Volunteering for your community is one of the best things you could do for yourself and those around you. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that volunteerism in the United States declined in 2013 by 1.1 percent. That puts the rate at 25.4 percent, which means slightly more than 62 million Americans volunteer.
Women tend to volunteer more than men and those between the ages of 35 and 44 volunteer the most. Merriam-Webster defines a volunteer as “a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service.”
Known for his wise quips, the nation’s 16th president had a fitting description of the act of volunteering. “To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.”
Although Abraham Lincoln’s exceptional nation still abounds with volunteers, they comprise only a minority of the population – with their estimated value of work at $22.50 an hour.
Americans volunteered nearly 7.7 billion hours in 2013, generated nearly $173 billion in service, according to www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.
Volunteering Helps Improve Your Psychological Health
We at Bricks R Us, your premier specialists in brick engraving and brick fundraising, are thinking that you might be wondering why we’re loading you up with these statistics – especially considering that you might be trying to organize a fundraiser of your own.
Volunteering helps improve your mental and physical health, according to helpguide.org. Here are some ways it helps:
It increases your self confidence and self esteem and improves how satisfied you are with your life. By helping others, you feel a sense of accomplishment and civic pride and you sharpen your view of your goals.
Volunteering helps squash depression. Depression often stems from social isolation; volunteering put you into regular contact with others and helps you develop a social support system. This helps protect you from stress. Working with animals also helps improve your mood.
Volunteering helps keep you in shape – especially among older people. Studies conclude that volunteers have lower mortality rates. It also lessens symptoms of chronic pain and heart disease.
Volunteering Helps Improve Your Social Health
You may not be a social butterfly, but volunteering tends to prepare you for flight.
Here are a few ways volunteering helps you in a social way:
Establishing a commitment to shared cause binds you together with other like-minded people. It’s a good way to get to know and connect with new people and it helps strengthen community bonds.
Volunteering helps shape your social personality by allowing you to engage others in more meaningful ways. If you’re shy and withdrawn, volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills.
Are you thinking about volunteering? Would you like more information about volunteering and forming a fundraiser? Visit our website or contact us! We’d love to hear from you.
