Reward Yourself by Giving to Others

 

This week, Carole Magouryk, Projectline’s volunteer coordinator, reveals what she has learned by working to support some great community causes while helping colleagues connect with people in need.

I used to think of volunteering as a way to give back to the community, to help out an organization I liked, or even as something to participate in simply because others were doing it. But after organizing a few volunteer events for Projectline, I realized that there was more to the experience, something that reinforced my desire to volunteer at a deeper level than just “for the good of the event.” In short, I came to realize that not only are there the expected benefits of volunteering, there are many hidden ones as well.

I’ve found that some of the expected benefits of volunteering include:

• Shared learning. We put ourselves in the shoes of those we’re seeking to serve and we learn invaluable lessons together.

• Fellowship with fantastic organizations. Whether we’re working with charities that support children, the environment, homeless men and women, or animals, we get to contribute to the mission of outstanding service organizations throughout the region.

I’ve also discovered a multitude of unexpected benefits from volunteering, such as:

• True teamwork. I’ve noted how volunteering seems to hone our natural impulse for collaboration. Regardless of their role in the organization or how well people know each other, everyone pulls together to achieve the same goal.

• Break from everyday stress. For a few hours, work, errands, to-do lists, and other worries fade from view. In fact, people have told me that when they become immersed in the work of volunteering, they completely forget about these concerns.

• Humility. There is nothing glamorous about plucking debris from Puget Sound, unpacking boxes, or doing dishes, but there is something about these everyday tasks that reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.

Think of it this way—we spend hours each day working on deliverables, struggling to meet deadlines and exceed client expectations. Long hours are met with exhaustion, and a nagging feeling of “forgetting something important.” But volunteering provides an (albeit temporary) escape from the stress. It allows you to focus on an unfamiliar and varied task with no performance metrics, stress or scope creep. Everything is in scope! You’re willingly performing a service for another group for the simple purpose of helping. And the great part? You’re also being great to yourself.

Here are a few of the organizations we’ve helped recently:

• Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. Projectliners jumped in kayaks to clean up the Puget Sound. With the help of many volunteers, the Soundkeeper Alliance cleans up Lake Union every year to keep it clean and beautiful for the city.

• Lifelong AIDS Alliance. Every year, Projectliners gather to help prepare for Lifelong’s outreach events. This year we prepared marketing materials for their annual AIDS Walk in September.

• Low Income Housing Institute. LIHI opened a new site in the University District for more than 60 homeless youth. On the day of the project apartments had already been furnished, but they still needed basic supplies, such as towels, dish soap, tooth brushes, and bedding. Projectline provided these items and distributed them throughout the site.

• The Friends of The Seattle Public Library Book Sale. The Friends raise funds, with the help of tireless volunteers, at their famous twice-yearly book sales. Friends is a non-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to promoting The Seattle Public Library as one of our essential institutions. Their volunteer members advocate, educate, and raise funds on behalf of the Library, its patrons, and the larger Seattle community.

But don’t just take my word for it—join us! Our next event takes place on Saturday, October 29, at Pasado’s Animal Haven. Pasado’s Safe Haven is one of the premier animal rescue organizations in the United States, dedicated to 24-hour rescue and rehabilitation of dogs, cats and farm animals. Please contact us for more details.