Volunteer Spotlight: Cindy Dughi
By Maddie Scher
Cindy Dughi is one of SF New Deal’s early and long-lasting volunteers. She began doing daily deliveries in March while COVID-19 stay at home orders were taking hold, and has since graduated to her "usual" route reaching 10-12 individuals in addition to some of the large hotel/church deliveries on our list. Dughi shares her perspective on the benefits of local volunteerism, unemployment, and her love of animals with us below. The following has been lightly edited for clarity:
How long have you been volunteering with SF New Deal and what initially drew you to the organization?
I celebrated my 60th birthday on February 25th. Little did i know that 3 weeks later my whole world would turn upside down. Professionally, I am a senior executive assistant and office manager. Covid hits and the world shuts down. Clearly, you cannot be an office manager when offices shut down so now i was among the millions of newly unemployed. I am truly not sure where I first saw info about SF New Deal but I instantly knew I needed to do something as I was scared and anxious with this unknown pit in my stomach of impending dread. So I called and was on my first route the next day.
Tell me about the Golden King Restaurant route:
Dughi poses with client Ms. Ena and her roses.
My car goes on autopilot when it is just my usuals. I know where the best lanes are to be in, where potholes are, what streets are closed and I can get all my [deliveries] done in an hour and fifteen minutes. A few do not speak English so I have learned hello, goodbye and thank you in Chinese...I have Ms. Ena who is 87 and I usually spend ten minutes chatting with her as she has not left her house in 7 months and does not see many people. She has the most amazing rose garden and would catch me sniffing and admiring her roses at all deliveries so she began clipping some and having them for me in a little bag. Many times if I am not on shift, my route clients will call me if something is wrong or they did not get their delivery.
What have you learned through your experience volunteering with SF New Deal and especially working with seniors during COVID-19?
People need each other. Volunteering is so beneficial for the clients but it is even more vital for the volunteer. I feel needed. I feel like I am not just collecting unemployment but I am making a difference for people that need help. It truly has kept my sanity in check. I have met some wonderful clients and seen great restaurants but the amazing part is I have seen more parts of San Francisco in the last 7 months than I did in my previous 24 years!
I hear you are passionate about animal rescue - can you explain your work?
For the past two and a half years, I have been a cat volunteer at the San Francisco Animal Care and Control. My job was to help in the office but mainly enter the cat condos and play with and socialize them to get them ready to find their forever homes. They all just want love. It is so heartwarming to go in each week and see who was adopted! When Covid hit, volunteers were unable to go into the building but luckily, enough volunteers were able to foster the animals while switching to online virtual adoptions. At this point, I was approached to transport some injured animals to nearby shelters with the necessary medical personnel and equipment to save them. This led me to join the mighty transportation team at the ACC. We transport every type of creature to an appropriate sanctuary or shelter for their needs. I have transported a wide variety of birds, turtles, fish, snakes, iguanas, bearded dragons, raccoons, possums, foxes, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats along with all cats and dogs from SF to Santa Rosa, Fairfield, Sacramento, Morgan Hill and where ever the best place for them to be. There are specific shelters with myopic sight for individual animals. Ratty Rats, Husky Reserve, Bunny Hop, Love a Guinea Pig and my favorite cat rescue, Snapcats, a house for cats with disabilities as well as focusing on cats with cancer and an area for elderly cats to live out their lives. I love going to all these places knowing they will get the best care and love possible.
What would you like the people of San Francisco to know about you?
This is an unprecedented time. Fires, Covid, racial injustice acknowledgement, the election, massive unemployment....it is all around us. I lost my job. I am forever grateful for my two volunteer positions in that I feel that I am helping others who are in a less fortunate position than I am. It has kept me sane knowing that even though I cannot get paid for working right now, I am still working for the betterment of others.
Interested in volunteering with us? Visit https://sfnewdeal.org/get-involved