Kim Higgins was looking for a way to keep the skills she learned from American sign language classes sharp outside of the classroom.

So, the Salt River Project retiree decided in 2020 to volunteer with Arizona Hands & Voices, an organization dedicated to supporting families and children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Higgins averages 100 volunteer hours each year to the organization and that work has included helping at fundraisers, distributing information and supplies, preparing for events and making calls on behalf of the organization.

For that work, she has been named a 2023 SRP Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award recipient.

“Her work has helped raise funds to send deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families to camp where the families can learn sign language and access other resources,” an SRP release stated.

“Kim finds great satisfaction in using her creative thinking to help children with hearing loss and their loved ones feel supported and empowered so they can enjoy improved communications, positive educational outcomes and a high quality of life.”   

SRP President David Rousseau said "one of the truly remarkable aspects of the SRP employee family is the unwavering commitment to volunteerism that spans the entire organization.

"Employees from all areas of SRP help build stronger communities through their personal commitment to volunteering. This volunteer spirit provides vital services in the community and helps define SRP in the eyes of those we serve." 

This year, SRP received 46 nomination for the award from employees, coworkers and retirees, according to the release.

Four were chosen and in honor of their work SRP presented checks for $2,500 to their respective nonprofit partners.

Last year, SRP employees and retirees volunteered more than 35,000 hours to 177 Valley and state nonprofit organizations and donated approximately $64,500 through its Dollars for Doers program, utility officials said.