Happy Volunteer Month
April 5, 2024
Welcome to National Volunteer Month! Our family of volunteers is an absolutely essential part of our ministry to serve those in need and to restore the homeless to independence. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 (Link to Bible Gateway for full chapter: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12&version=NIV) Together, we all make up the body of Christ, carrying out His work for the “least of these” here in this world, and we are so incredibly grateful for those who dedicate their time, talent, and treasure to support our Mission. Last year we had…
23,011 total volunteer hours
1,918 volunteer hours on average per month
27 locations on and off campus for volunteers to serve in Volunteering has many benefits… For the Community
Volunteering at City Mission supports the most vulnerable in our community – those who are suffering and in need. Those we serve are working hard to restore their lives and overcome all the barriers that led them to homelessness. The more love and support they receive while they are here boosts their confidence, gives them hope that their lives can improve, and encourages them to keep working to transform their lives. “The most important thing is the caring relationships that develop between volunteers and residents,” said Jason Johnson, Manager of Support Services at City Mission. “It shows the residents that people genuinely care about them. That builds their self-esteem. You can’t create that. You can’t build a lesson plan for that. That’s just God being God. That’s the beauty of it.” For Physical and Mental Health
Studies (link to Mayo Clinic blog post: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/3-health-benefits-of-volunteering) show that volunteering can reduce stress and anxiety, increase positive and relaxed feelings, lead to lower rates of depression, and provide a sense of meaning and purpose – all of which can lead to better overall wellness and alleviate physical health issues like heart disease and stroke. Volunteering also helps you to get out of your comfort zone, learn new skills, and have exciting, new experiences – all of which help to promote general wellness. For Building Relationships
Volunteering can grow your network of friends by helping you to meet passionate people who share similar interests – people who you might not otherwise have had a chance to meet. It can build stronger bonds among families and friend groups by creating positive and lasting shared memories. Volunteering also helps to develop a kind of “social trust” within a community by demonstrating that even in this fast-paced world full of distractions and personal responsibilities, there are still compassionate people who are genuinely working to make the world a better place. Conclusion Volunteerism, especially sustained volunteering on an on-going basis can little by little help to make the world a better place. It helps to improve the lives both of those who are being served and of those who serve. Volunteering at City Mission can work to enhance our programming, shower our residents with care and compassion, and improve the state of our community one soul at a time! To learn more about volunteering at City Mission, please visit: https://www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/volunteer
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
