A Letter from the Heartland: The Power of Volunteering
How Volunteering Can Unite Neighbors Again
This time last year, We thought there was light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic. The vaccine would be the silver bullet to get society back to normal.
Over the last 12 months of traveling throughout multiple counties in southern Indiana for my job as Director of an outreach program for students in grades 6–12, I have noticed a disturbing trend for our youth.
A sense of hopelessness that society will never get back to normal. It is not hard to see why students think that in their last few school years. Virtual learning, social distancing, quarantining, playing sporting events with limited supporters in the stands, and their favorite extra-curricular activities eliminated. In a way, they see hopelessness. The lingering effects of the pandemic mixed in the anxiety and political discourse (or lack thereof) can leave a negative view on society. It is not hard to see why students think this way. I do not was this piece to complain about society but instead offer a solution that can benefit us all.
I believe there is an opportunity for community organizations to reintroduce themselves. Churches, civic groups, human services organizations, community projects need to explain what services they provide and how any person, no matter their background, can volunteer and help them achieve their goal or objective.
Volunteering could unleash a renaissance of community service in providing many chances for people to reconnect with their neighbors for the greater good and improving their communities.
A population of citizens ranging from school-age children to senior citizens, who have spent the last two years mainly in their homes and not interacting with a limited amount of people can find activities to do while helping their community. Whether delivering meals for seniors, reading to children, cleaning a park, these tasks, which seem minor, can significantly impact developing community bonds and ease community tension. As we continue to build towards the “new normal.”
Undoubtedly, Covid-19 will be one of the defining moments as we enter the first quarter marker in the 21st century three years from now. After action reports, congressional hearings about how we can prepare better for future pandemics will be plenty. Still, significant work remains on how we respond to getting out of the current state of affairs. Students have faced adversity unlike any other over the past 24 months, but they also have the opportunity to establish new connections that will provide a better new normal.
