Just last week I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the Helping Hands of Aiken and I would go back and volunteer everyday if I could. For those of you that don’t know what Helping Hands is, it is an organization that cares for children who have, for some reason, been taken from their homes and been placed there. Once a month, USC Aiken serves the kids living there a meal which is donated by Aramark (the dining service at USC Aiken). So, one of my friends presented me with the opportunity to sign up and work with them on serving pizza to these kids. But little did I know, I said yes to two hours of pure joy. I met so many friendly people in the dining hall and 20+ children who were full of life and fun. I also learned how to make homemade pizza using a pizza oven and everything! It was such a rewarding experience that just continued my love for volunteering and helping out in my community any way possible.

1. It can be fun.

Like I said earlier just from that one experience, I got to make pizzas and play with kids! But if that doesn’t seem like something you’d like to do there are always tons of other opportunities around Aiken! The United Way of Aiken are also another great organization that I love to work with. They are always looking for volunteers to help out at events and even do things around the office. The key is to figure out something you like doing and are passionate about, and then find a way to make that helpful to others. Many non-profits are located in Aiken and need the support of the community!

2. It is extremely rewarding for the community.

Many non-profits receive government funding by the number of volunteers they have and the amount of help from the community they receive. So helping these organizations not only benefits directly the people being served, but also the entire organization all together.

3. It creates great connections.

As a college community, everyone needs reference/recommendation letter for something (jobs, clubs, etc.). The amount of people you meet by giving back to the community is mind-boggling. You may not remember their names, but I promise you they’ll remember you and all the work you put in. Some of my greatest networking/communications tools are used when meeting and interacting with people I meet while volunteering. Because it is surprising how many people you can meet who share the same goals are you.

4. It can be motivating to do so much more.

After serving once and making all those connections we talked about, it is hard not to just get swept in. Your heart will want to do more and will want to continue to help out in any way possible. For me, just knowing that I have gratefully impacted at least one person’s life makes it all the worthwhile.

5. It opens opportunities for change in the community.

Change begins in small steps. We’ve been told this since we were all kids, you have to dream big and not give up on what you want remembering that practice makes perfect. Which is funny because it works that way within a community as well. Everything that needs to be done, cannot be completed in a matter of 2 hours of service. It takes consistency and hard work each week or month to build something great.

6. It looks good on a resume.

And let’s all be honest, if none of the other reasons were tempting you to want to go volunteer then think about this. Resume building should be a big priority to every college student right now. Job interviewers like to see that your time was well spent through helping your community. So did that convince you to volunteer, it may land you a job some day?

Community services and volunteering your time and abilities is the easiest way to have a lasting impact on your community. Most students are extremely busy with work and school and all that their “busy” schedules in tale. But I can promise you that taking even five minutes to help someone out can make your heart feel the love and joy mine does every time I do community service. Community service and giving back lives within the Phi Mu creed that I live by, "To lend to those less fortunate a helping hand."

Therefore, I challenge everyone reading this article to never say no to an opportunity to lend a helping hand for your community.