Gap Inc.
September 12, 2024
At Gap Inc., our commitment to giving back shapes every aspect of our business. And as we kick off our annual Volunteer Rally, our employees are setting out to imagine better – and then do better – by volunteering with organizations that are meaningful to them.
We sat down with a few long-time Gap Inc. employees who are known for their commitment to making the world a better place for all. Read on to learn about how they are bridging the gaps in their communities.
Name: William “JR” Wotring
What is your title and how long have you been at Gap Inc.?
I am a Senior Coordinator for Contact Center Reporting and Analytics and have been at Gap Inc. for 24 years.
This year, you have already logged an impressive 210 hours with HeadCount Inc., which promotes participation in democracy through the power of music and culture. What is it about civic engagement that strikes a chord with you?
Our society is founded on the belief that we all should have an equal voice in the government that oversees us. We have inherited an ideology of self-governance, and we have a duty to preserve it.
Unfortunately, every study shows that youth participation in electoral processes is always the lowest – but that is slowly changing. The earlier people get involved, the more likely they will be actively engaged in the totality of our governance – at all levels – instead of only engaging in Presidential elections.
"I believe that the meaning of life is defined by how we serve others."
- JR
How did you start volunteering?
I am an introvert at heart and realized that this kind of work “gave me permission” to freely go up to people and interact with them. HeadCount very quickly became one of my favorite extracurricular activities – I became a local team leader in 2010, took a Regional Coordinator role in 2012 and am currently responsible for all the volunteer team leaders across seven midwestern states.
As we kick-off our annual Volunteer Rally, can you share what it means to bridge the gaps in the community we serve and why that is important to you?
I believe that the meaning of life is defined by how we serve others. I also believe that civic engagement – especially at the local level – is the cornerstone of healthy, vibrant communities. In addition, my personal growth from volunteering is so rewarding. The diversity of volunteers and the communities we serve have educated me in ways I would never have had the opportunity to experience in my day-to-day life.
Name: Lisa Madden Reed
What is your title and how long have you been at Gap Inc.?
I am a Gap General Manager at Charlotte Premium Outlets in Charlotte, NC. I celebrated 25 years with Gap Inc. in May.
You started your own charity, The Art Bus, after attending a Gap Field Leadership Conference (FLC) in Las Vegas. How did your experience at the Gap FLC influence your decision to found an organization designed to foster inclusion through art?
Before the conference, I was asked to fly in early to volunteer alongside my colleagues at a domestic violence shelter – an experience that shook me to my core and opened my eyes to the great disparity in wealth and opportunity between nearby communities. I left that experience with a commitment to do more for the people in my community – and as an art major in college, I saw an opportunity to leverage my degree to help underprivileged communities use creation as a means for self-care.
Ever since then, I’ve been on an exploration to foster inclusion through art in communities who need it most, starting by bringing my mobile art program to children in domestic violence shelters and eventually expanding to teach adults with developmental disabilities. Since I started the project seven years ago, the Art Bus has grown significantly and now reaches nearly 40 artists per week!
As we kick-off our annual Volunteer Rally, can you share what it means to bridge the gaps in the community we serve and why that is important to you?
Unfortunately, we live in a world where not everyone is adequately cared for and I feel like it's our job as people to find that shared humanity and fill in those gaps. Once an individual with developmental disabilities reaches middle school, there are less opportunities for them to be social and engage with others. Facilitating art classes is a way that I can help to provide connection and community – and hopefully lifelong and lasting impact – to this group of individuals.
You have been at Gap Inc. for over 25 years – how has our commitment to giving back shaped your career here?
One thing that has always remained a constant for the company is our commitment to doing more than selling clothes. That speaks to my soul!
Name: Pamela Montoya
What is your title and how long have you been at Gap Inc.?
I am a General Manager for Banana Republic in Colorado and have been with Gap Inc. for 24 years.
How did you start volunteering and what organizations are you currently passionate about?
I started volunteering with co-workers when I first joined Gap Inc. I was inspired by leaders before me who demonstrated what it meant to do more than sell clothes. I am extremely passionate about The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation, which serves epilepsy community and raises awareness of the common yet little-known condition SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), providing support and equipment for prevention of this occurrence, and creating a safe space within the greater community.
Another organization I am passionate about is Children's Hospital Colorado – the region’s only nonprofit pediatric hospital that is fueled by giving. They believe that a child’s life can and should be filled with limitless possibilities.
As we kick-off our annual Volunteer Rally, can you share what it means to bridge the gaps in the communities we serve and why that is important to you?
I think about connection – how it makes me feel when we come together to give back to a greater cause. It fills my heart, and I am so proud of my team!
I have always remembered what Doris Fisher once said: "We can always do more!"
"I was inspired by leaders before me who demonstrated what it meant to do more than sell clothes."
- Pamela
Why do you think it’s important for employees and their teams to participate in volunteer events like the Volunteer Rally?
It is a rewarding experience! I encourage everyone to try and volunteer individually and/or as a team. I promise, it feels great to give back!
I can't wait to work alongside my peers and individually to give back to the Chelsea Hutchison Foundation and Children’s Hospital Colorado.
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