We are a rushed, success-driven society.
Volunteering: It sticks out like a sore thumb in our rushed, financially driven society. We are busy and our work days are often full. The evenings are spent tired, restless and unfulfilled. Most of us only have time for so much. We’re digging for purpose and often working simply for that promised paycheck. We hustle, we work, we get paid and we begin again.
If you look up the definition of volunteering a few key words pop up: unpaid, cause, time, community. How does that fit into a hectic, one-track minded society? Project Helping makes it simple. We remove the extra steps and make it simple for you to use a couple of hours toward good. What we love about getting involved is that the benefits are truly all-encompassing meaning it has the ability to impact both the community and you.
Practicing kindfulness results in reward ten-fold.
I was 7 months pregnant, cold and tired. The last thing I could possibly think of doing on a winter Wednesday morning was showing up at homeless shelter downtown and serving breakfast. I just wanted to be sitting at my desk in front of my computer at work, warm. However, I knew my coworkers would be there and they were expecting me to show up. I shrugged off my coat as I entered Urban Peak and settled into the little kitchen. My coworkers and I began cracking eggs and putting together sheets of bacon for the oven. A half-hour later the youth began trickling into the shelter. Bundled up, hungry, early morning smiles because it was their first hot meal since yesterday morning.
When I left Urban Peak that morning I no longer felt heavy, frustrated, or inconvenienced. I felt…good. I turned up the music in my car on my way back to the office and realized cracking eggs for two hours in turn for thankful nods from 50 homeless youth was the best thing I would do that day.
What I love about Project Helping is we choose volunteer events that are community facing, hands-on, and socially driven – just like serving breakfast at Urban Peak. It takes 5 minutes to register. The events don’t require a specific skill set or personality type. Most of the events are also family friendly. We put the simple and beautiful back in volunteering. Because giving your time for free shouldn’t be complicated, but worthwhile. Success can be defined in more than one way. The reward is happiness-charged serotonin. The prize is a kinder world and a little less anxious you.
Find a cause, find purpose. Join us: start here. #DoGoodFeelGood