Looking for a better way to get healthier? Have you tried diets that didn’t work? Exercise routines that got boring?
Here’s a plan we bet you haven’t considered:
Volunteering.
No kidding. Turns out it works.
A survey of more than 4,500 American adults by UnitedHealthcare and VolunteerMatch, a national nonprofit, shows volunteering is a reliable way to feel better physically, lower stress levels and improve your overall sense of well-being.
Talk about your win-win endeavors. Altruism with added benefits!
This isn’t news to lots of folks in our state, which ranks fifth in the number of volunteer service hours per person — an average of 47.4 hours per year, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. More than a third of adults in Washington volunteer through an organization, which doesn’t count those who help in less visible ways — like helping a neighbor or donating money to a charitable cause.
We mention all this because this is Volunteer Appreciation Week, but also because the local need for volunteers remains high, even as more volunteers line up. The United Way of Snohomish County reports that nearly 300 nonprofit agencies are recruiting volunteers through its Volunteer Center online matching system (go to www.uwsc.org and click on “Volunteer”).
Opportunities abound. You can help plant trees along a local stream. You can work with people or pets. Teen volunteers can attend volunteer events through United Way’s Youth United program. It paired teens with senior mentors on Martin Luther King Day, assigning 182 volunteers to elderly and disabled folks who needed a hand with some chores — a lot more productive than sleeping in on a school holiday.
Volunteering is also a proven way to learn new skills and make acquaintances that can lead to a new career. Volunteers of America Western Washington, based in Everett, helps coordinate a variety of volunteer jobs and internships (www.voaww.org, click on “Get involved”). Recent retirees can be prime candidates for volunteer jobs, too.
Employers also have something to gain by encouraging their workers to volunteer. Of the 41 percent of Americans who volunteered last year, 25 percent did so through work. Most of them reported that volunteering with colleagues strengthened their working relationships.
Anyone who has volunteered knows how rewarding it can be. Just ask. Then jump in. You’ll be giving and getting at the same time.
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