In times of crisis, it is important to come together as a community to lift morale among its members. Even through small contributions, every person has the power to make a difference. Anything positive that you can contribute to your community is appreciated, whether that is volunteering your time/talents, donating money, or spreading positivity through other means. 

Specifically, a great way to help your community during a crisis is through volunteering. Almost anyone can become a volunteer if they find the right place for them. There are many different ways you can do it, and all kinds of talents are needed in order to best serve your community. For ideas about how and where you can volunteer, read our previous article here!

Volunteering can be a form of self-care that does two jobs in one. It not only helps your community, but it helps you, too! This is because of the positive physical and mental impacts that volunteering has on you.

It Improves Your Mental Health

It is commonly said that helping others is good for your soul. This has been proven to be true empirically by several sources. According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering is good for your mental health by:

• Decreasing the risk of depression
• Reduces stress levels
• Keeps people mentally active 

Volunteering often includes helping people face to face, which increases social interactions. Building relationships with people who share similar interests with you helps build a support system. Volunteering can have a “stress-reducing effect” by making you feel appreciative and purposeful. Also called “helper’s high,” it is a great way to gain self-confidence and mental stimulation while also improving the lives of others. 

All of these things help fight depression, anxiety, and boost mental stimulation. This is especially important now, when social distancing keeps people from interacting like they normally would. 

It Improves Your Physical Health

Volunteering isn’t only good for your mental health. It is awesome for your physical health, too! Several studies have linked stress and heart disease. High levels of stress can:

• Raise blood pressure
• Raise cholesterol
• Increase bodily inflammation
• Cause an irregular heartbeat

Because of the stress-reducing qualities that volunteering has, those who volunteer often have shown to live longer and have reduced rates of heart disease.

Volunteering also has also been shown to reduce the risk of types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. This is due to the level of social interaction that is often associated with volunteering. Interacting with others, whether in person or by social distancing guidelines, promotes cognitive function. It helps the brain stay healthy by keeping it active, reducing nerve deterioration that is common in old age. Emam Saber, a senior citizen from California, is a prime example of how volunteering can improve quality of life. Saber serves his community by cooking food for local churches, nonprofits, and schools. Even though he suffers from chronic pain and arthritis, Saber says that “serving others brings him joy.”

Volunteering Encourages Learning New Skills

Volunteering is a great way to learn new life skills. It is the perfect opportunity to get more “tools” in your metaphorical life tool-belt because you are volunteering your time and talents for FREE. What better time to learn something new than in an environment that promotes helping people?

Volunteering can teach you skills such as

• Leadership
• Time-management
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Conflict Resolution

In addition to teaching you soft skills that help you in life, volunteering is an awesome way to get practice on skills you want to improve on. For example, here at Safe Harbor International Ministries, you can volunteer your creative talents by assisting in our Love Project. You can help make comfort items, like quilts, for those who need lifting up during hard times such as these. There are opportunities to work on other skills such as writing, mentoring, community outreach, and more! To find out how you can volunteer at Safe Harbor, click here! 

Volunteering encourages family bonding 

Being a solo volunteer is helpful in itself. However, it can also be fun for the whole family! Including the whole family in volunteer efforts brings many of the same benefits as it does alone, like learning empathy and teamwork. However, volunteering as a family fosters other forms of growth, like family bonding. Spending time as a family allows parents and children to see each other from a new perspective. When families work together, it gives everyone a chance to see and appreciate each person’s special skills. Working together makes family members communicate with each other. This is a vital skill in order to have a functional family unit. 

There are many opportunities for families to volunteer together. Volunteerhub suggests group activities such as

• Building homes
• Planting trees and gardens
• Volunteer vacations
• Hosting community events

Volunteering as a family is a perfect way to encourage family bonding while also helping your community. It allows parents to teach their children valuable life skills while also instilling a sense of empathy for their neighbors. Volunteering as a family provides indispensable benefits for the family unit that will foster healthy family relationships. 

Conclusion

If helping others isn’t enough of a benefit, volunteering provides personal enrichment that can have huge impacts on your life. Reducing stress, fighting depression, and lengthening lives are just some of the many positive impacts that volunteering can have on you. Learning and improving on new skills in a helpful environment elevates your quality of life and creates valuable social connections. Volunteering as a family creates strong bonds and teaches future generations the importance of charity.

When times are hard, volunteering is a wonderful way to show your community that you care. Even when things are good, it is important to practice empathy, so that when things do get rough, you know how to help your neighbor. The old saying goes “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” which is true. However, by volunteering, you have the ability to help others while also helping yourself.

Written by Bethany Fischer, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles/