I'm ready for my close-up...
Lights, camera, action? Volunteering is something that you should do to help further the cause of an organization that matches your values and ideals. Not so people can see you do it, and not to get your picture in the paper. It is easy (in some cases) to write out a check to an organization to further their mission. Money definitely helps! But if you're able to donate your time to a cause, well that is a special gift.
I've been donating my time to causes that I feel strongly about and organizations that need help. I've done writing projects, clerical/admin work, monetary donation and drive processing, and food bank warehouse and materials processing. I do it to help, and I also do it for me. It is such a motivator to make a difference when you can see the impact of what you do.
I find value in all of the tasks I do. I build little efficiencies into the projects to make it challenging. I keep stats to remind myself that I can do this work. I've changed my life and lifestyle in order to be able to do this work.
I remember a time at the end of last year that I had a "wow" moment. I was standing on a ramp looking over a big room in the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana warehouse. I was looking at all of the pallets stacked with boxes of sorted food. All of the brown cardboard boxes had the categories of their contents written on them: Protein, Cereal, Vegetable, Fruit. I realized that my handwriting was on each pallet. It was a great, clear way to see my impact.
You don't always get recognized for the work you do. I started my committed volunteer schedule last July. I'm into my seventh month of dedicated volunteer work. Today, I got my picture taken....for three hours. I won a grant for my volunteer organization. The granting organization wanted to write an article about me and have a photo shoot for pictures to accompany it. As I got ready for my day at the food bank, I thought of getting ready for my close up. I am the face of volunteering in my little world for this brief moment, and I'm okay with that. It is a nice idea, but not the reason for this work. I hope it is motivating for the people who read the article.
It takes some thought to think about things outside your every-day life. Things other than your job, your family and your friends. There is a big, wide world out there. It doesn't take much to impact the world around you and help.
I've been donating my time to causes that I feel strongly about and organizations that need help. I've done writing projects, clerical/admin work, monetary donation and drive processing, and food bank warehouse and materials processing. I do it to help, and I also do it for me. It is such a motivator to make a difference when you can see the impact of what you do.
I find value in all of the tasks I do. I build little efficiencies into the projects to make it challenging. I keep stats to remind myself that I can do this work. I've changed my life and lifestyle in order to be able to do this work.I remember a time at the end of last year that I had a "wow" moment. I was standing on a ramp looking over a big room in the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana warehouse. I was looking at all of the pallets stacked with boxes of sorted food. All of the brown cardboard boxes had the categories of their contents written on them: Protein, Cereal, Vegetable, Fruit. I realized that my handwriting was on each pallet. It was a great, clear way to see my impact.
You don't always get recognized for the work you do. I started my committed volunteer schedule last July. I'm into my seventh month of dedicated volunteer work. Today, I got my picture taken....for three hours. I won a grant for my volunteer organization. The granting organization wanted to write an article about me and have a photo shoot for pictures to accompany it. As I got ready for my day at the food bank, I thought of getting ready for my close up. I am the face of volunteering in my little world for this brief moment, and I'm okay with that. It is a nice idea, but not the reason for this work. I hope it is motivating for the people who read the article.
It takes some thought to think about things outside your every-day life. Things other than your job, your family and your friends. There is a big, wide world out there. It doesn't take much to impact the world around you and help.
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