What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.

-Jane Goodall

Your involvement makes an impact. National Volunteer Month is held every April to recognize and celebrate the impact of volunteerism and those who choose to get involved in their communities. Providing support and empowerment is a central mission of Center For Family Services, and the efforts of people who give their time to their community make a huge difference in supporting and empowering individuals and families in need. Volunteers are a key piece to strengthening our mission of service and National Volunteer Month is a great opportunity to recognize the essential work of volunteers and share how you can get involved and make a change. 

Volunteerism can look like many things, but overall, it describes the intentional contribution of time, labor, and skills by people and groups to support a worthwhile cause. Volunteers choose to donate their time and labor out of a desire to give back and make an impact in communities and causes. Volunteers not only help uplift and aid mission-oriented projects with their efforts but also have so much to gain personally from volunteerism as well. Some individual benefits of volunteering include:

• Connection: Giving your time to a cause you care about is a great way to connect to a network of like-minded professionals, people, and community members that you might not find all in one place otherwise. The bonds built through volunteerism create ripples of change in the communities they work to support. 
• Skills: Volunteers opportunities are a great avenue for both soft and hard skills growth, whether it be event planning, public speaking, project coordination along with the skills from performing the hands-on tasks needed to complete a wide range of projects.
• Well-being: Participation in purpose-driven services have shown significant benefits to individual wellbeing. Through its connections, growth, and impact, volunteering has shown to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Center For Family Services values the important role and impact of volunteers and meeting the goals of our mission of service. The dedication of volunteers inspires change and makes a great impact on individuals, children, and families and our services. There is an ongoing need for volunteers throughout the year to meet the wide range of needs across programs. Individuals can share their talents and skills as Activity Leaders in our Family Success Centers and Residential Programs. SERV and Kaleidoscope always benefit greatly from dedicated and passionate people, ready to learn and become advocates for change and education in their communities. Volunteering with Center For Family Services is also a great way to facilitate excellent team building opportunities and creatively implement personal and professional networks through service.  Hosting a collection drive of in-kind needs such as backpacks, school supplies, household essentials, or holiday gifts is an amazing way for anyone to spread the word about Center For Family Services and mobilize to make a change in the lives of children and families. 

Reflecting on nearly 20 years of partnership and service with Center For Family Services, Barb with The Wyanoke Group shares,

“We love working with Center For Family Services, you guys do great work. We love to feel like we’re helping our neighbors and our community, and that’s exactly what you guys do. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of something great!” 

Take advantage of this National Volunteer Month to spark a change and look into how you can join Center for Family Services in meeting our community's most urgent needs. 

You can be the one to make a positive impact, visit our Get Involved page to learn more and fill out a volunteer interest form today!