Jenny Neureiter, Office Manager
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month. At the Putnam County Community Foundation, and most other Putnam County nonprofits, we rely on our volunteers to successfully carry out our mission. In a community of our size, we find that it’s often the same people who show up for volunteer roles for a variety of different causes. Board members serving on a local youth sports league board are also volunteering for the PTO. Committee members here at the Community Foundation are also serving in local government. Families who show up to help clean up a park are also volunteering in their church’s food pantry.
We are a community of doers.
One reason why I love living and working in Putnam County is we just simply step up to fill the need. I feel like most rural communities are pretty tight knit, and ours is no exception. We use our many personal connections and become invested in a cause based on those personal ties. I’ve witnessed people moving mountains right here in Putnam County in the past few months to support organizations such as North Putnam Dollars for Scholars, Isaiah 117 House, and the Gleaners Mobile Food Pantries.
Our community does not hesitate to volunteer. In fact, many of our community members crave and seek opportunities to give back to others. Volunteering is a great way to give back and to make your community a better place to live. But the benefits of volunteering go beyond those for the common good. Volunteerism can also have a benefit on your health and well-being. Volunteering can decrease your risk of depression, improve your cognitive skills, reduce stress levels, lower your blood pressure, and increase your lifespan according to some research.
While it can be hard to find the right volunteer opportunity for you, there are a lot of options in Putnam County. You might start by identifying a cause that is meaningful to you. Once you have a better idea of the type of work you want to support, you can check out the nonprofit list on our website. It isn’t a complete list of the charitable organizations in Putnam County, but we’ve done our best to provide a good starting point for you to identify some nonprofits that are doing work that’s meaningful to you.
As we wrap up National Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want to say THANK YOU to the many community members who give of their time and talent to support our neighbors right here in Putnam County. I challenge you to commit to just one new volunteer opportunity this spring. Not only will it improve your own well-being, but it will also help ensure the thriving future of our community.