A year ago, at his inauguration, Barack Obama urged Americans to get more involved in community service.  Since then, many organizations, including Jewish Community Services and Jewish Volunteer Connection here in Baltimore, have seen an increase in inquiries about volunteering.  As we observe Martin Luther King’s birthday, it’s uplifting to observe that in the current challenging economic climate, people are coming forward and coming together to help others.

Joining the ranks of new volunteers are recent retirees, as well as people who have been laid off, many of whom are still searching for new jobs.  Both groups find they can still draw on their experience and skills to make positive contributions.*

Whether you’re currently seeking work or not, the question is: how do you keep on feeling vital and valuable?  Everyone needs a reason to get up and moving each day.

Doing something useful for others is a great incentive to take a break from your own problems.  And in the process, an amazing thing happens.  JCS volunteers of all ages agree that helping others can open up your world, bringing meaning and purpose to your life. 

Herb Shuman, a semi-retired JCS Friendly Visitor and grocery shopper for homebound people, says, “Volunteering makes me feel good; it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done besides taking care of my mother.  It fits very well into my life.”  As a Mitzvah Mobility volunteer, Ellen Gold, mother of three teenage children, drives and escorts JCS clients who need help getting to medical appointments.  “I love the interaction,” she says; “I’ve met fascinating people whose lives are so rich, and who often express their appreciation for my help.”  “A lot of people don’t realize they can potentially change someone’s life for the better,” says Russell Singer, a thirty-something JCS Big Brother, reflecting on his own rewarding experience as a mentor and friend to his ten-year-old Little Brother, Ryan.  A local attorney, who volunteers at the Jewish Legal Services monthly clinic for people with limited income, says, “Part of the obligation of being licensed [as a lawyer] is to give something back to the community.  It’s part and parcel of being Jewish as well.” 

A Mayo Clinic study shows that “people who volunteer 1 to 2 hours a week are healthier, live longer, and are more satisfied with their lives compared with non-volunteers.”  Did you get that?  You can actually improve your quality of life by helping someone else only an hour or two a week!

Maybe you’ve been considering volunteering.  Tap into your skills, energy and enthusiasm.  Right now, JCS needs more Mitzvah Mobility drivers, and boys in our community need Big Brothers.  You can join groups visiting Jewish prisoners in Maryland facilities, or choose another activity that appeals to you. 

To quote from Aesop’s Fables: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”  To get involved and make a difference, visit www.jcsbaltimore.org/volunteer or call410-466-9200.  You’ll feel great.

By Beth Land Hecht, LCSW-C, Senior Manager, JCS Volunteer Services, and Gail Lipsitz

*AARP Bulletin, June 2009   **”Prevention Magazine,” January 2009

Visit the JCS website at www.jcsbaltimore.org