Company & Culture
September 06, 2019
8 minute read

Why do people volunteer? The obvious answer: people volunteer because they want to help other people from the bottom of their hearts. The not-so-obvious answer: the volunteers themselves experience a wealth of personal benefits. Here are five surprising things benefits volunteers gain from their service:

1.New friends
Making friends is even easier for volunteers because they already have something in common: their passion for the same cause! People who consistently volunteer at the same organizations start interacting with the same people and form a community. Volunteering is also a great way to get connected to a new area after moving.

2.Career experience
Employers love well-rounded job applicants who are involved in organizations outside of their workplace. Volunteering is a great way to show off your versatility and learn resume-worthy skills. On top of all the friends that volunteers make (see benefit 1), people who volunteer regularly are more likely to meet valuable career contacts who can help them land new jobs. Nonprofits are the perfect place to start networking, especially for those looking to enter a new career field.

3.Exercise
Manual labor is always in high demand at nonprofits. Even though it isn’t the most glamorous job, it is mutually beneficial. Organizations couldn’t run without it, and it serves as a thorough workout. Not convinced? Volunteers have lower mortality rates, blood pressure, and heart disease risk than non-volunteers.

4.Happiness
Studies have shown that being helpful to others releases endorphins that make people feel happy. Recipients of volunteer work often praise the volunteers for their generosity and selflessness, which makes them feel great about themselves. Everyone can use a self-esteem boost every once in a while!

5.A sense of purpose
The feeling of appreciation from recipients make volunteers feel needed by others. This motivation to get out of bed in the morning is especially for people who are going through hard times. If people feel like their work is genuinely important, they will do whatever it takes to complete it.

Maot Chitim has a uniquely heartwarming volunteer environment that, in addition to the listed benefits, keeps our volunteers coming back year after year. To hear the stories of some of our volunteers, check out our Instagram and Facebook every Monday for a “Humans of Maot Chitim” post. Sunday, September 22nd is our 2019 Delivery Day and we would love to see you there.

ARTICLE TAGS: benefits , list , rosh hashanah , volunteer

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