Page 6 - Celebrate The Season 2015

How giving back can be so good
Charitable endeavors made by celebrities and other prominent people often make the news. However, millions of regular people across the country and out of the limelight also do their share to help the various groups fighting for good causes.
People have various reasons for getting involved in philanthropic efforts. A Gallup survey on volunteering in the United States found that more than half of volunteers do it because they like helping others. Just about 40 percent said they volunteer to feel good about themselves.
As many volunteers already know, people who give get something in return. Here are just a few ways why giving back can be good for you.
• Volunteer work broadens your skills. Volunteer work allows many people to learn entirely new sets of skills. New opportunities may present problem-solving challenges, and you can discover new ways to think about issues and causes that are dear to you. Volunteering may feel good, but it also can boost your résumé. The experience you gain working with a charity can help you in future profes- sional endeavors.
• Philanthropy produces a “helper’s high.” Volunteer work produces a natural feeling of euphoria that’s measurable and can produce some positive side effects. Boston College researchers discovered that the joy from helping others can be seen on MRI scans. This euphoria can help decrease chronic pain, depression and disability.
• Giving back boosts longevity. A 1999 study out of University of California, Berke- ley, found that elderly people who volun- teered for two or more organizations were 44 percent less likely to die over a five-year period than those who did not volunteer, even after adjusting for a person’s age, ex- ercise habits, general health, and negative habits like smoking. More recent studies have uncovered similar results. People who give help rather than just receiving it can prolong their lives.
• Charity work can keep you connected.
Volunteering is a great way to get out
and meet new people who share similar goals and interests. People who are new to an area or are recent retirees may find that volunteering helps them make new friends, alleviating feelings of isolation. Volunteer work also provides a great way to network for business contacts or to find out what’s newsworthy in the community.
• Volunteerism boosts self-esteem.
Working with a nonprofit or charitable group often provides immediate results. In turn, this immediate gratification can show you that you have a purpose and are assisting others who need a helping hand. Volunteer work can help you become more confident and assertive and provide you with a greater sense of self-worth.
• Giving can inspire others. Many researchers have determined that giving can be contagious. For example, a study by James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, and Nicholas Chris- takis of Harvard that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Science found that giving can have a trickle-down effect. Much like the “pay it forward” movement, those who observe charitable efforts are more likely to give to or help different people down the road.
Charitable work can benefit the people on the receiving end of efforts, but it also is beneficial to the person doing the giving.
How to make your volunteering efforts a success
Volunteering is a great way for charitable men and women to give back to their com- munities. Many nonprofit organizations rely on the unsung contributions of volunteers to meet their mission statements, which may otherwise never be realized.
When seeking volunteer opportunities, men and women can quickly become overwhelmed by the volume of options available to them. But not all volunteering opportunities are equal, so prospective vol- unteers who want to be certain their efforts make a difference can take the following steps as they search for the right situation.
• Determine what you can offer. Before beginning your search for a volunteering opportunity, determine what you have to offer and what you hope to offer. Prospec- tive volunteers with extensive business experience may serve best by offering their professional expertise to a fledgling non- profit organization, while athletic men and women may find coaching provides the best chance to combine their skillset and experience with their desire to give back.
• Determine how much time you can offer. Some volunteer opportunities are
more demanding than others, so figure out in advance how much of your time you can realistically devote to volunteering. Can you volunteer on weeknights or just weekends? Which times of day are you available to volunteer? Answering these questions in advance will ensure you find a volunteering opportunity that won’t prove too much, or too little, to handle.
• Find something you want to do. As previously noted, sometimes the volunteers who get the most out of their experiences are those who offer their expertise in a given area. But it’s perfectly alright to look for a volunteering opportunity that is a stark departure from your professional life. Determine what you want to do, whether it’s tutoring youths, raising funds or any- thing else you may have a passion for, and then find an opportunity that allows you to do that.
• Investigate the organization. You will likely take your volunteering efforts serious- ly, so you want to be sure the organization you ultimately work with is serious about its mission. Ask each organization you speak with about their programs and how those programs relate to the charity’s mis-
sion. Ask about the success rate of each program as well as the challenges those programs face. Prospective volunteers also can investigate an organization’s financial background via a site such as CharityNav- igator.org, which rates charities in a host
of categories with a goal toward promoting intelligent giving. Avoid any organizations that hesitate to share information about their finances and programs.
• Keep your word. Upon committing to volunteer with an organization, many volunteers initially feel uncomfortable or hesitant to offer their input. That compels many to abandon their efforts entirely. But organizations truly rely on their volunteers to help them meet their goals, so keep your word and stay committed to the chari- ty even if you feel some beginner’s anxiety. Arrive on time and do your best to live up to the commitment you made. Before you know it, you will feel right at home in your new role.
Volunteering is a great way to give back, and prospective volunteers can employ several strategies to find opportunities that combine their skills and experience with their passion for giving back.
6 ~ December 2015 ~ Celebrate the Season