by Bob Brown – Guest Columnist
Decades ago, Mahatma Gandhi said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” As Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) celebrates National Volunteer Month this April, these words inspire our staff, our volunteers and those we serve.
For thousands in Central Florida, volunteering is more than simply helping others. It’s about the joy and fulfillment that comes with tapping into their talents, enthusiasm and resources. Some enjoy serving meals to the hungry. Others collect infant care supplies for families in need, or put their skills to work by offering low-income families free tax preparation.
No matter what the need, we’ve found people – of all ages and walks of life – to fill it. And when they find their calling, they benefit every bit as much as the community they serve.
Through the HFUW Volunteer Resource Center (VRC), we connect companies, individuals, families, students, faith-based groups and others with meaningful opportunities to get involved. The VRC maximizes community resources by partnering with more than 200 nonprofits to recruit, place and manage volunteers. Recurring projects include tutoring children, mentoring teens, stocking food banks and administrative help at partner agencies.
Last year, the HFUW Volunteer Resource Center organized several volunteer projects benefiting its partner agencies. In addition, the VRC:
· Coordinated service projects for 3,272 participants from corporate, student and faith-based organizations.
· Registered nearly 900 new volunteers on the center’s website.
· Secured 358 individuals to become readers, tutors and mentors as part of United Way’s initiative to cut high school dropout rates in half by 2018.
· Enlisted 195 volunteers to support 20 United Way Day of Action projects focused on improving youth literacy. A one-day, community-wide celebration, this annual event impacted more than 1,800 children at 20 partner agencies last June.
HFUW is proud to help thousands in our community connect with service opportunities that match their availability, skills and interests. Last year, our volunteers logged 47,700 hours of service to causes such as literacy, hunger, education, children’s health and many more. Their work, valued at $1,039,813, helped ease the burdens of those in need … from the unemployed to homeless families to seniors.
While we’re proud of these figures, the true impact volunteerism is incalculable. It is best measured in the hope of a family who no longer sleeps in their car, the pride of an adult who has just learned to read, or the smile of a child who looks forward to a future of health and opportunity.
For more information, call Heart of Florida United Way’s Volunteer Resource Center at (407) 429-2136 or visit www.HFUW.org.
Robert H. (Bob) Brown is president & CEO of Heart of Florida United Way – Central Florida’s largest provider of health and human service program funding – which works to advance the common good by focusing on education, income, health and basic needs
