My Giving Helps: Champion Volunteers

Ryan Curran serves Mass General in more ways than just in his role as Senior Manager of Security Operations. He also supports My Giving Helps as a longtime MGH Fund payroll donor and, this year, teamed up with My Giving Helps: The MGH Fund + United Way employee campaign to become a My Giving Helps Champion.

At the start of his tenure, Ryan quickly realized what made Mass General special – “the people and the work they do.” Inspired by his colleagues across the hospital, Ryan was moved “to give back to help support the hospital and the vital programs the MGH Fund helps support.” Fortunately, giving back was made easy for Ryan with the option to make a recurring gift via payroll deduction. When exploring his options, “the convenience of payroll deduction just made sense.”

When asked about why he chose to partner with My Giving Helps, Ryan credited his friend and former colleague, John Driscoll, who previously served as Associate Director of Police, Security and Outside Services – and as a My Giving Helps Champion. “I’ve seen John tabling at the employee picnics and in the hallway,” Ryan shared, “I’ve seen firsthand how rewarding it is for him.”

Others’ experiences weren’t the only thing that inspired Ryan. He also saw volunteering as an opportunity to be further connected to the Mass General community that he loves so much. Ryan recognizes that, beyond a community, “the people who work here and who I work with are one large team,” and being a Champion allows Ryan to do his part toward building that team.

At its core, Ryan’s generosity – with his donations and his time – stems from his belief in the mission of Mass General. And, to Ryan, that mission “means that our goal to serve our communities in a safe and compassionate environment stay at the forefront.”

To learn more about how you too can give back via payroll deduction, click here.

Participating as a My Giving Helps Champion is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow Champions from different departments who share my enthusiasm about supporting our priorities with gifts of philanthropy. When volunteering at the hospital, I have the chance to talk informally with a cross-section of co-workers about how their gifts – of any size – improve the experience for patients and employees. It brings me closer to the MGH mission!

Most charity programs have a defined purpose, and the way charities are structured has many restrictions. Not My Giving Helps! Dollars raised through My Giving Helps are readily available when there is an immediate need. And I love that the beneficiaries of this support are right here under the Mass General roof.

I first heard about My Giving Helps through an MGH broadcast email that was seeking volunteers and I signed up for a meet and greet at Main Campus. While listening to the My Giving Helps team, I heard ‘unrestricted funds’. Having worked for a nonprofit and understanding the importance of having flexibility with funds I was very enthused to help raise funds for Mass General and the United Way. When donations are made to a specific area, such as Breast Cancer research, they can only be used for that sole purpose. However, having unrestricted funds allows My Giving Helps to use the donations for other great causes such as the Gun Lock program, which Dr. James, who is one of my providers at Everett Family Care, was part of.