For PPL volunteer Ben, being involved in the community and giving back is important. Last year, his search for a meaningful way to spend his time outside of work led him to PPL’s after-school youth program in New Hope, where he was able to build strong relationships with youth and support their academic growth. He became a committed weekly volunteer for the spring semester, and says “I loved volunteering there! The other volunteers were all super great, kind people, and the kids were amazing; so full of love and appreciation. It was a really fulfilling, awesome experience for me.”
Ben’s fondest memory of PPL is an impromptu soccer game at a family event: “kids from three to 15 years old, boys and girls, running around barefoot, playing together and using trees as the goalposts. That was an incredible experience, and it’s a memory that’s stuck with me.” After the semester was over, while reflecting on his time spent there and the resources and means he had available, he decided he wanted to give his new young friends in New Hope an experience they wouldn’t forget. “I really felt a desire to invest in those kids, take them out to a game, and do something they might not do regularly – something I would have liked when I was their age.”
