You CAN make a difference:

Giving back to others. When you think that you are not making a difference, think twice.

I have read article after article about volunteering and the majority of them give all of the reasons why it will help the volunteer:

Self esteem

Make new friends

Mental and Physical well being, including lower mortality rates

Gain professional experience

And on and on………

Wow, you are all going to be fantastic, well rounded people that will live forever after volunteering! Don’t get me wrong these benefits are great, but what we are forgetting about are the people on the other side of this equation. The people that are receiving your help! We as volunteers need to help others believe that they are important. We need to make all of the people that we are helping believe that they CAN feel good about themselves and/or accomplish goals. This could be as easy as helping an elderly person boost their self esteem, using your happy energy to lift the spirits of a kid in the hospital fighting an illness, taking the time to talk to a homeless person. This all seems so easy and small to us, but the impact can be amazing.

For so many elderly people, depression is a hard feeling to fight on their own. Taking the time as a volunteer to call them, stop by and have a cup of tea with them, take them grocery shopping and most of all just talk to them and listen can change an elderly person’s life.

Children need to play and maintain some sense of their normal routine to heal and be emotionally stable. That is where volunteers can make a positive difference. Volunteers provide a wonderful gift to patients and their families by offering their time, their presence, their smile, and kind gestures that can draw a smile or even a giggle from the child, making their day as normal and happy as possible. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

Helping the Homeless:

“How are you doing? Would you like to talk?”

These questions are great because they’re open-ended, Zordel says, giving the homeless person a  choice either to brush off a deeper conversation or engage in one without judgment or pressure. Don’t be surprised if the individual isn’t interested in chatting, though, says Joe. “You’re getting into people’s personal lives. Maybe they don’t want to discuss that with a complete stranger.” If, however, the person is open to talking, this can lead to a real conversation — and maybe even provide a way for you to offer help. But even if you’re just having a casual exchange, you could be satisfying an important need: social connection. Many who live on the streets battle the feeling that they’re inadequate or nonexistent to the rest of the world. Having a real conversation can reduce those sentiments.
Read more: http://nationswell.com/homeless-america-5-things-to-say/#ixzz40LkgswhD

“Good morning.”

Or say “hi” or “hello” or try to acknowledge the person in some way.  “It’s good to hear kindness,” says Joe, who has been homeless in Portland, Ore., off and on for the past 16 years. Regardless of what your greeting may be, it’s important to look the person in the eye when speaking. According to another Portland man, Troy Thompson, who has been homeless several times despite being a skilled carpenter (when he can’t find work, he can’t afford to pay rent), one of the many difficult things about being homeless is that you feel less than human. “It’s like being invisible,” he says. Adds Marbut, “The non-homeless person almost never looks the homeless in the eye. If you just look a person in the eye and sort of nod, it’s the most respectful thing you can ever do.”

I am not in denial by thinking that everyone that you come across is going to be receptive, is going to think that you are the best thing since sliced bread or that you will instantly see the end result of your efforts. All I ask is that you put your mortality rate aside for a few minutes and remember that one word of encouragement, one moment of laughter or one offer to help or just listening, can change someone else’s life for a minute, days or even a life time. That is what volunteering is about!