What happened when I traded my keyboard for a chop saw

Featuring
Paige M., Senior Associate, Marketing and Communications

When Paige stood, chop saw in hand, looking at the ash-choked trees and empty lots of Paradise, CA, she knew this workday would be unlike her others in D.C.

Paige recalled, “I was proud that Fannie Mae had been boots on the ground in Paradise helping the community ever since the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive fire in California’s history, devastated the area. When I found out Fannie Mae was sending employees to Paradise in November 2022 to help with rebuild and recovery efforts through our Disaster Rebuild Deployment volunteer program, I jumped at the opportunity to witness our mission in action.”

Helping people access affordable, sustainable homes is central to Fannie Mae’s mission — whether they are looking to buy a home or need help when hard times occur. At Fannie Mae, we engage with disaster-affected communities to forge partnerships, learn about local needs, and to take direct action like rebuilding homes through volunteerism.

Volunteer time and support to help others

Fannie Mae employee benefits are life-encompassing and include support to help us serve in our own communities as well as communities in need with the backing of our leadership and colleagues. Paige said, “I felt supported by my manager and team to apply for and join the deployment. I’ve also been able to utilize our monthly volunteer leave to join other company-sponsored volunteer events with my teammates. Our culture of service and all we do to drive positive change in our communities are some of the things I love most about working here.” Through these programs, we are able to strengthen our culture, our team, and ourselves.

Hands-on experience in the community

Paige continued, “At Paradise, my volunteer group and I worked with the Tiny Pine Foundation to begin building a tiny home for a mother and daughter who had narrowly escaped the fire. They were living in an RV near the build site, and we were fortunate to be able to meet them. With the guidance of a skilled contractor and armed with hammers, nail guns, and lots of sunscreen, we got to work putting together the foundation of the home — feeling even more motivated to make progress now that we’d met the family.”

Working toward a mission with purpose

In describing her volunteer experience at Paradise, Paige said, “We accomplished a lot in the days we were there, and it was a great way to get to know my colleagues across the company. The biggest takeaway for me, though, was meeting the people of Paradise. I felt such a strong sense of community in this town that had been through so much. Here, people watched out for each other and stepped up to help their neighbors, and we were fortunate to be part of that.”

In addition to our daily work at Fannie Mae, opportunities like our Disaster Rebuild Deployments and other volunteer events allow us all to see firsthand why what we do in housing is so important. When we volunteer, we get to add real-life skills and gain experience in community interaction and more — all while making a real difference in people’s lives.

At Fannie Mae, employees can advance their careers and have access to volunteer activities, helping them make an impact inside or outside of work. Check out open roles at Fannie Mae.