They do say that charity starts at home. In many ways it does. But helping a registered charity is such a wonderful endeavour.

I decided just over 1 year ago that I wanted to give something back to the society that has given me so much. I decided helping a registered charity was a good thing to try. It would be true to say that I have not looked back.

Make a difference

Volunteering your time is a selfless act. Giving your time can make such a difference to those people that you help. People that are probably going through tough times.

There is a saying that goes along the lines of, ‘The joy is in the giving’. I have discovered that this is very true. However, by giving, you can also receive. You will receive the gratitude of those that you help. Just seeing that gratitude is totally priceless.

Everyone wins. The people that benefit from your time get the help and support that they need. That much should be obvious. The person giving also wins. How? Very often the work undertaken will be very different to your normal day to day activity. Experience, friendship, and satisfaction will all be received in abundance.

No excuses

I do understand that people can be busy. Life is a busy place to be. This should not be used as an excuse. There are many volunteering opportunities out there. Some require regular hours, some require you to attend. Many however, can be done on your own terms from home. A 10 minute phone call to an elderly or vulnerable person is such a small amount of time, the benefits will be immense. Or how about getting a disabled persons shopping when you do yours. Minutes can make a massive difference.

Benefits

I have gained so much. New life experiences have been had. Lessons have been learnt. Comfort zones very much stretched.

Your community is a wonderful place. If everyone volunteered just a few minutes of their time, it could be an awesome place.

Go do it!

You will be amazed how easy it is to find something to do. Try looking at the community boards in your local coffee shop or supermarket. If that does not find you an opportunity, you could register on http://do-it.org.

References

Why not join my mailing list – just click here

Photo by ray sangga kusuma on Unsplash