Volunteer Appreciation Week

It seems everything has a special week, day or month these days. And, honestly everything does - last week there was even Grilled Cheese Day - come on, people!! But, seriously Volunteer Appreciation Week is important. Since I was a little girl going to volunteer at the museum with my grandma or my mom's workplace with her, I have been volunteering and I am proud that is how I was raised. Since leaving the workforce in 2002, it is one thing that has been a consistent part of my life and since having our youngest with some struggles and starting my first support group in 2008 it has been my main "job" outside of family.

I know that in our world today everyone is busy, I fully understand that I know that I am beyond blessed to volunteer the amount that I do. I seriously believe that everyone can find ways to volunteer for nonprofits that they find have value to them - yes, I volunteer for health related ones, but that is for obvious reasons. Many nonprofits rely on volunteers for their organizations to exist and their missions to move forward at all.

Now that I have shared a very little about why volunteering is good for our communities, let me tell you that it can be good for you personally in many ways. According to www.volunteerhub.com, "Volunteerism improves health by strengthening the body, improving mood, and lessening stress in participants." The rest of the statistics that I will use are also from the same source. Let's think about this for a minute, doing something that is good for an organization that does good for the community you live in can also help you as an individual outside of the goals and missions of the organization.

This is done in quite a few ways actually. Volunteering can help you personally and professionally. The contacts we make and the information and skills that we acquire add to who we are outside of our roles as volunteers. Hiring managers like to see volunteering as part of a person's experience as it shows that they are willing to go above and beyond for things they are committed to and that they are well-rounded. Volunteering is a great way to build a new skill set - many organizations need volunteers and once in the door can use you for a range of services. I can speak firsthand that it also becomes a way to build friendships. Many others volunteering in an organization with you probably have a lot in common with you, bringing you to this specific group to give of your time and talents. I have made some of the best friends I have through volunteering!

There are also studies showing that it can help your physical and mental health. As far as mental health, I already mentioned the connections that you make which can help your mental health. Contributing to something that has value also improves your mental health, doing good for others, helps you feel good about yourself. It can give you a way use talents you may not use at your paid job or in your family life - using your full potential feels good. I was surprised to read that it also help your physical health too! According to a report by AmeriCorps those who volunteer over 100 hours a year are among the healthiest in the U.S. And hand in hand with reducing stress, volunteering decreases the likelihood of high blood pressure development by 40%.

With an estimated 1.8 million active nonprofits in the United States volunteerism has a value of over $184 billion dollars. I think this week is a good time for each of us to reflect on the organizations in our community that are nonprofits doing good and look in the mirror to see how we can assist them in making a difference.

Source: https://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/40-volunteer-statistics/#:~:text=4%25%20of%20college%20graduates%2C%2025,only%20one%20organization%20each%20year.