Volunteer of the month - Maya K.

We would like to introduce you to our latest Volunteer of the Month, Maya K.  Maya has been a regular volunteer for our Carry-Out Caravan program since 2020.  She has been a huge part of our team at the Boulder store since jumping in to help during the start of Covid when we were at the store for almost 8 hours each day and has been helping us ever since!  

Maya was born and grew up in Stockholm, Sweden and says it was a wonderful city to grow up in. She went to the International School of Stockholm, where there were students from over 30 different countries. The school was an amazing experience and taught her to appreciate people from different cultures and value their similarities and differences. Maya still visits Sweden often and brings home suitcases full of Swedish candy.

In Maya's early teens, she was determined to be the President. She was a political science major at the University of Maryland and was focused on ways to change the world. She also has a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Regis University. Maya admits that she will probably never be President but would like to think that through her work, she has changed the world a little for the better.

And she has! Eleven years ago she started her own nonprofit called Wild at Heart that provides spay/neuter surgeries and vaccines to feral cats living in Boulder County.  She is very proud that they have provided these services to thousands of cats, improving their lives and reducing the homeless cat population. Maya has worked in animal welfare for over 25 years and feels passionately about standing up for those who are unable to speak for themselves in our society. Along that line, she often thought that if she hadn't discovered animal welfare, she would have worked for or with children. 

In Maya's spare time she  loves singing, reading, snowboarding, watching movies and spending time with her daughter and husband.  A perfect day for her would be to sleep in late; wake up and read in bed; have a brunch of French toast and fruit; lay in her backyard in the sun and read some more; do a workout; then maybe eat Chinese food and watch a good movie with the family.

The three words that she chose to describe herself are fun, caring, passionate, which we can attest to from working alongside her for the past four years.  She has instinctively jumped in to learn all aspects of our Carry-Out Caravan program and will help out wherever needed.  She also is great about following up with our clients while shopping to ensure they are receiving the correct items they ordered.  Maya says she volunteers because she feels that it is her responsibility to give back because there are so many people and animals that need help.  She finds it hard to just sit back and not try to help.  She says she started volunteering during Covid when the need was so great but stayed because the work is important and she really enjoys her fellow volunteers.  Volunteering with seniors is also relatable for her because her mother has taught her, by example, that despite all of the adversities that she faces these days, she still manages to laugh and make others laugh.

Maya, we thank you for the years of compassion and dedication you have provided to Cultivate and our clients.  You are an amazing member of our team and a great advocate for our cause.  We are so happy for your continued service and are fortunate to have volunteers like you!