Based in United Way’s Vallejo office, Aimee Durfee develops partnerships and oversees United Way’s investments in Solano and Napa Counties. Aimee playfully characterizes her job as “being nosy” – “I try to figure out what gaps exist in the community and poke around until I can find the partners who can come together and create a solution. United Way is not just raising money and writing grant checks, but we’re trying to find creative, community-generated solutions to problems.”
United Way: What is the best kept secret about United Way?
Aimee: While I and my team continue to build a name for United Way in the North Bay, many public agencies, companies and nonprofits are still learning about our presence and strong partnerships in Napa and Solano counties. We’re actually a leader on a number of fronts. For example, our Earn It! Keep It! Save It! program operated 23 tax sites in Solano and Napa this year returning more than $3 million dollars to the community.
United Way is also leading GO Solano! (Grant Opportunities Solano), which convenes government, nonprofit, and business leaders on a bi-weekly basis to develop collaborative proposals for drawing down stimulus funding for Solano County. Our role is to help reduce “competition” for limited funds and to build community among the various stakeholders.
We’re also building a coalition to start a Solano Volunteer Center, and approaching new businesses to help fund it. Solano is the only Bay Area county without a Volunteer Center, and it seemed like a no-brainer for United Way to try and do something about that.
One of the most important roles I play is being a neutral party. When there’s a big challenge facing the community, nonprofits and elected officials often ask United Way to lead the discussion “because you don’t have an agenda here.” So I get to be “Switzerland” and help sort through the issues. This role also helps us bring players to the table, and maintain a process that has integrity.
United Way: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Aimee: What I really enjoy most is seeing that change is possible. I love working with collaboratives and watching the reality of the outside world change because these people started talking to each other, finding resources, and changing how they do business to serve low-income communities. It’s amazing.
United Way: What inspires you?
Aimee: I’m inspired by a Jewish proverb that says, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it” Although the problems our community faces are daunting, I know that having a job where I can spend every day working to fix those problems is a luxury. I remember that idea whenever I start to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all, that I am just one rung on a long, long ladder. I’m building on institutions and practices created by people who came before me, hopefully keeping them alive and improving them for the next generation of community workers.
United Way: What do you do for fun?
Aimee: I enjoy reading, especially mysteries (I’m loving Agatha right now) and taking bike rides with my husband and our dogs. I also love a good street fair, county fair or a long day at a museum, and spending time with my family.
Prior to joining United Way in 2007, Aimee was a Program Manager at the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, where she led Californians for Family Economic Self-Sufficiency (CFESS), a statewide policy initiative. Aimee has also held the position of Ruth Chance Law Fellow at Equal Rights Advocates, where she supervised the Legal Advice and Counseling Line, worked on gender and race employment discrimination litigation, and developed partnerships to increase the number of women in the construction trades. Aimee holds a Bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and a law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law.
Aimee lives in El Sobrante, in Contra Costa County. She grew up in Fresno, California and lives with her husband along with their dogs, goldfish, nine finches and many adopted outdoor cats!
