This past week was my 25th birthday and as much as I love my job, I felt like I wanted to do something that I would remember forever. Giving back to the community has been something I have always supported, and participated in. This past year, I became more engaged by mentoring a young, single mom in a shelter with her finances (I did this in a 6 month program after work). After the program ended and with my birthday coming up, I decided to take off a whole day of work to commit to community building.
After reaching out to a number of local organizations, it came down to Habitat for Humanity which was planning to work on building a house and was happy to have me on board! I did not hesitate to join there crew. On my birthday, I spent the day drilling dry wall onto the first floor walls of the house and despite recovering from a cold and being chilly in the morning, it was a great experience!
I know it sounds like a big time commitment or too much work to find a place to volunteer, but once you actually do go through with a small commitment like this, not only does it help others, but it is so rewarding on a personal level! I think this is because you can actually SEE the difference you are making.
If you are interested in volunteering this is what I suggest:
- Ask around. Word of mouth travels fast and you might know someone connected to a great organization which needs help! If not on person, social media is a wonderful tool to find out what’s going on in your area.
- Decide what you care about most. There are so many causes that are important to me so it is hard to pick just one! However, you will need to. Love animals? Check out your nearest Humane Society. Crazy for environmental preservation? Join a clean-up crew!
- Also consider what you are good at. Act accordingly. For example, if you are a money person, spearheading or joining a fundraiser is an excellent choice.
- If you are not finding what you are looking for, I strongly suggest Volunteer Match or other websites that can connect you to organizations that fit what you want to do.
With helping out being so easy, what are you waiting for?!
Petite Activist 