During tax season, Maribeth Berg is the friend to keep on speed dial. A retired tax CPA from the Midwest, Maribeth has recently started volunteering behind-the-scenes in our finance department. After a career crunching numbers, she is able to breeze through day-to-day accounting tasks and will soon be helping with the implementation of new accounting software.
Tired of northeast Ohio’s bitterly cold winters and 100+ inches of snowfall, Maribeth and her family moved west two years ago, finding refuge in Portland’s milder climate. Maribeth first connected to Habitat’s mission while commuting to and from work in Cleveland. It was there she saw firsthand the transformative process of Habitat’s work, how build sites of new and rehabbed homes acted as catalysts, sparking a wave of revitalization within previously undervalued neighborhoods.
Once settled in Portland, Maribeth saw Habitat’s advertisement for a volunteer financial assistant. “I started my career working in accounting positions with not-for-profit entities. Now, many years later, I’m happy to be back in the not-for-profit world and helping an organization I feel proud to support.”
When not volunteering at Habitat, Maribeth regularly lends her financial expertise to many other organizations. You can find her leading the Tax Aide summer site at the Lloyd Center and volunteering as a tax preparer at the Matt Dishman Community Center during tax season. Maribeth also volunteers in the kitchen at the Elsie Stuhr Senior Center, where she uses her husband’s wonderful cooking as inspiration.
Amanda Matlin, Habitat Staff Accountant, adds “Maribeth has become a great addition to the Finance Department. She is dependable, thorough and pays great attention to detail. This high level of competency allows me to feel confident that Maribeth can keep day-to-day financial needs covered.”
Volunteering with Habitat doesn’t always involve a hammer and nails. For Maribeth, it consists of laying the foundation for decent and affordable homes before the cement is even poured.