An Extraordinary Volunteer

Have you ever met a person who humbled you by their ability to do absolutely anything, and yet be modest, generous, and caring to boot? If you’ve met Sugar Land resident Deanna Parmenter, then you’ll know what we mean.

Deanna joined Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers, Southwest (VIC-SW), an organization serving elderly and frail residents of southwest Houston, as a volunteer in February 2009. Within one year, Deanna has logged over 2,600 miles and almost 200 hours volunteering on behalf of VIC-SW. She has also joined the VIC-SW Board of Directors and continues her hands-on help to our elderly neighbors by providing home repairs, yard work, transportation, and paperwork assistance. She even prepares tasty treats for the VIC-SW care receivers she befriends.

A native of St. Louis, Deanna has resided in the Houston area since 1985. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Houston with BBAs in Finance and Accounting. She earned her MBA from Heriot Watt University in Scotland and completed paralegal studies at Texas Paralegal School.

Deanna is currently self-employed in the accounting and compliance fields and is a licensed Certified Fraud Examiner, focusing chiefly on audits and Sarbanes-Oxley process documentation and testing. She has written articles and taught at conferences on the topic of compliance with federal sentencing guidelines.

In addition to her volunteer work with the elderly through VIC-SW, Deanna has been a volunteer firefighter and EMT, a care provider at an animal shelter, and performed home building and repairs at a shelter for abused women, Habitat for Humanity, Private Sector Initiatives; and she has participated in rebuilding projects in foreign countries after natural disasters. Additionally, she has spoken at the United Nations IMF/World Bank forum regarding foreign investments in poor countries. Her hobbies include quilting, reading, riding her motorcycle, and playing with her five grandchildren.

VIC-SW is fortunate to count Deanna as a volunteer.

To volunteer for Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers, or for more information on its services, call 713-772-8181 or visit www.vic-sw.org. For other volunteer opportunities throughout Fort Bend County, contact Volunteer Fort Bend 281-340-1919 or online at www.VolunteerFortBend.org.