Volunteering is good for the soul and your health
In addition to a season of holiday decorations and lights, December is also a time of year that celebrates giving.
In addition to being a season focused on holiday decorations and lights, December is also a time of year that celebrates the act of giving. Giving can mean a variety of different things for different people, but usually involves some type of activity that benefits others.
Volunteering is one of the more popular ways people choose to give during this time. Volunteers not only help their community but also actually help themselves. There are numerous research and studies about how volunteering leads to healthier people. A study in a 2013 publication of Psychology and Aging found that people who volunteered were less likely to develop high blood pressure than individuals who didn’t volunteer. The study also found volunteering increased mental wellbeing.
“When you volunteer, you’re helping yourself, the organization you’re volunteering for, and your community. It’s like a tri-fold return on your investment time,” said Sarah Crothers.
Crothers is the education director for the nonprofit organization Schuylkill River Greenways and manages the organization’s large group of volunteers. Crothers said they have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities such as cleanups on the Schuylkill River Trail, helping with special events and assistance with administrative office support tasks such as mailings.
Schuylkill River Greenways also has opportunities for volunteers to help with bigger projects such as trail information and water quality. The Trail Ambassador Program allows frequent users of the trail to aid other trail users and keeps Schuylkill River Greenways informed about happenings on the trail. As part of a new water quality project, the nonprofit needs community scientists who don’t require any special training. Community scientists are everyday people in the community who volunteer to take visual reports of areas along the Schuylkill River with their phones.
“So if you’re running along the Schuylkill River Trail or you’re fishing in the Schuylkill River, we just ask that you send us your feedback about trash seen in the area through an online and mobile-friendly form,” Crothers said.
To learn more about the volunteer opportunities available through Schuylkill River Greenways, visit schuylkillriver.org/volunteer.
Crothers said volunteers help organizations have a greater impact in their communities, which is especially important for nonprofits.
“The current value of volunteer time is almost $26 per hour,” she said.
Crothers said in addition to helping the organization they volunteer with; volunteers also have the benefit of feeling good about themselves.
“My favorite volunteer activity to do is plant trees,” Crothers said. “I always feel really good knowing that this tree that took me less than 20 minutes to plant in the ground is going to have an impact for years to come,” she said.
Crothers has also volunteered with the Salvation Army and serves on the Board for a nonprofit organization called Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos, based in Pottstown. She said being a board member for a nonprofit may seem intimidating to some but shouldn’t prevent people from pursuing it.
“It’s the diversity and variety of people on a board which makes it strong and great,” she said.
Crothers recommends finding an organization with a mission that you’re passionate about and then inquiring about opportunities to become a board member.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted some volunteering activities due to guidelines such as social distancing, many organizations have transitioned to virtual platforms. This is true for the mentorship program through STRIVE.
“STRIVE is an acronym for Strengthening Tomorrow Requires Initiative and Vision Everyday,” said David Charles, co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization.
“Our mission is to unify and strengthen our communities by facilitating and fostering connections that equip and empower stakeholders, especially our youth, to make positive, personal, professional and societal impact,” he said.
STRIVE has a mentorship program in partnership with the Pottstown School District called “Created for Greatness.” The program focuses on connecting positive, adult community members with students at the Pottstown Middle School.
“COVID and all the restraints have just overwhelmed people, and especially parents,” Charles said.
“When you volunteer, you’re helping yourself, the organization you’re volunteering for, and your community. It’s like a tri-fold return on your investment time.” — Sarah Crothers, education director for Schuylkill River Greenways
He said STRIVE and the mentorship program continues to be a resource to parents and students during this difficult time. People who are interested in becoming a mentor must first go through the application and training process. Charles said training has moved virtually for the time being.
To learn more about the Created for Greatness Mentorship Program, email info@striveinitiative.org or visit striveinitiative.org/project/ created-for-greatness.
Volunteering can also have the benefit of making residents in a community feel safer which helps with stress levels. The Hobart’s Run neighborhood initiative was launched by The Hill School in 2016 with a mission to create a clean and safe community. The nonprofit organization has a focus area in Pottstown surrounding the school, but also work to promote a clean and safe environment throughout the entire borough.
“One of the easiest things that people can do is we actually have a good number of tools they can borrow if they want to do a block cleanup,” said Cathy Skitko, Hobart’s Run director of communications and senior director of media relations for The Hill School.
People can also adopt a Hobart’s Run trashcan to encourage people in their neighborhood to dispose of trash properly instead of polluting areas. The trashcans are free to adopt and volunteers just have to empty out the cans as necessary.
“We have about 31 cans out now and we’ve heard fantastic things about what a difference they make,” Skitko said.
There also business sponsorship opportunities when it comes to the trashcans. The cans cost about $200 each so businesses can sponsor a trashcan to get their logo on the can.
“It’s a good opportunity for businesses to let people in the community know they also care about the Pottstown community,” Skitko said.
Skitko said another major volunteer need is for people to help fundraise for the Edgewood Cemetery.
“Edgewood Cemetery is in the Hobart’s Run focus area and that is an ongoing, year-round cause that we try to support,” she said. “It cost $20,000 a year just to mow the grass and keep it from getting overgrown again.”
She said the cemetery is completely maintained and funded by volunteers and donations.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities available through Hobart’s Run, please email cskitko@ thehill.org or visit hobartsrunpottstown.org/clean-safe.
For general ideas on how you can volunteer in your local community, visit www.volunteermatch.org.