Growing up, Kendra never imagined she’d one day be giving back to the very place that once helped her family survive.
“As a child, we came to the Round Rock Serving Center to get help with our bills, canned goods, and pastries,” Kendra said. Her mother, a single parent who had moved to Texas without a support system, worked hard to care for Kendra and her two sisters.
“My mom never made it known she was counting pennies at the end of the week for groceries,” Kendra said.
Now, as an adult and a mother herself, Kendra sees those struggles through new eyes.
“Looking back, I know that things were hard. I didn’t have the nicest clothes. We didn’t have cable,” Kendra said. “But my mom was strong and instilled a love for community in us.”
Today, Kendra works at Farmer’s Insurance and is raising two young children with her husband in Round Rock. Inspired by the strength of her mother, Kendra is committed to giving her kids the opportunities her own mom fought to provide.
When Farmer’s Insurance offered a chance to volunteer with United Way for Greater Austin, Kendra didn’t think twice.
“When the chance came to volunteer at the Serving Center for United Way’s Fall Day of Caring, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. They helped me through my childhood to be able to eat and have a roof over my head,” Kendra said. “I wanted to help someone who has the same story as me.”
Kendra’s desire to serve doesn’t stop with her. She and her husband are already teaching their young children—just 5 and 2 years old—what it means to take pride in their community.
“We pick up trash around the community. I hope that someday they choose to volunteer,” she said.
For Kendra, giving back isn’t just about service—it’s about gratitude for the support that once helped her family endure.
Every year, United Way’s Fall and Summer Days of Caring provide everyone in our community the opportunity to spend a morning at one of our partner sites giving back with others. Whether you’re helping refresh a classroom for preschoolers, mulching a community trail, or supporting efforts at a local resource center, you will have a direct impact on people in Travis and Williamson counties.