Volunteer Spotlight: Alisa Kesten

It’s always commendable when a person gives back to their own community through time, talents or resources. But when a person like Georgia native Alisa Kesten comes along, one has to admire her drive in pursuing multiple avenues in volunteering.

Having helped start the Foundation, which has led to numerous programs and renovations for the library over the years, Kesten seems to have found a way to have her cake and eat it too. She is also an active board member for the Museum of Arts and Culture, the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation, and raised three children in New Rochelle.

“I’m so fortunate to live and breathe volunteering, mashing together my day job with my overall passion,” said Kesten. She spends her days working as executive director for The Volunteer Center of the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, which specializes in matching up people who want to volunteer with organizations that need them. The organization is also a place for businesses and nonprofits to come to learn how to create effective volunteer programs.

Kesten believes that giving just a few hours of one’s time—whether it is weekly or even monthly—can really go a long way for an organization or even an individual. Perhaps this passion of hers for volunteering can be traced back to her southern roots, growing up 40 miles north of Atlanta. She says that New Rochelle has a surprising similar feel to life in the south.

“When I got to New Rochelle, and even now, it has a small town feel to it, I think,” said Kesten, “People know you by name and they get to know your family as the years go by.”

She has had the pleasure of not only seeing her children graduate from New Rochelle High School, but her oldest son now teaches English at his alma mater. Much to her chagrin, she is often addressed by high school students and faculty as “Mr. Kesten’s mother.”

One of her proudest volunteering accomplishments though has been in her work with the library foundation, which funds initiatives that expand the library’s resources, making sure the library is a vital educational and cultural center for the city. The foundation also raises awareness of library services through various events and fundraisers.

With the belief that libraries have the power to change people’s lives, Kesten has seen many positive changes come about in the last decade due to her efforts and the efforts of others in the foundation. The changes include the renovated main entrance way to the Ozzie Davis Theater, the second-floor computer area and the third-floor music and computer learning center.

“We also hold events that are really gaining a following such as our Celebri-tea event and Jazzmotazz, and again, these events get people to take advantage of so much more of the library and its resources,” Kesten said.

She is quick to say that it is important to realize that you don’t have to be a board member or a major player in an organization to be an effective volunteer.

Even simply networking and helping others find opportunities to experience the fulfillment that is associated with giving your time to others is more than enough, Kesten said.