Volunteering

“With limited funds but plenty of time, I decided to start with a letter-writing opportunity. My task was simple, write a letter of encouragement to deployed Service Members. But as I started writing I realized the deeper significance of what I was doing. Each word I wrote represented a piece of home, bringing a small comfort to someone serving far away.”

“Volunteering for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, even when done virtually. Stepping into an unfamiliar experience, unsure of what to expect but eager to make a difference, was exactly how I felt when signing up with Soldiers’ Angels. [...] Even after training, the sheer amount of volunteer opportunities felt a bit overwhelming. However, I soon discovered that I could filter the opportunities by category. This put me at ease as it became easier to find an opportunity that fit my time availability and budget.”

“I absolutely love the Safe at home calls, and feel a close relationship to the people I speak to. I spoke to someone awhile ago, in her 80s, who bought a guitar and taught herself how to play. She started writing songs on her own, and I asked her to play one for me, and she did! It was in a totally different language, but we both laughed, and I very much enjoyed being part of that experience with her.”