By Lauren Jones
Gilroy
– Kim Benjamin has dedicated her time to organizations that
benefit the city of Gilroy and it’s youth.
Married and raising three children, Andrew 12, Ian 8 and Kaitlin
6, the eight-year Gilroy resident still manages to find time to
give back to her community.
By Lauren Jones
Gilroy – Kim Benjamin has dedicated her time to organizations that benefit the city of Gilroy and it’s youth.
Married and raising three children, Andrew 12, Ian 8 and Kaitlin 6, the eight-year Gilroy resident still manages to find time to give back to her community.
At the age of 40, Benjamin works as a Resource Development Coordinator at her children’s school, Pacific West Christian Academy in Gilroy. She has made it her goal to help coordinate as many fundraisers as possible to help raise money for the school and special events. So far this year she has helped put together a bowl-a-thon, a read-a-thon, and a 4th of July celebration which included a fireworks show for families.
“I love putting together events,” she said, “I think it’s important to do what you can for other people, as much as you can.”
She and other volunteers have helped raise as much money for the school as possible in the last few years. Since it is something that she has become very passionate about, she intends to keep participating in any fundraisers and school functions that she can. With the support of the community and a group of hard working people, last year Benjamin and other volunteers raised slightly more than $100,000 for a new school that will be built on Hecker Pass Highway. To many people that may seem like an impossible task, but Benjamin made sure that she did all she could to meet that goal.
When not working at the school, Kim volunteers at Gilroy’s Presbyterian Church where she teaches Sunday school. She said the volunteer work and teaching keep her grounded.
“I love children,” she said. “Knowing that I am helping provide Christian education in the community is fulfilling to me.”
When the extra hours she puts in helping her community seems to be too much, she leans on her church and her family for the support needed to finish those long days she sometimes encounters.
“Sometimes my husband (Phil) tells me that I just do too much,” she says.
It’s easy to see that she enjoys what she does everyday, and it’s not just the children at the school and church who benefit from her giving nature. Although she likes working in the community, she tries not to let it consume all of her time. Her number one priority is being with her family.
“I’m involved in my kids lives and their studies,” she said. “I know where they’re coming from and what they’re involved in.”
On a normal day she drives her kids to school, tries to meet with members of the community to gather ideas and support for events, takes her kids to after school events, cooks dinner for her family, and helps her children with homework
“Raising my children is the most blessed time of my life, but the hardest work,” she said.
For Benjamin, being supportive and giving a lending a helping hand comes natural. Her inspiration is the youth of today and like many people she just wants to see a brighter future for her community.
