November 2023: Volunteer Spotlight
This month, we want to highlight the work of Steve Evered. Steve joined us six and a half years ago after retiring from Michelin. Learn more about why he loves to serve below. We truly appreciate his hard work and dedication to our mission each month. Look out for Steve every Friday in the soup kitchen!
Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you originally from? How long have you lived in Greenville?
Steve was born in Seattle and grew up in neighboring Bellevue. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and received his MBA from Willamette University. He then moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked for two Members of Congress from Oregon. After leaving Capitol Hill, he was a government relations representatives for two aerospace/defense companies and a small consulting firm. In 2003, Steve and his wife Jan, moved to Greenville where he managed government affairs issues for Michelin until he retired at the end of 2015.
How did you learn about Project Host and what drew you to volunteering in the Soup Kitchen?
Steve learned about Project Host during a Michelin management team offsite meeting. Each Michelin offsite always included some community relations opportunity and one of those was a visit to Project Host.
“When I retired, and as I was thinking about what volunteer opportunities I might want to pursue, I immediately thought about my experience at Project Host. That was six and a half years ago and it is the most consistent activity I’ve been engaged in since retiring.”
What motivates you to spend your time at Project Host?
“I’ve been extremely fortunate, lucky and blessed in my life. My Dad, who was a car dealer, was involved in the community — Rotary Club, local police commission and our local Catholic church and school. His example instilled in me and my brothers that, given the opportunities we had been provided growing up, we had a responsibility to give back and engage in the community. That sounds like a cliche, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
So, volunteering at Project Host provides the opportunity to serve. Not surprisingly, those of us who volunteer get back more than we give. The people I work with on Fridays are my colleagues and my friends. I look forward to Friday because, for me, its a twofer — providing some assistance for folks who aren’t as fortunate as me and I get to spend three or 4 hours with friends.”
How has volunteering at Project Host shaped/changed your view of Greenville?
“Greenville is a different place from when we moved here twenty years ago. I can only imagine how native Greenvilians feel about how their city has changed. Since I began volunteering at Project Host, it seems like the growth has been on steroids. Not unlike most other small cities that are transitioning to bigger cities, Greenville is being gentrified, putting a strain on affordable housing. You only need to look at the Project Host neighborhood to see that. It’s also apparent that we need a more robust public transportation system to accommodate the growth in the city and the county.
I wash the dishes on Fridays and it sure seems like I’m washing a lot more of them in the last year or two than when I first started. I know it’s a narrow perspective, but there seems to be more demand than ever for our services.”