Why Volunteer? The Benefits of Giving Back and How to Get Started

Volunteering Is Mutually Beneficial

Want to be more satisfied with life and less prone to depression? Volunteer! According to Idealist.org editor Allison Jones, research shows that volunteering not only makes you feel good, communities with high levels of volunteering have lower levels of unemployment. But sometimes it's hard to know where to start. "We all see problems in our communities, but what we don’t always recognize is that we have the power to change those problems and make them better,” says Robert Rosenthal, spokesperson for VolunteerMatch.org. “Most of the neighborhood institutions, like museums, fire departments, schools and hospitals came out of people coming together to solve local problems.”
Whether you have five hours or five minutes to spare, there are ways to help out and make your community better. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Find the Right Volunteering Match

To find a cause that suits you, Rosenthal recommends asking yourself these questions: “Is there a change in the world that I want to see? What cause do I care about and what organizations represent that? What do I want to do with my time -- do I want to use my skills or learn new ones? Who do I want to do this with? And, lastly, what’s my availability?”

Know Where to Look for Opportunities

Once you’ve answered those questions, try using volunteer search engines, like Volunteer Match, or contact local chapters of charities you’d like to get involved with. Or, start at home. “An easy way to get involved is to look at what community centers, libraries, houses of worship and schools need,” says Jones. “In addition to needing volunteers, these places tend to share opportunities other organizations may have. They are the local hubs of community engagement so pop in and see what’s available.” Whether you have five hours or five minutes to spare, there are ways to help out and make your community better. Here, a few ideas to get you started.

Use Volunteering to Boost Your Career

“If you’re eager to make volunteering a regular part of your life, it’s okay to think about how you might benefit,” says Jones. For example, maybe you want to develop and strengthen your skills for work, or meet people who can expand your professional network. If so, look for roles where you’re likely to work with others towards a professional goal. According to Rosenthal, intermediary organizations like the Taproot Foundation recruit teams and lend them out to nonprofits. They may put together a team for web design projects, where you have a copywriter, project manager and producer all working together for the first time. Or, says Jones, you can create your own opportunity. “If you’re entrepreneurial and want to build a portfolio, consider proposing a project for a nonprofit, like a web redesign or marketing campaign.”

Cheer from the Sidelines

You love the idea of a walk for a cause, but soliciting money through fundraising isn’t your thing. Another way to get involved is by participating behind the scenes. These fun runs and walks need volunteers to help set up the course, register athletes, hand out water or t-shirts, provide information to spectators and clean up after the event, says Rosenthal.

Meet New People

You’re new to the neighborhood, or simply want to forge stronger ties in your town. For opportunities to improve your community while making friends with those who live in it, Rosenthal suggests repainting buildings in your park, beach cleanups or house builds through programs like Habitat for Humanity. “Anything where you have a bunch of people working together in teams, and the work isn’t so involved that you can’t talk and do the work at the same time is perfect for people who want to be social,” he says. 

Volunteer From Home

Even if you can’t get out of the house, you can still donate your time to a good cause. According to Rosenthal, four to six percent of their volunteer listings can be done virtually. “If you know how to knit, you could produce hats, mittens, scarves or even baby blankets for people who need help,” he says. Or, foster kittens or puppies for the local shelter. “Anything that supports the mission of a nonprofit is volunteering,” he says.

Don’t Forget Everyday Actions

If you’re not a joiner, there are plenty of simple but meaningful deeds you can work into your daily routine to improve your community. For instance, you can keep a bag with you and pick up trash when you’re out walking, or clean out your pantry and donate those goods to the local soup kitchen. Offer to rake leaves or shovel snow for an elderly neighbor. If you do these things with your family, it teaches children the importance of doing good for others.

Volunteer as a Family

When looking for something for little ones, Rosenthal recommends searching for opportunities that are good for groups and families. “They’re usually things that involve different levels of skills, and often there’s a trained volunteer coordinator to insure kids’ safety,” he explains. He recommends visiting or making art and crafts for seniors, children in the hospital or battered families. “Anything that requires a loving touch and kindness is perfect for children,” he says. For instance, bringing your kids along to deliver food with Meals on Wheels can put a smile on the face of elderly and other house-bound people.

Get Friends Involved

When your schedule is packed, you don’t want to choose between seeing friends or volunteering. Combine the two and organize a volunteering party, so you can catch up with friends while working towards a good cause. A fun way to do this is by hosting a Drop In & Decorate® event, where you bake up a big batch of cookies, invite friends over to decorate them, and then donate them to shelters or food pantries. It’s not about curing hunger, says founder Lydia Walshin. “It’s about giving people a small gift that makes them smile and brightens their day.” To find out how to host your own event, visit dropinanddecorate.org for recipes, decorating ideas and help finding local institutions where you can donate your cookies.

Embrace Your Holiday Spirit

Volunteering your time is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. Sponsor a holiday food drive at work, spend Thanksgiving at a soup kitchen, spread cheer by visiting a nursing home, answer letters to Santa from disadvantaged kids, or “adopt” a family and fulfill their Christmas wish lists. What better feeling is there than to make a kid happy at the holidays? Keep the necessities in mind, too. According to Rosenthal, one of the biggest needs is helping people stay warm, fed and clothed during winter, when we’re most at-risk.