Sister and brother Eileen and Peter Grunert are making a difference in New York City. Through the Catholic Charities Junior Board they created a new volunteer project for members and friends at the Catholic Charities Community Services Thrift Store, located in the South Bronx. Nearly every month, Eileen and Peter, along with Junior Board members and friends volunteer to sort, tag, price, and organize donations to be sold at the Thrift Store. The group is welcome with open arms and smiles, so appreciative of their assistance.
Eileen is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and currently works for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Her roots in volunteerism go back to church activities, candy-striper at a local hospital in high school, and then as a tutor in college. She eventually moved to NYC and became involved in the Catholic Charities Junior Board when it was first formed in 2008. Eileen was instrumental in the creation of the Midnight Run volunteer opportunity and eventually stepped down to start another Junior Board project….volunteering at the Thrift Store. Eileen credits her parents and her Jesuit education for inspiring her volunteerism. Between balancing work and volunteer activities, Eileen spends her “spare” time with family and friends, reads, and watches Big Bang Theory.
When asked – Why did you choose Catholic Charities as a means to volunteer? – Eileen said, “This organization is very special in that it not only promotes volunteerism, but also weaves in many other important aspects such as faith and meeting other young Catholics in the city. I’ve made new friends and had wonderful experiences here to date.”
Peter Grunert joined the Junior Board after settling into life in NYC. He is a graduate of Loyola University, Maryland and employed by Citigroup. Similar to Eileen, Peter began volunteering in high school — participating in a service trip to the Dominican Republic — and furthered his commitment to service in college. His Jesuit education was a big impact in Peter’s life and continues to motivate him to give back to the community. Since first introduced to the Junior Board by sister Eileen, Peter was off to a running start, becoming active in multiple committees and activities. After visiting the Thrift Store, he knew that was where he could make the biggest impact. In addition to volunteering with Catholic Charities, Peter is involved with other groups including Year Up New York and Back on my Feet. To keep things light, Peter enjoys running.
Peter hopes to continue to volunteer throughout your life…”My aim is to always contribute to the broader goals of justice and service, be it volunteering my time, fundraising, offering my support, or in some other meaningful way.”
To learn more and join Eileen and Peter in supporting the Thrift Store, email Staci Bruce, Director of Volunteer Services, at ccvolunteer@archny.org.
