Making a difference
From July 1st 2009, Economist of London Group intranet article

Students from Scott Montgomery ES and Martin Moulton in the Mayor's box at National's Park stadium in Washington DC.

The Economist Group is keen to ecourage and support staff involvement with charities and to provide support through The Economist Group Charitable Trust. Martin Moulton tells us why he's got involved in his local community.

Why do you volunteer, and how long have you been active?
Even in the most developed nations of the West, needs go unmet in local communities. Children need mentors and coaches; families need encouragement to recognise the benefits of growing their own food and healthy eating; and city streets need to be made more pedestrian and bike friendly.

I’ve worked with my local school for the last eight years. I was lucky to have a privileged upbringing: I grew up in California and attended private high school and college. A good education, supportive parents, and international travel gave me a perspective on life than others don’t have. I gain so much personal satisfaction from helping—it works like a daily pay cheque.

My mother was a keen cyclist and an inspiration for my own cycling. She was also an avid gardener, spending many hours tending vegetables and fruit as well as flowers and shrubs. My mother’s brother owned a small family farm in Southern California and we spent much of the summer there. This all helped to shape my own attitude and made me appreciate how children in an urban environment rarely get that experience and can’t appreciate the beneficial value and difference in naturally raised foods.

What sort of organisations have you been working with?
I’m a reading tutor and mentor at Scott Montgomery Elementary in Shaw, a neighbourhood in the heart of Washington, DC. This has also led me to work on the school’s Local School Restructuring Team which reviews the annual budget, the Safe Routes to School committee, which works to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety for the school and local neighbours, and I’ve accompanied students on field trips to the Newseum, the White House, Ford’s Theatre and professional baseball games.

Other organisations I work with include the Board of Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Common Good Community Farm, and the District’s Department on Aging and Emmaus. My work experience at Roll Call has helped me produce marketing and promotional materials for these organisations.

Why do you think people should get involved in their community?
There is a lot of need in our communities and everyone can make a meaningful difference to the lives of others, even if they take only a few hours out of their schedules each month.

Read more about Martin's community work here.