Name: Kenneth Jack

Employer: Software developer at TMW Systems

Volunteer role: Facilitator with Breaking Free Children’s Program through Family Services of Central Indiana,
a United Way agency.

Community impact: Kenneth is an exemplary volunteer with the Breaking Free program, a psycho-educational program dedicated to helping children exposed to domestic violence. He facilitates four 10-week programs throughout the year, giving 1,300 hours toward the cause. He has volunteered for Breaking Free for 11 years.

Kenneth’s involvement and commitment with Breaking Free comes in large part from his own experiences with domestic violence as a youth, and he uses this common ground to help reluctant children open up and begin to express themselves. He helps the children deal with situations beyond their control in a healthy way. His contributions are helping break the cycle of domestic violence.

Kenneth’s involvement with Breaking Free is so important to him that the only meeting he’s missed in 11 years was to have open heart surgery after a heart attack. When the staff of Family Services called him to see what they could do to help him out, his response was “I just need a healthy dose of volunteering and I’ll be fine.” His commitment to the program is invaluable, and his spirit of volunteerism greatly appreciated.

Kenneth received The Jefferson Award for Live United Volunteer of the Year at this year's Jefferson Awards on March 2, 2010. The award is for individuals and companies whose volunteerism and community improvement are made through a United Way agency.

In his own words
“I appreciate the opportunity to be of use to others, and this work won’t be done any time soon. Shelters and programs for battered women and their children didn’t even exist when I was a child, so people are more open about it and are more likely to seek help these days. But domestic violence still shows no sign of being eliminated.”

Kenneth Jack

Excerpt from the nomination
“A key to stemming the tide of domestic violence is breaking the cycle by preventing children from becoming victims or perpetrators themselves. Ken is a perfect link in this connection because he has been there and experienced the trauma himself. We cannot begin to measure the value of his volunteer service to the Indianapolis community, but we know for certain that it has made a tremendous difference in the lives he has touched through the program.”

4.23.2010