From filling the shelves at local food banks and handing out meals at homeless shelters to taking care of cats and dogs at local animal shelters, volunteers fill vital roles in communities around the country and across the globe. These volunteers are the unsung heroes of our society, and the good they do is nearly limitless.
If you want to do your part, there are plenty of reasons to join in. As a volunteer, you will be serving your community and doing good for others, but you will enjoy some critical benefits in the process. Below, Omar Ascha, a finance professional dedicated to giving back to his local community reveals ten underappreciated benefits of volunteering.
1. You Will Feel Good
This is perhaps the most important reward of all. Volunteering in the community and lending a hand to a cause you believe in will give you a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.
2. You Will Meet Great People
The one thing you know about your fellow volunteers is that they are giving of their time and their money. The people you meet while volunteering could become the most important people in your life.
3. You Could Forge Valuable Relationships
From captains of industry and owners of local businesses to celebrities, you never know who you will meet when you volunteer. The people you meet could become key contacts going forward.
4. You Could Get A Lead on A Paying Job
If you are looking for a job, volunteering can be a valuable tool in that pursuit. Your fellow volunteer could give you valuable insight into the local job market, and hot leads on open positions.
5. You Will Get To Know Your Community
If you are new in town, volunteering can give you a crash course in the region, especially its needs. The information you learn can help you fit in with the local community as well as help you forge new friendships.
6. Volunteering is A Great Way To Beef Up Your Resume
If you are a new high school or college graduate, volunteering in the community is a great way to beef up your resume. Those volunteer positions will look great on your resume, and your fellow volunteers could become valuable references.
7. It Will Keep You Active
Whether you are a recent retiree or just looking for something interesting to do, volunteering will engage your mind and body. Staying active is one of the most important, yet least appreciated, benefits of volunteering.
8. You Can Improve Your Self-Confidence
If your ego needs a boost, why not give volunteering a try? Volunteering in the community can enhance your confidence and to improve your sense of well being.
9. Volunteering During The Holidays Can Help You Fight The Winter Blues
It is easy to feel down when darkness falls early, but volunteering during the holidays can help you fight those winter blues. Working alongside others who have less wealth than you yet still find good cheer is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
10. Volunteering Could Boost Your Time Management Skills
Having so much to do could put more time in your day by improving your time management skills. As non-profit works become more valuable to your weekly schedule, you’ll automatically adjust your calendar and prioritize your tasks to ensure you have proper time to invest in your community.
Whether you dole out meals at the local homeless shelter, tutor underprivileged students or put your carpentry skills to work building houses for the needy, volunteering can improve the community and the lives of others. But volunteering can also enhance your own experience by giving you a sense of purpose and a feeling of accomplishment. The ten benefits listed above are just the tip of the iceberg, so why not see what volunteering is all about?
About Omar Ascha: While Omar Ascha is very busy in his line of work, he still makes time for the community around him and his friends and family. On his days off, Mr. Ascha can be found volunteering in the community or mentoring young professionals. He is a firm believer on the importance of giving back and highly respects the work done by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.