Living in Service: Celebrating National Volunteer Week

At Thrivent, we believe humanity thrives when people make the most of all they've been given, whether they’re using their time, talent or treasures. Our clients do, too: In 2020 alone, 1.4 million Thrivent clients, their friends and families volunteered nearly 9 million hours to help their communities. What’s more, together we cumulatively raised and donated $125 million for various charitable efforts and causes during the year (as of Dec. 31, 2020).

So, it’s a natural fit for us to celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 18–24, as an opportunity to recognize caring volunteers who are using their time and talent to make a difference in the world.

To kick off our celebration, we’re sharing experiences and tips from a few Thrivent employees. You’ll read about the benefits volunteering brings to their lives, and get some suggestions on volunteering if you’re inspired to join in.

Their real stories remind us to recognize the amazing things we can accomplish when we work towards a common goal—like making the world we live in a better place.

Why volunteer?

In a hectic world, it can feel easier to make a financial donation and get back to your to-do list. And while donating money is a great way to support causes you care about, there are just as many excellent reasons to volunteer as well.

First of all, volunteering allows you to connect to your community by contributing to meaningful progress that you can see right where you live. But volunteering also directly benefits you. According to Psychology Today, people who volunteer experience fewer aches and pains. The same study suggests that helping others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. Why?

Researchers suggest that we feel so good when we give because we get what they call a “helpers high,” or a distinct physical sensation associated with helping. For example, about half of participants in one study reported that they felt stronger and more energetic after helping others; many also reported feeling calmer and less depressed, with increased feelings of self-worth. 

Finding time to volunteer

You might worry that volunteering will take up more time than you have. But the volunteers we spoke with told us that the time commitments for volunteering are more flexible than you might expect. “You can volunteer in many different ways and the commitment does not need to be long-term or overwhelming,” says Kris Immel, a Specialist with Thrivent Choice and Disaster Response.

Start by deciding how much time you have to spare and then find volunteer opportunities that align with it. 

• Only have an hour or two? Try something simple like sorting clothes at your local thrift shop or doing some extra clean up at your church.
• Want to commit to a weekly goal? Try filling a volunteer need that’s ongoing like visiting with residents at a nursing home or volunteering at your child’s school.
• Want to make it a monthly cadence? You could help prepare and serve meals at a homeless shelter or do a monthly food collection for a local food bank.

The key, Immel notes, is to jump in and get started. “Find something you love and just go for it! My goal is to say ‘yes’ as much as I can. I feel fulfilled, humbled and so grateful for the gifts I’ve been given and able to share with others.”

“I have the mindset that I’m never too busy to volunteer some of my time to serve others." —Kerry Mallory, Senior Financial Advisor, Ronald Blue Trust

How to choose volunteer activities

There are so many ways to serve others that the choices can get overwhelming. Figuring out where to focus your energy can be as much of a stumbling block as finding the time. The volunteers we asked had some great strategies for focusing their attention on the volunteer activities that meant the most to them.

Consider professional skills you can use for good

One creative way to think about volunteering is to use the same skills you need at work to make a difference for an organization you care about. Are you a whiz with a budget as part of your job? You can put those skills to work helping an organization make the most of their donations. The most organized person in your department? Turn that superpower into organizing an event.

Using your work skills is an excellent way to help the missions you care most about get accomplished efficiently. “To maximize the impact of my time, I try to volunteer in ministries where I see overlap between my personal passions and professional networking,” says Kerry Mallory, a Senior Financial Advisor, Ronald Blue Trust.

(And while we’re on the subject of work, don’t forget to take advantage of any benefits your employer offers for doing good. Mallory notes “I love the charitable contribution matching program that Thrivent offers me as an employee. It’s a simple way to significantly increase the impact of my giving.”

Think about what you’re passionate about

We heard from volunteers that the work is more fun—and more rewarding—when it’s focused on a cause they care deeply about. “Much of my volunteerism is as an adult leader with a church youth group,” says Alex Eldert, an Advanced Client Care Professional. “I believe it is more important for me to be present and available for students, especially through the anxieties present due to the pandemic. Assisting the students in their learning and being a resource for the hard questions about faith that the next generation has is a necessary service that I was able to provide. I think we underestimate the impact that we can have in those capacities, especially when there is a lack of volunteers due to the circumstances. While during a standard year, we might feel that our efforts are not as valuable due to the sheer number of participants. The last year has been eye-opening in terms of how valuable even a single volunteer can be.”  —Alex Eldert, Advanced Client Care Professional

So where—and for whom—do you feel the most excited about making a difference?

• If you love animals, you could volunteer at an animal shelter to walk dogs or spend time with cats waiting for a home.
• Do you love spending time outdoors? You could volunteer to help out at a community garden.
• Do you want to see less scrolling and more reading? Volunteer at the library or set up a free little library in your yard.
• Do you want to see less litter in local parks? Grab a friend and get some fresh air while cleaning up.
• Do you want to see more youth engaged in healthy physical activity? Volunteer with the Big Brothers or Big Sisters program and play some basketball. You’ll also help kids build their social skills and confidence around adults.

Be sure to review and follow the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control as well as additional guidelines by public and health officials in your community to stay safe during your volunteer activities. There are plenty of activities you can do from a distance or virtually. See these Safety Tips for Volunteering in a COVID-19 World.

Look at what the people around you need most

Look at what your neighbors or the greater society needs at any given time. For example, when the pandemic brought the immediate need for masks, Thrivent employee Julie Bonebrake, a Lead Software Developer, responded in a really impactful way.

“I spent time last year sewing face masks," Bonebrake says. “I knew everyone was going to need at least one mask and not everyone had access to buy or the skills to make them. So, this was something I could do at home to help fill this need. I started with immediate family and a few close friends before offering them by the curb for neighbors to take. Initially I was just trying to use up the fabric I had in a useful way. But the positive reaction from my neighborhood helped keep me going. I’m glad that I could do something good during a time when most other opportunities were not available.”

In addition to helping your neighbors, feel free to involve them! Adding others from your circle like family, friends, neighbors, church groups, book clubs, etc. adds a fun social aspect to the activity. And, most importantly, the extra help increases the impact of the effort.  

Additional tips for volunteering

Are you inspired to start to volunteer or increase the impact you are already making? Check out these additional resources for ideas to put your purpose into action.

• 18 Great Volunteer Ideas While Social Distancing.
• Visit our friends at Points of Light, a leading national volunteer resource, for their database of tips and tricks to start making an impact today.
• Are you a Thrivent member? Take advantage of the ways to easily share generosity as a benefit of your membership.
  • Be sure to use your Thrivent Action Teams (you get up to two per year if you are a benefit member). Did you know about the Actions Team Hub? It’s an online community to get inspired, share impact, and celebrate generosity from Thrivent Action Teams.
  • If eligible*, direct Choice Dollars® to an eligible organization of your choice.
  • Partner with Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Builds. Check out our partnership for local opportunities in your area.

We are grateful for the impact of volunteers

Giving back is important, not only to Thrivent, but to many of our clients. And we believe that spirit of giving is part of what makes us truly unique. From meeting unmet needs in your community, to giving back to causes you care about, we can help give you the tools and resources to take action—and create impact.

Take time to celebrate your own impact. Your time, energy and attention to this work is priceless.

We are grateful to you—our valued clients, friends and workforce—for your ongoing impact by sharing your time, talents and treasures. We celebrate you, not only during National Volunteer Week, but all year round.

Not yet a Thrivent client? Learn more about Thrivent and what makes us different.