Q&A: George White’s joy

George White visits Advance Memphis in November. Photo: Jacob Steimer

In the last few years, George White has become one of Advance Memphis’ most faithful volunteers.

As a Work Life ally, he invests deeply in the lives of our neighbors. We are so thankful for all of his time and energy.

Recently, we spoke with George to learn more about what motivates his work with our neighbors.

The following Q&A was edited for brevity and clarity.

Advance: You’ve been a donor to Advance for over 20 years but only got involved as a frequent volunteer in the last few years. What happened?

George: I kind of lost touch with Steve. Then, it was a God thing; I was trying to call a person that I worked with in Nashville. I put in their name, and Steve’s number populated, and Steve picked up.

We were coming off of COVID, and crime was acute, and I was thinking about the problems in Memphis, and I said, “You know, I’d like to volunteer.”

I became an ally for the Work Life class, and that class had a big impact on me.

Can you describe that impact?

Walking alongside people as they're trying to make a change, support a family, or build a better life has given me a different perspective on my own life and how I deal with issues and the suffering that I face. It changed my perspective and gave me a much greater sense of gratitude.

What would you say to someone who’s considering volunteering?

Just freaking do it! It's really easy for people to give money or do something superficial and feel good about what they've done. Until you've gone and experienced it, you just haven’t gotten the full benefit.

For me, it was way out of my comfort zone. I was nervous at first. I didn't know what to expect. I had some fear. But now, I have more peace and joy in life because I know Advance and some of my neighbors in South Memphis.