Give a Little Bit

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Audrey Hepburn, actress + humanitarian

It’s the holiday season, and during this time of year, a lot of people look for opportunities to serve others–which is great, there’s a ton of need in your communities, especially right now … and also, service is needed all year long.

Benefits of Giving Service

Sometimes when we’re asked to volunteer, we’re not exactly enthusiastic about it. Maybe your parents voluntold you to help your neighbor. Or your school requires you to log service hours each semester. Or your church group planned a service project on a Friday night. There are likely plenty of other things you’d rather do that sound more fun than service. But I invite you to try to reframe your attitude so you don’t agree to volunteer out of obligation, or just so it looks good on a resume, or just to stand out on a college application.

Because volunteering doesn’t only benefit the organization or group the service project is helping–it also benefits those who volunteer to help. A study published in the journal Voluntas found “a multitude of benefits of volunteering on mental, physical, and social health and well-being, particularly reduced mortality and increased functioning, quality of life, pride, empowerment, motivation, social support, and sense of community.”

Even with all that, service still might not sound very appealing. So let me throw some more fun facts at you. The University of Nevada Reno published an article about benefits to youth specifically. First, youth who volunteered an hour or more per week were half as likely to engage in destructive behavior (like alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc.). Teens also said service helped them learn to be respectful, helpful, kind, and patient; learn to understand those who were different, grow leadership skills and understand citizenship. Youth who volunteer were more likely to graduate and vote in the future. And they were more likely to have a strong work ethic when they grew up.

Volunteering can also offer you a variety of opportunities that can give you life and work experience, and even help you develop new skills. Plenty of non-profits need extra hands, so they’ll provide on-the-spot training for your task.

And giving service is even more fun with friends! Coordinate with your group to sign up for the same shift at a food pantry. Or plan a service project together, like a neighborhood cleanup. Bring snacks and music to make the work more enjoyable.

Also, you’re never too young to serve. While some organizations may have an age requirement, there are lots of other things you can do on your own, like pet sit for your neighbor, teach your grandparents how to use a smart phone, play your instrument at a nursing home.

My Time Volunteering

I appreciate that my parents got me involved with service at a young age, like delivering (or doorbell ditching) goodies to our neighbors, tying fleece blankets for people experiencing homelessness, going caroling while wearing Santa hats and Rudolph noses.

Having those experiences when I was little helped me grow to enjoy serving others, so I looked forward to it in my teens. When I was at a summer camp, they hosted a field day for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. My friends and I had so much fun playing games and activities with them, they were so sweet and full of joy.

As part of my high school senior project, I volunteered at a women’s shelter and I played with little kids, made them snacks and meals, and read to them. Not only was I helping these kids who had been through difficult challenges, they also made an impact on me.

In college, my best friend and I visited a nursing home every week for a while, and we’d sing for them or play games and help walk residents back to their rooms. Even though they were very old and slow, they were so kind and absolutely thrilled to see us.

Makes You Feel Better

I’ve rarely had an experience where giving service didn’t leave me feeling better afterward. Now that’s not to say service is always easy–sometimes it’s hard work physically, like a nature trail cleanup or helping someone move. Sometimes it’s inconvenient, or lasts all-day, even multiple days. Sometimes it’s gross, like cleaning bathrooms or gathering trash.

But when you reflect on that volunteer opportunity, and remember that you were part of something bigger that made a difference to people or animals, the problems in your own life may seem smaller or you may feel more capable to deal with them. And you could have more patience with your siblings or be more kind to your parents. You could have a different perspective on issues in your community, and think of new ideas to help.

Service + Volunteer Ideas

Here are some ideas to help inspire you to give service:

• Make cards to cheer up kids in hospitals or nursing home residents or lonely veterans or military serving overseas
• Read books to cats at an animal shelter, or play with dogs who need exercise
• Clean up a community garden or park, or even your elderly neighbor’s yard
• Host a coin drive to raise money for a cause you care about
• Sew or tie blankets for foster children or babies in the NICU
• Read books to or with children–little kids love reading buddies!
• Visit an assisted living facility and talk to the residents about their favorite things
• Make holiday decorations to brighten up a child’s hospital room
• Put together meal bags at a food bank, or help distribute them to folks in your community
• Donate to OR organize a drive–food items, clothing, period products, kitchen basics, diapers and baby formula, school supplies, books, toys

You could even Google “Volunteer opportunities in __(your city)__” or search the website JustServe.org. 

I’m telling you girls, there are endless opportunities to give service. And I know you’re incredibly busy, and so are your parents. But I bet if you told them you wanted to volunteer, they’d help find an opportunity that works with your schedules.

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg said, “You are never too small to make a difference.” After you give service, I’d be happy to hear about the difference you make and the difference giving service made for you.

Resources

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