There are so many volunteer opportunities available these days that it can be challenging to know where to start. After all, you can’t help everyone, even though you might want to. The good news, though, is that you don’t have to let that stress you out. Finding a local nonprofit that is doing good work in your community is an easy way to get started.
Here’s a look at how even one volunteer opportunity can change all kinds of lives!
Volunteering Makes a (Local) Difference
Volunteering changes the lives of the people you’re helping, sure, but it can do even more than that. When you’re supporting local kids, you’re adding additional value to your community. Those children are part of the community and they will continue to contribute as they grow up. An investment of your time in a local volunteer opportunity is absolutely an investment into your community.
Connect with Your Community
Volunteering locally is a great way to feel connected to your community. You’ll meet new people, do great things, and make your little slice of the world a healthier, happier place for everyone. This is an added benefit if you’re new in town or you just want to learn a bit more about where you live. Local volunteering is also a great way to get started in long term projects and opportunities throughout your community.
Personal Gain is Nice, Too!
When you volunteer, you learn new things: a valuable skill, an interesting worldview, or maybe even the name of a contact who could help later in your career. (Don’t forget that volunteer work fits perfectly on resumes and college applications!)
No matter what you choose to do with your time–whether you’re helping kids, walking shelter dogs, or handing out meals at a food bank–rest assured that volunteering has amazing health benefits. Both your body and mind can benefit from getting out there and doing some good.
A Helping Hand
When you choose to donate your time and effort to help people in need, work for a worthy organization, or contribute to a project you feel strongly about, you’re giving a sort of “two-way gift.” Naturally, the people you’re helping get to benefit from your kindness–but so do you. Community service comes with all kinds of personal advantages, including:
- Development of leadership skills
- Practice improving teamwork
- Mental health benefits
- Strengthened problem-solving skills
- Opportunities to make new friends and develop contacts
- The satisfaction of helping others
To be fair, “the satisfaction of helping others” might seem like a cliche–but the truth is that it can be incredibly beneficial to your emotions, focus, and self-esteem to shift the focus from yourself for awhile and fulfill tangible achievements in your community.
Local Community Service Ideas
Looking to lend a hand but aren’t sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of community service ideas!
Animal shelters
If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity that allows you to spend time with adorable pets all day, there’s nowhere better to start than your local animal shelter. There are always dogs who want to be walked and kittens who need to be played with!
Food drives
Food drives are a great way to get started with community service because you can do them right in your own neighborhood. Just be sure to check what kinds of food your local shelters or community pantries can accept!
Building beds
According to our own data, 2-3% of U.S. kids don’t have beds to sleep in. Sleep in Heavenly Peace offers opportunities for volunteers to help solve this crisis by building and delivering beds to families in need, and we’re always looking for people willing to pitch in.
Looking for more information about community service? Interested in helping kids get a good night’s sleep? We’re happy to help (or to have your help!). Contact us or find a build day happening soon near you!
Help Local Kids with SHP
One example of a great local volunteer opportunity is helping kids get a good night’s sleep. With SHP, you can gather friends, coworkers, or even just people in your community to build bunk beds that will give local children a safer, more comfortable place to sleep than the floor or couch. On top of that, you’ll get all the above benefits and more, so you won’t just be changing kids’ lives. You’ll be changing your own, too!
Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? Want to help local kids? We’d love to have your support. Get in touch today!