Gillian Anderson once said, “Be of service. Whether you make yourself available to a friend or co-worker, or you make time every month to do volunteer work, there is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service to someone in need.”
Federal employees have great resilience in overcoming a variety of challenges in the federal work space to meet agency goals. Their tenacity is also used in service to others. On occasion, some feds will take time out to volunteer in their local communities throughout the year as a means of giving back.
So how does one find the time to volunteer during this holiday season when schedules are packed with so many other requirements? Here are seven ideas.
- Volunteer for projects that pique your interest and leverage your skills by checking out Serve.gov for opportunities near you
- Support annual charity programs such as the Combined Federal Campaign, Special Olympics, Feds Feed Families, Toys for Tots and many others to make an impact year round
- Consider your next team building event as a volunteer group effort
- Encourage employees to seek out volunteer opportunities that will engage, empower and explore the world around them
- Share employee success stories regarding volunteering in office newspapers and other employee communications
- Nominate extraordinary coworkers for the President’s Volunteer Service Awards Program to recognize their amazing volunteer efforts
- Donate additional leave to co-workers in need
What are your tips for giving back during this season of giving?
Love this post – great reminder to think about giving back during the holidays!
Hannah, thank you for your comments.
Thanks for promoting volunteering during the holidays! Other ideas include joining the local Trot for Hunger on Thanksgiving, volunteering at the local food bank or kitchen, holding a coat or shoebox drive, or tutoring local students. So many ways to be of service in your community!
Hello Terry. Great ideas, all of them. Thank you for sharing.