Give back to your community!

9/25/2019 (Permalink)

It is good for you and the community to volunteer!

At SERVPRO of Decatur/Forsyth we believe in giving back to the community. We encourage all our employees to do the same.

In the United States more than 62 million people volunteer every year. Many choose to give their time to volunteer work because they find it deeply rewarding. It feels good to put energy into a cause that improves your community. Volunteering can also enable you to awaken dormant skills or practice a hobby in a more meaningful way. You could make new friends, professional contacts, and probably have some fun. You may even explore a new potential career path. So, how do you start?

Identify your interests and the skills you want to use. Do you enjoy working with children? Do you like working with numbers and financial data? Do you have a soft spot in your heart for someone who has a certain type of disability? Are you skilled at conversation, cooking, fundraising, mentoring, or in another area?

Once you've identified your area of interest and the skills you’d like to use, get tactical. Find organizations who need your skills and check out their mission statement. Make sure the group’s goals align with your values. Look at financials to see how funds are allocated and make sure their affiliations line up with your intentions. Find statistics about whom they serve and how they make an impact.

Don’t over-commit. Start volunteering a little and increase your volunteer time if it’s working for you.  

Here are just a few of the ways that a little volunteering from you can make a big difference.

Tutor a Student

Today students include people of all ages--not just children. Teaching literacy to adults can change lives. Helping someone learn English can expand his or her horizons. You could tutor in an academic subject or teach others about computers and the Internet. Don’t forget life skills like cooking, sewing, budgeting, and home repairs.

Visit a Nursing Home

Many Decatur area nursing homes have plenty of residents whose families and friends are gone or not available. These residents are often lonely, desperate for conversation, and eager to connect with another person. By spending an hour or two a week you can make a huge difference in someone’s attitude and outlook on life. And you may learn something about life from those who have already traveled the journey before you.

Organize a Yard Sale for Charity

Do you enjoy tag sales? Then think about putting one together and donating the funds you raise to a local charity or nonprofit group. We bet most of the people in your town have electronics, furniture, clothes, or equipment that they’d be willing to donate to help the right cause. These items have value and can be recycled to those who will use them again.

Serve on a Community Board

Charities and community service organizations around the Decatur area compete with other bigger, for-profit businesses for the community’s attention and support. In many cases, nonprofits are at a distinct disadvantage. They may lack the resources to attract, compensate, and retain the best executive staff and administrators. If your talents are administrative, or if you have executive or board experience, your knowledge and insights could make a huge impact at a not-for-profit, community-based organization or charity.

Volunteer at a Hospital

Hospital volunteers provide crucial support to the hospital staff. Volunteers also offer comfort and convenience to patients, families, and visitors. Volunteer opportunities include everything from manning information booths, to sitting with patients, to providing a roaming book and magazine cart, or working with children. Your volunteering might also involve helping with food service or pushing wheelchairs.

The opportunities to volunteer in the Decatur area are endless. You might build a house with Habitat for Humanity. You could donate your old clothes or volunteer at a soup kitchen. Think about giving your old eyeglasses to an organization that collects them and distributes them to people in need. Or consider volunteering at a food bank or homeless shelter. Volunteering is a great way to make your community a better place.