United Way a natural fit for executive director

Nonprofits have played a lifelong role in Roxanna Parker’s life.

From volunteering at an early age to nearing two years in her current position as executive director of Northwest United Way, Parker is happiest when she’s involved in her community.

Coming from a big family, Parker said everyone was always involved in some volunteer effort, often through church.

“I think it is very important to build that sense of community wherever you are,” Parker said.

This sentiment was one of the reasons she pursued the executive director position after moving from Missouri to the Flathead Valley in 2019.

Initially, Parker was working remotely. Working from home, she felt disconnected from the community and wanted to be part of a “work family” again. United Way was an organization she was quite familiar with and didn’t hesitate when the executive director position became available.

“I believe in the mission of the United Way. I know how important it can be for a community — how much it supports the work of not just United Way but all the partner programs,” she said.

Part of her past work experience does include several years working in the private sector, and Parker eventually reassessed what fulfilling work meant to her.

“I wanted to do work I could be passionate about,” she said. “I had the opportunity to really look around and find something I really believed in, in a way I could give back to the community.”

The positions she held in the private sector, however, such as a paralegal and office manager, allowed her to sharpen skills critical to working for a nonprofit.

“I’m a little bit of a ‘data geek.’ I utilize my love for numbers and research in what I do,” Parker said. “I get to combine my passion for helping people by really delving into the data and what that could do to really support a cause. My paralegal degree helps with grant research, it’s not the same, but a lot of the same skills are used and I find it to be very helpful.”

Parker said anecdotal stories are often at the heart of a nonprofit’s message to community members and donors to show the differences made in people’s lives. However, data has a supporting role by taking the guesswork out of what’s working, what isn’t and moving a nonprofit forward by helping staff make informed decisions.

PARKER INITIALLY stepped in as the executive director on a part-time basis at a time when the Northwest United Way was experiencing financial and leadership upheaval.

She was up to the task, however, bringing with her more than a decade of nonprofit experience. By April 2019, she was working full-time.

Parker described the United Way as a hub bringing partner nonprofits and agencies together on various initiatives and events. One of its primary purposes is to disperse funding to those partners.

“I would say we have spent the last year and a half really rebuilding community relationships and identifying new ways to focus on what United Way is really good at, and that’s bringing the community together,” Parker said.

These mobilization efforts also include addressing issues that arise in the community in order to help it thrive. Most recently, Parker said this meant hosting a town hall and panel to discuss suicide prevention and awareness efforts in the wake of a suicide cluster among youths.

“We see the need to bring people together to identify solutions to meet that need,” Parker said.

Northwest United Way also operates programs such as Leaders of Tomorrow for high school students and the Career Closet, where donations of work clothes and accessories are collected to provide interview- and workplace-appropriate attire for men and women.

Parker said the nonprofit’s current goal is continuing to focus on “core impact areas” of health, education and financial stability.

“We are exploring new partnerships to expand our services and help support other or existing nonprofits or initiatives in the community,” she added.

ONE PROJECT Parker is excited about is getting a 211 call center up and going at the Northwest United Way. The 211 phone network connects callers seeking help in meeting basic needs, to local referral specialists. Specialists will link or refer callers to local providers who can help them out with housing/shelter, food, health care, employment, transportation and support groups, for example.

“We just hired a 211 operator and are working with the phone companies to get calls connected to our office for our area. We’re hoping by Nov. 1 we’ll have our 211 number live to take calls in our area,” she said.

Northwest United Way is also in the midst of its annual fundraising campaign among area workplaces. The campaign, which began in September, is currently at 20% of its $300,000 goal Parker said. It ends Dec. 31. Funds go to support United Way programs and partner agencies. People may donate by visiting www.unitedwaycares.org or through a workplace campaign. For more information call 406-752-7266.

WITH LITTLE spare time right now to pursue her hobbies such as specialty cake decorating and paper crafts, she holds on to all the equipment when her schedule frees up. Parker resides in the Flathead with her husband David and one of her six adult children who is currently attending Flathead Valley Community College.

“We’re working on buying some land west of town and the plan is to have my own ‘she shed’ and play when I have time,” Parker said with a laugh.

When asked what it meant to her, or how it felt to be of help to others through volunteering or working for a nonprofit, Parker had difficulty encapsulating all her thoughts.

“I don’t know how to describe it,” Parker said, pausing, “To see people happy and have that sense of belonging gives me that satisfaction, that’s not even a good word for it. It makes me happy to make other people happy.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 406-758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.