Volunteer Work

What Did You Do On Your Lunch Break?

When is the last time you considered doing volunteer work? An hour of time one day per week can make a tremendous difference in the life of another person. Whether that hour is spent reading to a classroom of second-graders or delivering blankets to a shelter, one hour can make an impact that lasts a lifetime.

About 64.5 million people did volunteer work at least once from September 2003 to September 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Why do so many people offer their time to help others? The reasons are as varied as the individuals themselves.

Volunteering provides benefits to everyone involved. There is no question that the people who are being helped gain many benefits. As a volunteer, you also benefit by learning new skills, meeting other people, having fun and gaining a fresh perspective on life.

One hour per week can provide this and so much more.

To become a volunteer, you will first want to spend some time thinking about the activities that you enjoy, the causes you believe are important and the amount of time you have to offer. Our culture is fast-paced and hectic these days, so carving out enough time to make an impact may seem difficult. Just remember that quality is more important than quantity where volunteering your time is concerned.

For that reason, spending a lunch break once per week can be a great solution to the time constraints most of us face. It is a reasonably short amount of time, so it can be fit into most schedules, yet it is enough to provide some valuable services for people who are in need.

What can a person do during a lunch break? Here are some ideas, in no particular order:

1. Food Banks - sort and repackage food, pick up food to take to shelters, stuff envelopes for mailings, recruit other volunteers, help with fundraisers and clean storage areas.



2. Reading Programs - various programs are available in nearly every city and offer opportunities to share the world of reading with others - children and adults



3. Hospitals - filing, taking magazines and books to patients, straightening waiting areas, offering a smile and a listening ear, reading to patients, and much more.



4. Homeless Shelters - distribute meals, help with clerical duties, serve meals



5. The Red Cross - donate blood or train to help in disaster relief efforts



6. Senior Citizens Centers - sit and visit with or read to residents, help plan and participate in activities, decorate for holidays, create a newsletter for residents and their families



7. The Salvation Army - office assistance, literacy tutor, translator, smoking cessation tutor, deliver meals



8. Libraries - shelve books, reading programs, children programs

An hour of time one day per week can make a tremendous difference in the life of another person. That person could be YOU.

There is almost no way to explain the feeling inside when you have finished an hour of reading to a group of young people and they plead with you to stay and read longer. It is next to impossible to put into words the joy of accomplishment when you see the smiling faces of elderly people enjoying a holiday meal.

Yes, the work you do as a volunteer benefits the people who are on the receiving end of your time and effort. As you can see, though, there is a whole lot more to it than that. When you volunteer to help others, you benefit in so many ways, too.

In as little as one hour per week, you can make a difference in someone's life. That someone may just be you.

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