Jean Montgomery must like challenges.
As a United Way of Sumner County volunteer, Jean takes on two of the most challenging volunteer roles we offer: serving on one of our event fundraising committees and then serving on an Allocations Committee Panel to decide how UWSC funds are distributed.
Serving on the Allocations Committee is difficult and demanding work. Allocations volunteers do a lot of homework: such as reviewing grant applications submitted by non-profits seeking funding from United Way, visiting non-profit agencies to tour their facilities and ask questions about their programs, and then painstakingly sorting through all of the information to decide with fellow volunteers how to distribute the UWSC funds that are available.
In a few days, Jean and her fellow panelists will begin their arduous review of the non-profits asking United Way for funding. The thorough review culminates in June, when the panels meet and decide, as a group, which non-profits have met the requirements to receive funding.
Last summer, while many people were planning barbecues and beach trips, Jean was searching for golfers, teams and sponsors to support the United Way of Sumner County Fall Classic Golf Scramble. Being on one of our fundraising committees – Golf or Gala – means being willing to ask just about anybody for just about anything that will help raise money for our neighbors in need in Sumner County.
Jean brought new sponsors and players to the scramble and also rounded up players to form her own team. She spent the day on the course competing for a good cause.
“I have seen firsthand the impact the United Way of Sumner County has directly on the families in our great county during their time of struggle, but also the partner agencies that help to serve so many more in our community,” Jean says. “By fostering the relationships between all of the partner agencies, each is stronger and able to come together to assist in meeting the immediate needs of those they serve. From the food or financially insecure to our most precious children, the United Way offers resources to help rebuild lives. I believe that we are all better when we collaborate our skills for the benefit of others and that is exactly what the United Way of Sumner County does.”
Jean, a principal broker of Rock Realty and PMI Middle TN, has spent 38 years in the industry. She was licensed in 1986.
She also serves the community in other areas: GFWC Women’s Club since 2016; Sumner Realtors - Board of Directors, Chair Governmental Affairs, Tech Task Force, Finance Committee; Foxland Villas HOA - Board of Directors; Sumner Tourism Board - Treasurer Board of Directors - 2017-2023; Community Child Care - Treasurer Board of Directors - 2016-2022.
Thank you, Jean, for all of the challenging work you take on!