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Spotlight on Karen Probasco
Karen Probasco, Senior Technical Team Lead for AT& T has been involved with the United Way since 2002.
Karen's involvement in her county's United Way organization has grown over the years. In 1998, she became the recipient of a United Way supported program called Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) through the Richardson Development Center (RDC). Karen's three boys were born in 1997, and two of the three were of very low birth weight. ECI provided weekly in-home visits by therapists who worked with the boys to ensure they were meeting developmental milestones and gave mom and dad parenting skills unique to multiples and preemies. This care continued for more than a year.
A few years later, Karen was invited by a fellow AT&T employee to participate in the United Way funding allocation process. This process involved reviewing the grant proposals and program specific funding requests and then, by committee, allocating funds to local United Way partner agencies. She had finally found a way to give back for the gift she received years before.
Karen has chaired annual allocations committees and served on the Collin County United Way Board of Directors. In 2007-2008, Karen served as vice-chair for the county's allocation process and is currently serving on the Collin County Advisory Council. In 2008-2009, Karen serves as the Allocations Officer vice-chair for the Priority Needs Grant process.
Karen stated, "To believe in the United Way is to believe in the spirit of people - people helping each other to overcome adversity." By participating in the funding process, she feels confident that the funds donated to local United Way agencies will be used to benefit those with the greatest need. Karen also volunteers her time to coordinate the United Way / Employee Giving Campaign activities for Online Services organization and leads solicitation sessions on a regular basis.
Giving to the United Way offers us an opportunity to provide support to the community in which we live and work. As Karen likes to say, "To whom much is given, much is required." We thank Karen for her years of devotion and service!
