Nevada, especially hard hit by the COVID-19-prompted closing of public facing businesses like casinos and restaurants, is just one of the many sites in which public service workers are selflessly giving back to their communities in a time of need.

Maria Hortiz-Huey, a member of AFSCME Local 404, and formerly an employee of the state’s unemployment insurance office, was relocated to the Nevada JobConnect call center to assist in connecting businesses with job seekers when the local UI office closed.

Maria’s special skill set in assisting the unemployed is a priceless attribute at a time when so many are out of work: “We get so many calls each day, but we are helping people one by one and I’m particularly able to help Spanish speakers. It’s 12-hour days, but so many people have suddenly found themselves needing support right now, and we are here to help,” she says.

“The work I’m coming into the call center to do is important for my community. I’m proud to be able to help so many people each day because it means people will be able to stay in their homes or feed their families.”

Read more about Maria and the public service work she’s doing to support the fight against COVID-19 here.