“One of my favorite things about PGE is the company’s commitment to giving back to the community,” Vallarta says, “and encouraging employees to do the same.”

Emphasis on giving
PGE employees contribute financially through PGE’s Employee Giving Campaign at a rate well above the national average. Each year, they log about 70,000 volunteer hours, both independently and with company-organized service projects.

PGE recognizes that promoting volunteerism not only meets community needs, it also helps employees. “It’s a way to explore your interests and develop different parts of yourself,” says Vallarta, who works in an engineering department.

What’s in it for her
Vallarta’s colleagues say she’s a presence at most every PGE-sponsored volunteer effort, including SOLV’s annual Great Oregon Beach Cleanup. She packs food boxes with the Oregon Food Bank, and answers phones during Oregon Public Broadcasting’s membership drives.

But her favorite role is working the phones at the Portland Women’s Crisis Line, which offers 24-hour counseling and support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

One hour-long conversation sticks with her. “The caller was at a crossroads and needed someone to listen,” Vallarta says. “At the end, she told me how grateful she was to have someone help her through that critical time in her life.”

Beyond helping others, Vallarta’s motives are partly social. A New Jersey transplant, she sees volunteering as a great way to connect with like-minded Portlanders. At PGE events, those connections result in stronger work relationships.

“You learn a little bit more about what your co-workers do and who they are aside from their work,” she says. “It’s great seeing them in the hallway later and having that experience in common.”