Why is volunteering important?

Question

I hear a lot about volunteering and how important it is to my community. But why is volunteering so important? What is volunteering and what am I getting out of it?

Answer 1

When most people think of volunteering they think of heading down to their local shelter and serving meal during the holiday seasons. After all, it seems like your hear about volunteering the most during the holiday seasons when people seem to be the most down on their luck. But why is volunteering important? The truth is, it’s a necessary part of every day life in order for some people to make it through their day. Think of all of the homeless people that are served by volunteers. While it may not seem like much, to them it could be the difference between life and death on that day. Most kids don’t even know what true volunteering is until they go to fill out their college applications and realize that volunteer hours are necessary to get in to some colleges. They quickly realize that through volunteer services they are helping more than just people, they are helping themselves find out who they really are. There are a variety of volunteer services to choose from and while you may not find the one that fits you the first time, keep trying. Volunteers are needed every single day to help make the world a better place.

Answer 2

I firmly believe that volunteering is one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have in your life. When I first thought of volunteering I thought that serving a meal at my local soup kitchen was the only option that I had. While I was okay with the idea of serving meals to needy people, I wanted so much more out of my experience. I quickly found a volunteering opportunity to allow me to reach out to children in youth shelters and at risk children. I will never forget that opportunity and the children that I spent countless hours with. It not only helped me gain a more open view of the world, but it also helped me to determine what I truly wanted to do with my life. While I had to spend some time finding a volunteer position that worked for me, once I found the position I wanted it was something that I looked forward to every week. Not only that, but I know I had a positive impact on the lives of children who just needed someone to look up to. Volunteering isn’t just about feeding the homeless, it’s about giving people hope when they don’t necessarily have any left. To me, this is why volunteering is important.