You Get What You Give
I’ve spent a part of my life giving back to the community for as long as I can remember. I can remember as far back as high school and college volunteering for political causes and candidates, and as I’ve gotten older that has grown to include social causes too. Some of my long-term friends may also remember that in the early 2000s, I wrote a regular column in the Arizona Republic chronicling my volunteerism, which I turned into a book that I self published.
Then in 2012, following a major health scare, I left my job in corporate America and started working full time for the American Heart Association. Today I continue to work in the nonprofit sector at JFCS.
Yet somehow I still find myself longing to do more in the community. I don’t think it’s purely about altruism. These days with the nest empty and my wife working longer hours I am often bored. There’s only so many shows to binge and soccer matches to watch and books to read, and while I love these hobbies they are all passive. I started looking into active hobbies — like golf and pickleball and kayaking — and while I am still going to explore these things (especially when the weather in Phoenix allows) I know that giving back is a powerful tonic.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” — Muhammad Ali
I did some research on the interwebs and landed on a handful of volunteer opportunities that peaked my curiosity. I downselected to a pair, and sent in requests for more information and now just a few weeks later I’m an official volunteer at two nonprofits whose missions resonate with me.
Unleashing My Inner Lester Holt
Sun Sounds of Arizona provides audio access to print information to people who cannot read or hold print material due to a disability. Sun Sounds broadcasts the reading of over 200 local and national publications 24/7 from its studios in Tempe, Flagstaff, and Tucson. All reading is done by hundreds of trained volunteers.
I love the idea of turning my passion for reading into a volunteer experience that can help people stay informed and entertained. Best of all, I can do this from home or the road as I like — or I can record at the organization’s studio in Tempe. Plus, I can record as much or as little as I want.
Getting started with Sun Sounds takes a little effort. After I applied, I was asked to attend a one-hour online orientation. Following that, I was required to submit a reading test over the phone. Finally, after being approved, I purchased a good microphone (a Logitech Snowball iCE) and a pop filter (Auphonix) to ensure my recordings are top notch.
I am planning to start recording over the Thanksgiving weekend and I’m really excited to see where this goes. Anyone can listen to the Sun Sounds “feed” at https://sunsounds.org/listen-live.
Helping Small Businesses and Nonprofits Thrive
I have nearly 40 years of experience in public relations, marketing, promotion, and fundraising. It simply makes sense for me to share my experience with those just starting out in a business venture, especially if it’s a business or nonprofit I can get behind. I have known about SCORE for a long time, but I assumed you had to be retired to volunteer as a mentor. The truth is, the Service Corps of Retired Executives is no longer just for retired business leaders. If you have experience and a desire to help others, you can get involved. So I did.
SCORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). One thing that stood out for me with SCORE was that there are multiple ways to help. I do not feel qualified to be a mentor, which is someone who provides overall business coaching to mentees (I don’t know a balance sheet from a top sheet). But I sure as heck feel qualified to give advice on public relations, marketing, and fundraising. So I signed up to be a subject matter expert, which in SCORE parlance means I’m someone who has “deep knowledge and experience in a specific business topic.” I have already met with several SCORE clients to lend my expertise to their marketing and promotional needs. I am also working with nonprofits to help them think through their marketing and fundraising strategies.
In just the first few weeks as a SCORE subject matter expert I have felt like I’ve made an impact, which is really all you can ask from a volunteer experience. On top of that, the local score chapter leader has asked me for assistance helping the chapter with their own marketing needs.
One thing I like about both of these volunteer experiences is that I can work at my own pace, mostly from home. And in each case if I want to spend more time volunteering I can.
I learned from my work writing for the Arizona Republic that all volunteer opportunities are not alike. Back then I volunteered for a wide array of organizations across multiple disciplines, from stacking books for the Friends of the Library to working directly with homeless kids at a shelter. Statistics suggest there are more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. alone, which means there are at least that many ways to give back. And while it can be overwhelming to decide how to jump in, there are some great tools to help you narrow down the choices. I started at Volunteer Match, which has a tool to help you down select by cause category. Categories include: human rights; animals; children & youth; hunger; seniors; and many more.
If like me you find yourself looking for a way to better use your free time consider volunteering. Not only will it help others, it will provide you with much-needed satisfaction and gratefulness.