Decades ago, United Way connected Jeffrey Wilson to services. In March, he celebrates 30 years working with the nonprofit.
Call United Way or walk through its doors, and chances are you’ve met Jeffrey Wilson.
Calls made to United Way’s main line go to Jeffrey, who routes each one to the proper place.
He sits at the front desk in the lobby, where he’s arranged bowls of mints and chocolates in a neat row.
He greets all who enter.
“Hello, hello!” his voice booms. “How are you doing?”
“Have a great day!”
On March 14, Jeffrey will celebrate 30 years working at United Way of Central Indiana. He is the nonprofit’s longest-tenured employee on staff today.
As we go about our workdays, preoccupied with our own busy lives and to-do lists, we often don’t stop to listen when we ask others how they’re doing. The question has been relegated to more of a pleasantry than genuine concern.
But when Jeffrey asks, he listens. And he remembers the answer. He checks back in, never missing a chance to brighten someone’s day.
It’s why, for a decade, United Way has celebrated Jeffrey Wilson Day during the holiday season each December. The day recognizes Jeffrey’s spirit, selflessness and goodwill toward others.
“He is a beacon of light during even on the roughest days,” United Way’s former CEO, Ann Murtlow, told the staff in 2013, declaring the first Jeffrey Wilson Day. “He is a shining example of how even small acts can make a huge impression if they are genuine – as his most definitely are.”
In 2019, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett signed a proclamation declaring another Jeffrey Wilson Day, marking Jeffrey’s 25th anniversary with United Way that year.
Jeffrey, now 52, has been connected to United Way of Central Indiana for most of his life.
He was born three months prematurely with two clubfeet. Doctors told his mother and grandmother he may not survive, let alone walk, he said. His mom sought out other medical opinions, eventually finding a surgeon who corrected Jeffrey’s feet.
“My mother didn’t give up,” he said.
When Jeffrey was 4, his mom called United Way looking for agencies that could help with his rehabilitation. United Way connected the family to Easterseals Crossroads.
For two years there, Jeffrey received physical therapy and gained literacy and math skills, he said.
He went on to run track and cross-country at Emmerich Manual High School and in 1993 graduated from Ivy Tech Community College with an associate degree in administrative office technology. When Jeffrey was 22, a career counselor at the college helped him prepare for interviews and fine-tune his resume and cover letter, sending them to potential employers in Indianapolis.
One job rose to the top: a position at United Way of Central Indiana.
Jeffrey said he has always believed in the nonprofit’s mission and vision of helping people: “I’m a witness to that. United Way of Central Indiana – and all the United Ways across this world – do great work for the community. ... We all make a difference.”
Before his first day in 1994, a friend of his mother’s offered advice: Greet your colleagues. Say good morning, good afternoon, have a nice day. And then go to work.
It’s a philosophy he has put into practice every day since. We are people first, Jeffrey said. The business part comes secondary to that.
"It’s really, really important to me to treat people with dignity and respect,” he said. “I’m a person that just likes to be there for people. I’m a person that cares for people, takes care of people.”
Jeffrey has made a mark on United Way’s culture, changing it in tangible ways that can be felt, said Ashley Scruggs, United Way’s vice president of talent and culture. He comes to work each day wondering how he can help others be their best selves. He’s a change-maker just through his kindness, she said.
Jeffrey slows Ashley down, reminding her of why she’s here and why she does what she does. On difficult days, she makes extra trips by his desk: “I need a dose of Jeffrey today.”
“He's an incredible human being.”
When hosting a series of discussions with staff members recently, Ashley posed a question to the group: What would United Way look like if everyone came in each day and embodied the spirit of Jeffrey?
“Our organization – and city – would never be the same,” she said.
Ask Jeffrey about himself, and it is others he thanks for where he is today: God, his mother, his grandmother. He’s grateful for his colleagues, Trinity CME Church and his other church families.
Over the years, Jeffrey has told his personal story many times, sharing it with workplaces across the city when they kick off their United Way fundraising campaigns.
“That’s what makes me feel so good and proud inside. The services I received as a child now I’m giving back in various ways,” said Jeffrey, an operations associate for United Way’s Information Technology department. “Now I’m able to return the favor and give back.”
For 14 years, Jeffrey also donned the Buddy the Bear mascot costume at United Way events. When he “retired” from the role in 2009, the CEO at the time said that while Jeffrey was no longer “our Buddy,” he would always be “our friend,” Jeffrey recalled.
Dressing up as Buddy and collaborating and bonding with his colleagues are among his favorite moments from his career, he said. And, of course, sharing his story.
Nearly 50 years ago, Jeffrey’s mom phoned United Way seeking help for her son.
Now when people call, it is Jeffrey who answers.
