PEMBROKE — For university faculty, the mission is threefold: teaching, scholarship and community service. Community service is the most difficult assignment, unless you are Veronica Hardy.
A social work professor in her 10th year at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Hardy recently was named volunteer of the year by the United Way of Robeson County for her work after Hurricane Florence.
The key to Hardy’s success in the community service arena is that it folds neatly into her teaching and scholarship, and is deeply rooted in spirituality. Volunteering is one aspect of a well-rounded career and life.
Before joining the United Way board of directors in 2015, Hardy sent social work majors to intern with the organization to gain hands-on experience in the field. She liked what she saw at the United Way.
“I was looking for volunteer experience, and after sending students for internships at the United Way, I jumped in too,” Hardy said. “The assistant director, Latricia Freeman, (now director) is a former UNCP student.”
Hardy’s volunteering took a new turn after Hurricane Florence. It was driven, in part, by personal circumstances.
“My house was surrounded by water, and I could not get home for more than a week,” she said. “I wanted to do something, and as a social worker, I thought I could help.”
Hardy worked several days at Robeson County’s Emergency Operations Center, coordinating volunteers alongside United Way staff members. Then, she helped out at the United Way distribution center in downtown Lumberton.
“A lot of work was done,” Hardy said. “Later, I helped with the United Way Thanksgiving dinner for flood victims at the Bill Sapp Center. We decorated, and it was very nice.”
The award for volunteering came as a complete surprise to Hardy. She decided to attend the annual banquet because of her relationship with the United Way.
“When I got there and picked up a program, I saw my name in it,” she said. “It was a nice surprise, very sweet.”
Hardy’s community service is integrated into her professional and spiritual life in other ways. She has sponsored a series of programs on women’s empowerment. She tackles issues such as sexual and domestic violence, body image, personal finance and human trafficking.
Hardy began a crusade to bring awareness to human trafficking before it became a national and international issue. Another name for slavery, human trafficking continues today for sexual commerce and forced labor.
“I became aware of human trafficking when I taught a course titled African-American Populations,” Hardy said. “It was a new course for us, and I was learning about migration, immigration and slavery.
“In my research, I learned about modern slavery. I felt a responsibility to do something about it, and do it now because there is more human trafficking today than at any time in history.”
At the time, the public was barely aware of human trafficking, but with advocates like Hardy, it has moved into the public consciousness.
“I was very intentional in my research, and I took the issue on by doing awareness presentations,” she said.
Speaking at seminars and other gatherings, Hardy and many others got the message out to law enforcement and social service organizations. The media got the message, too, and exposed trafficking in the tomato fields of Florida, fishing fleets in the Indian Ocean, in illegal immigration and across the United States.
For Hardy, the issue of human trafficking was part of a broader message on women’s empowerment and racial equality. Hardy has organized 10 programs in Lumberton, Pembroke and Fayetteville with titles including “There is Power in Your Story,” “Self-care That Doesn’t Cost,” “Domestic Violence Awareness,” and “Starting a Nonprofit and Loving It.”
Hardy brings a lot to the table with a background in private practice, social work therapy, case management and counseling in a wide variety of settings. She continues to offer programs and recently won a grant to train school social workers on racial equity issues regarding school suspensions and other educational issues.
Active on campus, off-campus, in professional organizations and in her church, Hardy is driven to serve, and the driving force is her faith. The culmination of all her good works is a book that was published in January.
Titled “A Letter to my Sisters: Reflecting on God’s Promise,” the book is a collection of nine, Bible-based short stories about situations affecting women. Each story reflects on a Bible passage, and it focuses on the story of Tamar, daughter of King David, and her trials.
“It wasn’t intended to be a book,” Hardy insists, “but the story caught me. It covers issues such as sexual and domestic violence and body imaging, things that make women feel less than.
“It reminds us who we are, and that the situations we go through do not define us. My goal is to encourage others through story, spirituality and reflection.”
Each chapter invites readers to reflect on a series of questions. It is an open invitation for women to begin a journal and to find their own strong voice.
To her readers, Hardy writes: “Remember, there is power in your unique story to help, inspire strengthen and encourage others. Keep moving forward, reflect on God’s promises and live your life beautifully.”
