As the holidays approach, many of our mailboxes (and inboxes) will fill up with holiday catalogs, greeting cards and of course annual appeal letters. It's the time of year when many of us are in the charitable mood, thus annual giving campaigns are in full swing. While monetary donations are immensely helpful as organizations continue to provide valuable services across our state, ServeWyoming wants to remind you that you have something else just as valuable (and FREE) to give: your TIME and TALENTS!
While volunteering certainly doesn't cost much, we all know our time isn't limitless. In fact, these days time seems more precious than ever. However, you don't have to commit a lot of it to make a big difference. Whether you can volunteer on a regular basis or just sporadically, giving back not only helps an organization fulfill its' goals, but has also been shown to improve your mental and physical health.
Here are some tips to help you make the most of your time giving back this holiday season and beyond!
- Involve the family! Often we hear people say they're don't have the time to volunteer because they have kids to take care of. Well, what better way to spend time together than helping out in the community? Plus, you teach your kids the importance of giving back and instill a life-long ethic of service.
- Be selective! We're more likely to spend our time on something we care about and are interested in! So, try to find a good match between your interests, the amount of time you are willing to volunteer and the organizations that address issues you care about.
- Choose your level of involvement!You can choose to be involved at a variety of levels, from short-term episodic projects to longer-term skills-based opportunities such as serving on a board of directors.
- Share your expertise! Do you have a specific skill that a nonprofit could really benefit from, such as marketing? Maybe you could help with financials? Skills-based volunteerism is a great way to really make sure the time your giving counts!
- Volunteer from home (or work)!You don't have to go to a specific place to volunteer. You can collect food, clothing or pennies and donate them to an organization. Organizing a project for your neighborhood, workplace or family is a flexible way to benefit a nonprofit of your choice.
- Make it social!Volunteering is a great way for you to meet new people, find like minded individuals, and get more connected with your community.
No matter how much time you determine you can give,ServeWyoming wants to make sharing your time and skills as easy as possible! Which is why we launched Volunteer Wyoming in 2007. Volunteer Wyoming is a one stop volunteering shop, designed to connect potential volunteers with organizations across our state, and to measurably increase the number and effectiveness of volunteerism.
This FREE online matching database, www.volunteerwyoming.org has been a vital part of the Volunteer Wyoming program, allowing individuals to look for and respond to volunteer needs across the state, while also enabling organizations to set-up agency profiles, post volunteer needs, promote community events, and even advocate for donations. We currently have over 1,320 organizations promoting their volunteer needs on the site and nearly 4,000 volunteers registered, making finding your next connection as easy as a "click!"
So, this holiday season please consider giving local organizations the gift of your TIME (and skills!) by volunteering! The rewards are immediate, lasting, and deeply appreciated!
