Volunteering: Good for you and your community

Why should you volunteer? There are many benefits to volunteering, not only for those you are helping, but also for yourself! While life can get busy and the prospect of volunteering can be overwhelming, you might be surprised by what you can gain from taking the leap.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Many non-profits rely solely on the time and efforts of their volunteers in order to accomplish their goals. Without the generosity of volunteers, meals wouldn’t be made and distributed to the hungry, stray animals wouldn’t be cared for and adopted out to new homes, and patients wouldn’t get the lifesaving blood donations they need.

Volunteering your time, skills, and resources is a powerful way to make a difference, help others, and in turn, enhance your own well-being.

4 benefits of volunteering

1. Build community. Working with others towards a common goal helps foster meaningful relationships. Volunteering gives you the unique opportunity to connect with people who share similar interests and values. If you’re looking to meet new people and make new friends, volunteering is a great way to do just that!
2. Improve skills and learn new ones. The training and hands-on experience you gain while volunteering can help you learn new skills, as well as improve upon the ones you already have. For example, if you help fundraise for a cause that is important to you, you might gain valuable public speaking, communication, and marketing skills.
3. Bring fun and fulfillment into your life. Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Finding meaningful volunteer opportunities can serve as a great escape from your daily routine of work, school, and other life commitments. For instance, if you work in an office all day but love the outdoors, you might volunteer to tend to a community garden or walk dogs for an animal shelter.
4. Improve your health. Research shows that volunteerism yields many positive health benefits. It can reduce stress and anxiety, increase happiness, and boost your confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Studies have also found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate compared to those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills.

Ready to kick-start your volunteering journey?

If you have a particular organization in mind, find their website to learn more about available volunteer opportunities. If you’re not sure where to start, go to volunteermatch.org, enter your location, and click “Find Opportunities”. You can use the filters at the top to find opportunities by cause, skills, and distance. Select an opportunity you are interested in to see additional details. If you want to express interest in volunteering for the organization, select “I want to help” and you will be able to send a message directly to the organization regarding your interest or to ask any questions.

It’s as simple as that! Happy volunteering!