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A Compassionate Campaign

Campaign Chairman Zach Beck brings his heart for service to the Heart of Arkansas United Way

By Rebekah Hall | Photography by Dero Sanford

   The Heart of Arkansas United Way annual campaign season brings additional support to countless organizations throughout Central Arkansas. With a tenure of volunteerism that spans a decade and three states, Campaign Chairman Zach Beck brings his heart for service to the Heart of Arkansas United Way.

   Zach plays a vital role in cultivating relationships between United Way and corporate partners. He helps businesses develop fresh, fun opportunities for employees to engage with the United Way and the organizations it supports. “As the campaign leader, I bring awareness to the annual campaign throughout the company and just try to create some excitement for the team,” Zach explains. “I try to get them to participate and donate to help the community.”

   Volunteerism is a pivotal component in Zach’s family. “My philosophy is that service defeats selfishness, and that’s how I was raised. My parents are big proponents of that, and I grew up with that mentality,” Zach emphasizes. “When you start giving service, you stop thinking about yourself, and it helps you think outside yourself.”

   Heart of Arkansas United Way works with community agencies, organizations and projects that create measurable change in education, financial stability, and health. “They really build on each other,” notes Heart of Arkansas United Way Director of Marketing & Communications Mollie Palmer. “If a child has a good quality education, then they have the opportunity to find a job that empowers them to be financially stable, and when people are financially stable, they have access to better healthcare and to other options to keep themselves healthy. We see them as all a part of one process of creating a stronger community.”

   The mission of United Way resonates with Zach because he recognizes the importance of local community service and transformative change. “The money that is raised here stays in this community – my money is directly impacting my neighbors, my people, my family and my community where I live,” Zach explains.

   Mollie echoes this sentiment. “Our board of directors and volunteers are from here, and they know and understand our needs here in Central Arkansas. Our partner organizations are within this community as well,” Mollie notes. “Something I love about United Way, and I think a lot of people love about United Way, is knowing that when you give and get involved, it’s impacting home.”

   As store manager of Dillard’s, Zach believes great leadership requires authenticity and empathy. His takeaway? “I think the biggest thing is more compassion. As I’ve grown through this company and managed larger and larger groups of people, I’ve gotten more compassionate about people and their struggles,” Zach notes. “You’ve got to be more compassionate for people’s experiences, their backgrounds, and current living situations.” Zach’s work for Heart of Arkansas United Way certainly reflects this philosophy, and he asks Arkansans to consider the future of our communities when giving this year. “It’s all about investing in the community,” Zach emphasizes. “If we stop investing, what’s going to happen to our kids? What kind of community will they have?”

Inviting Arkansas

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