Outside of preparing taxes for your clients, how involved are you in the community you live and work in? Attending a networking event here and there can be beneficial but it doesn’t count as giving back to the community.
You Meet People Outside Your Bubble
Have you ever noticed that the people attending networking events each month are often the same? Volunteering in a local community event is a great way to break the mold and meet some people you wouldn’t normally see at that next networking event.
You Build Trust & Respect
When you give back, you earn the trust, respect, and loyalty of the very community you’re supporting, and live and work in. Not only do you build friendships, you also begin meeting and building relationships with other leaders in the community who share the same passion for that cause or organization as you do. This can create opportunities for collaboration and partnership with other local businesses or community organizations, both of which are good for business. Plus, people gravitate toward others who support the community they live and work in, and they want to do business with them.
You Enrich Your Community
When you take ownership in your community, you are helping improve the lives of the people you live and work with. Whether it’s raising funds for a new playground, volunteering to bring food to people in need, helping to organize a community race, or spending a day to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity, you are making the community a better place to live and work. That’s a win-win.
It Makes You Feel Good
Making community stewardship a part of your DNA helps improve your mindset and gets you out of your head. Volunteerism gives you a sense of purpose and takes you away from the daily grind. It reminds you of other issues that are important and has a way of putting things into perspective. It also helps you connect with other people on another level.
A study by the University of Exeter found that “volunteers had a 22% lower mortality rate than non-volunteers, and they also had higher levels of self-esteem and happiness.” That alone is reason enough to start giving back!
Giving Back is Fun
Lastly, helping people is lots of fun! You get to make friends, you’re working toward a common goal, and you can choose something you are passionate about.
Not sure where to start? Check out VolunteerMatch to find out what’s available in your local community.
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