If you’re like many people, you have probably helped your community or neighbors during the holiday season. According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, about 25 percent of people volunteer via organizations during the holiday season while roughly two-thirds of people assist their neighbors. However, not nearly as many people volunteer their time, money, or resources during the rest of the year, leaving many places severely understaffed and hundreds or thousands of people in need. There are a variety of reasons to give back to your community no matter the time of year.
How Volunteering Helps the Community
There are plenty of ways to volunteer, each one benefitting the community. Do you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters such as wildfires, tornadoes, or floods? Is your community prepared for such a disaster? In some cases, the federal government simply cannot send enough aid to help in these situations, especially if multiple counties within the state — or worse, multiple states — are affected.
By gathering community members and organizing an emergency supply drive, you can help to ensure your friends and neighbors are safe in the event of natural disaster. This is especially important for low-income neighborhoods where residents may not have the emergency funds or insurance to cover damages or supplies.
Less serious but equally important is providing help on an individual level by tutoring or mentoring children, teenagers, or adults. Consider providing homework help, creating after-school programs for children whose parents are still at work, or helping adults study to earn their GEDs. You can also help them prepare for interviews, create resumes, or fill out job applications, skills that are especially helpful for those who are transitioning from incarceration, are looking for work after beating addiction, or who have left abusive relationships and now need to provide for themselves and children.
Volunteering can truly bring people together. If you have area small businesses help by donating time, space, or supplies to your causes, community members are more likely to look at them favorably and to spend money in their stores over the big department stores. You will develop relationships with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures, bringing the community together and providing safe space for its members.
How Volunteering Helps Yourself
Providing your time and services is also good for you. Depending on where and how you volunteer, you may gain new experience and skills such as the ability to teach a class, use specific computer programs or software, or operate food service products like ovens. If you plan to go to college or apply for a new job soon, you may consider volunteering your time in an industry in which your major or potential job falls. For example, if you want to go into sports medicine or another sport-related field, consider volunteering as a coach for local teams.
Volunteering is also good for your mental and physical health. Because it provides you with a sense of purpose and something to focus your mind on, you may find yourself feeling less stressed, less anxious, and even less angry, all of which could lower your blood pressure and cause better physical health. If you do labor-intensive volunteer work such as moving heavy objects or spending many hours on your feet, your health could further improve because of the extra physical exercise you are getting.
One benefit of volunteering is the companionship. Many people end up making friends not only with fellow volunteers but also with the people they help. You are likely to build a lifelong network of people who will always hold a special place in your heart. You may even find someone to build a romance with. Take it from Eugene Chrinian and his wife Donna. Volunteering has always been a primary priority and driving force of their marriage.
How to Get Started as a Volunteer
To get started as a volunteer, consider who you want to help and how. If you are healthy enough to do physical labor, you may be able to do things such as stock pantries and create food boxes for those in need, provide assistance at animal shelters, or move furniture for those who are donating to or receiving furniture from charitable organizations. If you cannot do manual labor for long periods of time, plenty of places need help with administrative tasks such as paperwork or making phone calls.
Once you decide what you want to do, start contacting local organizations or talk to others you know who volunteer and ask if they know of any places that need help. You can also try searching online databases. Several websites cater to matching volunteers with organizations that need their help.
By providing your expertise or time to your community, you not only create a happier and healthier life for yourself but for those in your community. You also set a good example, making it more likely that children or other people in your life also become volunteers. Be sure to offer time during the summer or spring when volunteers are less abundant.