Benefits of Volunteering — Project Helping

Mental Wellness Research

Volunteering &
Mental Wellness

Volunteering improves your mood, makes you feel healthier, increases your sense of purpose, and reduces stress. The research is clear — doing good is good for you.

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What the research says

of volunteers say volunteering has helped them manage a chronic illness such as depression

¹ UnitedHealth Group Study

of people who volunteer say it improves their mood

¹ UnitedHealth Group Study

of volunteers say volunteering has made them feel healthier

¹ UnitedHealth Group Study

of volunteers say volunteering enriches their sense of purpose

¹ UnitedHealth Group Study

of volunteers say it lowers their stress levels

¹ UnitedHealth Group Study

of those volunteering to gain skills say they've benefited in those ways

² CIPD Employer-Supported Volunteering Study

higher chance of finding a job for individuals who volunteer vs. non-volunteers

University of Montana Research

of volunteers reported increased community awareness after volunteering

² CIPD Employer-Supported Volunteering Study

of volunteers felt more confident after their volunteer experience

² CIPD Employer-Supported Volunteering Study

The Science

Why doing good feels good

When you volunteer or perform an intentional act of kindness, your brain responds in powerful, measurable ways.

Helper's High

Performing acts of kindness triggers a release of dopamine and endorphins in the brain — the same chemicals responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. This is what researchers call "helper's high."

Stress Reduction

Volunteering lowers cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. Focusing on helping others shifts attention away from your own worries, breaking the stress cycle and promoting calm.

Social Connection

Volunteering builds meaningful relationships and combats loneliness — a leading factor in depression. Social bonds formed through shared purpose have lasting positive effects on mental and physical health.

Practicing Kyndfulness

Kyndfulness is our philosophy: intentional acts of kindness that benefit the giver as much as the receiver. No matter how you do it — get out there and do good. Because science.

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The Warmth Effect

Receivers value the warmth of a kind gesture more than its monetary worth — the act itself is the gift.

Universal Language

Kindness bridges age, race, religion, and identity — creating connection across all communities.

Workplace Impact

Kind leaders retain top talent, increase engagement, and build thriving cultures. Being kind at work pays off.

The Research

What the science actually says

We've gathered peer-reviewed and credible research to back every claim. Filter by topic to explore the evidence.

Work

Individuals who volunteer have a 27% higher chance of finding a job compared to non-volunteering counterparts.

University of Montana — Experiential Learning Research

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Work

36% of employed Americans say their workplace encouraged volunteering or charitable giving in 2021 — and among those employees, 42% actually volunteer.

AmeriCorps — 2021 Current Population Survey

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Work

Most people get out of volunteering what they hope or intend when they start. 93% who wanted to gain skills say they benefited in those ways.

NCVO — Time Well Spent: National Survey on Volunteer Experience

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Health

Giving to others can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose.

HelpGuide — Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits

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Health

Association of volunteering with mental well-being: a lifecourse analysis of a national population-based longitudinal study in the UK.

BMJ Open — Peer-Reviewed Study

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Health

Helping people, changing lives: 3 health benefits of volunteering — directly from Mayo Clinic Health System's research team.

Mayo Clinic Health System

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Kyndfulness

Receivers see greater value in the warmth of a kind gesture and positive social interaction than in the monetary value of the gift itself.

American Psychiatric Association — Mental Health Benefits of Simple Acts of Kindness

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Kyndfulness

Kindness is a universal language that can bring people together regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, status, and identity.

Psychology Today — The Remarkable Power of Kindness

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Kyndfulness

Being kind to your employees can help you retain top talent, establish a thriving culture, increase employee engagement, and enhance productivity.

Harvard Business Review — Why Kindness at Work Pays Off

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Brain Science

Kind deeds have long-lasting benefits for your brain and general welfare — the happiness you experience after performing one isn't just a passing feeling.

The Science of Kindness — Medium / Research Review

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Brain Science

Helper's High is the feeling of well-being that follows an act of kindness, donation, or volunteering — a measurable neurological response backed by brain imaging studies.

Realized Worth — The Science Behind the Helper's High

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Brain Science

Volunteering is a powerful antidote to stress — it lowers cortisol levels and promotes lasting changes in how the brain processes anxiety and worry.

RIBI — The Science of Giving: How Volunteering Benefits Your Brain and Body

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¹ UnitedHealth Group. (2017). Doing Good is Good for You Study. unitedhealthgroup.com

² Employer Supported Volunteering: Factsheets. CIPD. (2024, March 6). cipd.org

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