For the first four years of employment here, I often wondered what was my purpose at Celanese? Why was I placed here? I knew there had to be a reason, but I just couldn’t pinpoint it. I knew there was a plan, but it was not my plan.
I can still remember the phone call with the Celanese recruiter who had found my resume on Indeed.com, asking me if I had heard of Celanese. I eagerly responded, I did, since I had often seen the big orange C every day on my way to work driving on the LBJ Freeway. In fact, my job at that time was right across the street! However, it never dawned on me to apply here during my job search.
Nevertheless, I was very excited to start working at such a large, global corporation on August 2, 2010. Working for this company is like a dream come true. I am able to fulfill not only my professional needs, but my community needs simultaneously, and I have become very involved with the various charitable organizations we support because I have been a recipient of such services.
Prior to my employment at Celanese, circumstances beyond my control took my family to Interfaith Ministries which provided child care services through Vogel Alcove, a recent recipient of funding from The Celanese Foundation. My son, who is now nine years old, took his first steps at Vogel Alcove, where we were beneficiaries of their services for more than 15 months. I am very grateful for what they have done for the early years of my son’s life. Their commitment to the communities they serve to provide families with a foundation for success has resonated with me throughout my career.
Going through this program has taught me valuable lessons and has changed my outlook on life. My mission, then and still remains, is to give of my time and resources to improve the world and to try to bring a smile to someone’s face.
I have recently returned to Vogel for a visit as a site committee member on The Celanese Foundation. I learned that the location of the agency has changed and they have tripled in size: from a small building on Akard street to a three story building on Gano street in downtown Dallas. The new facility now has new furniture and teaching equipment, more certified teachers and classrooms to house kids from six weeks to five years of age. In addition, the administrative staff is on-site, as opposed to being 40 minutes away in North Dallas. In speaking with the director of Corporate Relationships, I was informed that the funding they received from Celanese was able to provide meals and a safe learning environment during the summer for school age children at the public schools, who attended Vogel Alcove’s first summer camp.
From that visit, which was bittersweet, I saw that Vogel Alcove also had improved its services. Clients no longer have to leave the child care facility once they have exited the sheltered program but can continue to receive services at Vogel until they are self-sufficient. This change could not have occurred without funding from companies like Celanese.
It gives me great honor to represent Celanese’s value of Improving the World, which is also my personal value. What a privilege it is to work hand in hand with a company that strives to make an impact in our community. I am grateful to Celanese for its continued support of the initiatives of Vogel Alcove; and I am thankful to God for affording me this experience. I am proud to have been a beneficiary of Vogel’s services, but I am even more proud to be an employee of Celanese.
Thank you for sharing your story, Keisha! It’s amazing to see where life takes us and the lessons we learn along the way. Being able to give back to Vogel Alcove must be a real privilege and I’m sure they are so grateful for your contributions!
Thanks Megan! I am proud of my life’s lessons but I am even more proud of what Vogel is doing in our community.
Great blog, Keisha. Through the CE Foundation I recently learned more about Vogel Alcove and their important work with children. I hope we can make more investments there.
Thank you Susan! I certainly hope that the investments we make whether it be financial or otherwise will continue.
Keisha, I am so thankful for you sharing your beautiful story. You’re right, there is always a bigger plan and often times we don’t understand it until years down the road.
WOW, I had the pleasure of working with the Celanese Foundation team this year, creating communication materials for the foundation. To hear your story gave me goose bumps! Thanks for sharing and for your compassion and work.
Keisha this is such a great message and I am inspired. Thank you for sharing your story.
Outstanding blog Keisha! — thank you for sharing part of your life. It’s SO helpful to hear about your personal connection to one of the organizations we have chosen to support.
Keisha – Thank you so much for sharing you story and your journey. Truly inspiring to hear your sincerity and compassion !
Keisha, thank you for sharing your story. It’s brings me a lot of joy to volunteer at Vogel and watch the relationship grow between Celanese and Vogel.
Keisha, thanks for writing about Celanese and Vogel Alcove.Your story makes me proud of our company and so happy that your family is thriving.
Wow Sis, I am so proud of you
and your accomplishments..You have made us proud. Continue fullfill your purpose. Oxoxoxoxoxo
Keisha, thanks for sharing this great story. I hope your words inspire all who read them to take the opportunity to become involved in the community through the great work the Celanese Foundation is doing!
A truly inspirational and heartwarming story. Thank you so much for sharing.
Full circle is such a good title for this. Your journey is both inspirational and a testament to your hard work. Thank you so much for all that you do with our site committee!
Keisha,
What a wonderful blog and reminder that we all need a little help at times. I am thankful to work for a company the encourages us to give back to our communities.
Thank you so much for sharing!