Feeling Good by Doing Good
Volunteering Benefits Everyone Involved
(firmenpresse) - MISSION, KS -- (Marketwire) -- 10/25/11 -- (Family Features) All across the country ordinary people are serving their neighbors and communities by volunteering -- and it's making a big difference in the lives of the most vulnerable.
In 2010, 62.8 million adults volunteered for almost 8.1 billion hours in local and national organizations, according to Volunteering in America. This service is valued at nearly $173 billion.
When you volunteer, your time and effort not only helps others, but can actually benefit you in tangible ways. Studies have shown that adults who volunteer one to two hours a week have:
Lower mortality rates.
Greater functional ability.
Lower rates of depression.
Volunteer activities strengthen social connections, which protects people from a sense of isolation during hard times. And helping others not only expands your own horizons, it can make you feel better about yourself.
There are many ways you can volunteer. Some of the most popular ways, according to Volunteering in America, include:
Mentoring or tutoring youth.
Helping raise money or selling items to raise money for an organization.
Collecting, preparing, distributing or serving food.
Providing general labor or transportation.
You can find volunteering opportunities through your local house of worship, community center, workplace or school. You can search online at sites such as and , as well.
There are also opportunities in some surprising places. Foresters™, a life insurance provider committed to the well-being of families, gives members the opportunity to volunteer in their communities through partnerships with organizations such as KaBOOM!, helping to build playgrounds in some of North America's toughest and poorest neighborhoods. Other key partnerships providing volunteer opportunities are with Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Radiothon program, raising funds to support 170 children's hospitals throughout North America. Learn more at .
If you would like to volunteer but aren't sure how to get started, here are some tips to consider:
Go with your strengths. If you have some specialized skills, such as teaching, cooking or sewing, look for places that could use those skills. Keep your own personality in mind, too -- if you're an introvert that gets worn out by crowds, don't offer to be the greeter at a big event or the emcee at a banquet.
Think about your availability. There are different levels of commitment for different types of volunteer activities. Mentoring or tutoring requires a regular, rather intensive commitment, while serving at a charity race is a much shorter-term commitment.
Volunteer with friends or family. Volunteering with others is a great way to strengthen your relationships and help others at the same time. Consider opportunities suitable for parents and children, a husband and wife, or even a small group of friends to take on together.
No matter where you decide to serve, as a volunteer you'll feel good knowing that you're doing good right in your own back yard.
Foresters™ is the trade name and a trademark of The Independent Order of Foresters, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9; its subsidiaries are licensed to use this mark.
Foresters member benefits are non-contractual, subject to eligibility requirements and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice. For details, visit .
This and other food and lifestyle content can be found at . Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for use in print and online publications. Register with no obligation to access a variety of formatted and unformatted features, accompanying photos, and automatically updating Web content solutions.
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Datum: 25.10.2011 - 14:54 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
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MISSION, KS
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