Volunteerism

Many communities across the country are having their challenges, particularly with budgets and tax revenue. This does place a strain on resources that sometimes are requested to reduce work hours or laid-off or lack of supporting infrastructure to ensure community needs. 

There are substantial benefits to creating a good volunteerism within a community to help support activities in many states. As we all know, volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services. Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be considered self-serving. The social capital generated by volunteering plays a key role in economic regeneration.

Community volunteering can be to improve community enhancement efforts in the area in which they live. Supporting these understaffed groups can enable them to succeed in a variety of areas, which connect social, environmental, and economic boundaries. Volunteers can conduct a wide range of activities.

Volunteering has become a meaningful activity for all ages – adolescents, adults within the work force, and retirees. Research has proven the positive rewards of doing for others and finding meaning in activities.

Meaningful activity through volunteerism greatly contributes to an older person's ability to age successfully. The delay of retirement, and the return and staying power of women in the work force have contributed to the decline in volunteer numbers. The need for volunteers of all ages continues.  Older volunteers, with their longer experience, may rise to the leadership within nonprofit organizations whose programs and activities depend on voluntary help.

The notion of volunteerism has been exemplified in the U.S. since the early days of barn raisings and quilting bees.

My question to readers of Patch: How can we in Barnegat increase the spirit of volunteerism in supporting our community and government?