bus ticket to Indiana. His family awaited.

“It’s stories like this that encourage me to do what I do at United Way,” said Wayne.

All the feels! We love to share joy-filled moments. Have you had one of these moments recently? When you thought, Yes this is what it’s all for? Share your warm fuzzies with us on our Facebook page!