Volunteering: Good for You and Your Wallet
Skip to Content
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

Volunteering: Good for You and Your Wallet

Main Content

September 7, 2017

Written By Gabriella Allen, La Casa de Esperanza

As a volunteer program coordinator with La Casa de Esperanza’s Financial Stability program, I often speak about why volunteer work is important and its impact on the community. Volunteering also has a positive impact on the volunteer themselves. In fact, doing good may even be good for your finances!

Here are some ways you can benefit from giving back:

Volunteering enhances your school and college experience
Volunteering is a great way to apply the things you learn in school in a real-world setting. This can both enhance your school performance and make you a more distinguished candidate for jobs you apply for in the future.

Volunteering improves job prospects
These days, people are finishing school finding that they need to be more competitive in the job market. Not only can volunteering be a unique experience to put on your resume, but it’s a great way to build new skills and network. For example, someone who volunteers as a financial coach will be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, build effective communication skills through coaching, and meet other professionals that can connect them to a career opportunity or serve as references when it comes time to apply for work. This can make you a standout applicant to potential employers.

Better health for body and mind
Volunteerism has proven benefits for mind, body, and spirit. People who volunteer regularly show lower rates of depression, chronic pain, and may even live longer! Volunteering creates a “feel-good” effect that can significantly improve your quality of life. What could all this mean for your wallet? By engaging in activities that promote good health like volunteering, you may be lowering your medical costs in later life without even realizing it!

Save money while still helping causes dear to you
Do you ever find flyers from agencies or organizations close to your heart in your mailbox asking for donations? You would gladly write a blank check if you could, but for a lot of people that’s not always possible. Volunteering is a great way to contribute to causes close to your heart when you don’t have the cash.

Whether you’re looking to boost your resume, connect with your community, or just want to give back, you can’t go wrong with volunteering. Check out United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County today for volunteer opportunities in your area.



Monthly blogger Gabriella Allen is a VITA Site Coordinator with the Center for Financial Stability at La Casa de Esperanza. We spoke with Gabriella during tax season about how low- to middle-income families can maximize their tax return. Listen here.


 

Have something to say? LEAVE A COMMENT:

The following required items were not provided or are in the wrong format. Please provide the required responses and submit again:

Your email address will not be published. All fields Required.

Name: 
  Please enter your name
  Please enter a valid email
Comment: 
  Please enter a comment

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukehsa County blog and social media presence is designed as a source for information, sharing and collaboration about United Way and health and human service related topics. As part of our commitment to our readers, we expect all posters to abide by the following rules:
 • Posts and comments should be on topic, conversational, and serve to educate or entertain  
 • Posts and comments may not be unlawful, fraudulent, threatening, libelous, defamatory, discriminatory, harassing, obscene or otherwise rude or in poor taste  
 • Posts and comments may not be used for any commercial purpose or otherwise to promote any outside organization or its activities
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County reserves the right, at our discretion, to remove any post or to revoke a user’s privilege to post to our page. Comments found to be in conflict with the guidelines above will be removed promptly.
Comments are not necessarily those of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and its employees and we do not guarantee the accuracy of these posts.