IMRF honors Carpentersville retiree's service to those in need

The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund announced today that it is recognizing retiree Domingo Mata for his important volunteer work in Carpentersville. Mata is the seventh and final volunteer IMRF will honor in 2015.

All seven were nominated for recognition as part of IMRF's Year of the Volunteer contest, which spotlights volunteerism within IMRF's membership. IMRF will celebrate all seven volunteers in December at its Oak Brook headquarters, and announce one "Volunteer of the Year." A staff donation of $1,000 will be made to the winner's preferred service organization.

"Mr. Mata's volunteerism reminds all of us that age doesn't necessarily limit our ability to help others," said IMRF Executive Director Louis W. Kosiba.

A Carpentersville resident, Mata is a retiree of Elk Grove Township School District 59. Along with his wife, Blanca, Mata has been volunteering at the FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville for over 20 years. FISH provides assistance to local families or individuals in need, including lower income citizens and those affected by layoffs and unemployment.

"Volunteering provides my wife and me a sense of structure, especially during retirement," Mata explains. "Volunteering at FISH provides us with opportunities to meet new people. We not only contribute our skills and time toward a better cause, but we also receive joy in return."

Kosiba thanked Mata for his dedication to helping others. "His efforts should inspire us to consider how we might leverage our own unique skills to make a difference in our communities," he said.

The Illinois Senate has declared 2015 the "Year of the Volunteer" in Illinois. The statewide initiative - sponsored by dozens of Illinois organizations, including the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, Generations Serving Generations and the Illinois Department on Aging - aims to increase volunteerism and strengthen Illinois' network of service organizations.

IMRF is supporting the effort through promoting the "Year of the Volunteer" and available service opportunities; through an online survey that is gathering data on volunteerism in Illinois; and through IMRF's "Year of the Volunteer" story profile contest.