Engage in Volunteer Work

The time is drawing near for Christmas.  It is now that we need to really help out in our communities the most.  I am active in volunteer work in many different areas.  Some of it is recognized but most is not.   And that is fine with me as I am not looking to be patted of the back.  But I do wish to tell others how important it is to get out and help now as well as all year round.



There are so many ways to do a lil extra that helps more than you can ever imagine.  Weather it be adopting a child on an Angle Tee or becoming a Secret Santa to a family in your community.  You can donate food to food pantries (yes these are used more than ever at this time of year) or donate a warm coat to a student.  Many schools have coat drives going on at this time of year.  Now is a great time to help a teacher restock school supplies too.  If you can not give a product then give your time.  It is quite valuable.  Many people are needed to sort those gifts on the Angle Trees or to help stock food in the food bank or to hang clothes at a local clothes closet.  You can read a story to a sick child or hold the hand of an elderly resident of a nursing home.  Do you know how many of them wish they could go to church still but do not have transportation.  Adopt a grand parent to take to church each week with you.  It is valuable and you will be one to come out richer in the process.  There are soup kitchens and senior citizen centers needing kitchen help too.

Cover via Amazon Many people know how to coordinate at work but not in a volunteer setting.  Well you use the same tools that you would at work.  Richard H. Axelrod has his second edition of Terms of Engagement out.  I have found that it is a great guide to help me learn how to widen my circle of involvement.  I take the same ideas on how to network with careers and use it in the volunteer community.  I love how it has steps on connecting people to each other.  And how to create communities for action too.  By learning how to be fair, non biased and reaching out to others we can bring a lot more people into the volunteer groups. 

Remember to get your children involved too.  They will love the exchange with other people and knowing they make a difference.  It is a better gift than anything else you can give them.  In volunteering you can teach them creativity with hands on experience.  Their stories would amaze an elderly person just as they amaze you too.  Imagine your lil princess dancing around for others enjoyment as well as her own.  Could you tween see how it would benefit other kids to have a warm coat or a hot meal or a new gift?  Find out how they can help with these things by contacting your local chamber of commerce.  They know all of the volunteer groups in the community too.   I will be adding my time to Santa's Helpers again this year.  If it is nothing but collecting boxes and food to take to the center to be distributed then I know my part is just as important as anyone else .  Last year I gathered boxes twice a day from our local grocery store to put gifts and food in.  Without me they would have been hard pressed to pack all they needed for each family.  Seems like a small thing but it helped in a big way. 



DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.