Amanda Mahan
Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words.
Amanda Mahan is the Marketing Specialist for Operation New Hope, a nonprofit organization in Jacksonville, Florida that provides support, life and job skills training for people with a history of involvement with the criminal justice system, and places them in employment that offers a sustainable quality of life. Operation New Hope works to build a stronger community by creating opportunities to realize second chances and reduce recidivism. In her free time, Amanda loves to be outside with her family and friends – walking in the woods, digging in her garden, or swimming at the beach. She is beyond excited about the publication of her first novel this fall.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – Mornings in our house begin early and are robust like those of most families with school-age children. I quickly ready myself for work between packing lunches, feeding pets, scanning the news, and encouraging 6th and 8th grade sons to finish their lingering bits of homework and pack their bags. Luckily we live close to downtown and our commute is short with school only minutes from home and work just blocks from there.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – Mornings at work begin with reading and responding to emails, which generally leads to prioritization of the day.
I take a quick 2 minute break from emails to participate in the 8:30 a.m. fitness break. (Suggested by one of our wonderful teammates, we have been meeting 3 times a day to hold plank position for 2 minutes.)
Focused and feeling fit, I recenter my attention to the day’s plan. On this particular day, I rush out the door to attend the monthly Communications Convening hosted by the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida. A great way to connect with other local nonprofits and discuss current issues specific to nonprofit communications, I always leave with loads of useful information and creative ideas.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Back at my desk, I quickly review our social media pages and respond to any pending comments. April is Second Chance Month, so we are extra busy promoting the important work being done in the field of reentry. It’s an exciting time to be working on criminal justice reform and we are supported by unprecedented bipartisan support.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – After another quick 2 minute plank session at noon, my attention can turn to the more creative portions of my job. I often eat lunch at my desk as I write and create, not wanting to lose focus.
Storytelling is crucial to nonprofit work and ours is focused on highlighting the successes of our clients as they reenter society. It is a true joy to showcase their second chances!
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m – Afternoons are often spent in meetings planning upcoming events and discussing strategies to expand our community reach. When I’m lucky, I make it down for the 3 p.m. plank session.
Before heading out the door, I finalize any stories, take another quick look at our social media platforms and respond to any pending emails.
I’m thrilled to share that since joining Operation New Hope, my days zoom by – time really does fly when you’re having fun. It’s such a privilege when work is fun.
After 4:00 p.m – While my work day may be over, the tasks don’t end at home. Afternoons and evenings are filled to the brim with dinner (I love to cook – especially with ingredients from our home garden), homework, family walks, and reading. On this particular Tuesday, I was lucky to dine outside with good friends and enjoy a lovely spring evening in Florida.
Thanks for sharing, Amanda!
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