Feeling a little down? Maybe lonely? Disconnected? Want to feel better?

Help somebody.

Volunteering not only helps those whom you serve, it also helps you. Seriously! Every day people from all walks of life learn new skills, make new friends and build new relationships simply by volunteering to help.

Do a Google search for the words “volunteering health benefits” and see what you find. There is a ton of information that shows how helping others will make you a healthier and stronger person.

Did you know that volunteering can increase your self-confidence, provide a sense of purpose, combat depression and help keep you physically healthy? Check out Helpguide.org to learn more about why these are true.

I recently talked with a board member of one of New Hampshire's 114 resident-owned communiities (ROCs), whose volunteer responsibilities, I know, can be quite stressful. He told me, “I feel physically better now than before I was on the board. It’s good for me being involved and I’m loving it.”

A powerful statement, don’t you think?

So why is this important? Look around your community. Do people routinely volunteer to help? Are neighbors helping neighbors? Is there a culture of helping and looking out for others? If not, why not?

New Hampshire's communities are built on people helping others and volunteering. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the small town I live in. We run the youth sports programs and the PTA, our fire fighters are volunteers, and we clean up our neighborhoods and bring food to seniors.

We do it because these are the needs of “our” community. And because we do, our community is stronger and we feel better.

Every community, whether it’s a city, a small neighborhood, or a manufactured-home cooperative, has needs that caring people help meet by volunteering their time, energy and expertise. I often hear that volunteer rates in ROCs are usually between 10% and 30% of the membership. What if 50% of members volunteered in ways that improved the community—WOW, could you accomplish a lot!

As we all consider our New Year resolutions, please consider adding this one to your list: I’m going to spend more time making my community a great place to live.

If even half of you who read this follow through on that resolution, your communities will become better places to live, and you just might feel a little better!

ROC-NH™ is a program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, Inc. and a ROC USA^® Certified Technical Assistance Provider.
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