Mahatma Gandhi said that “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Over the past several years, I’ve made an effort to be of service to others, from cleaning puppy kennels to helping in the building of affordable housing. And although I can’t say that I’ve found myself yet, I do know that I’ve reaped many other benefits. In this post I’d like to discuss some of the research behind the health benefits of volunteering and how to get the maximum benefit, share some of my personal experiences of volunteering in retirement, and let you know how you can find the best volunteer opportunities for retirees that meet your needs as well as those of your community.

Reasons to Volunteer

Personally, I view the opportunity to help others as a key element in navigating the Phases of Retirement, but everyone has their own reasons to volunteer. Some feel the need to make an impact on others because they have a personal connection to a cause. For example, family members of cancer patients often will volunteer with the American Cancer Society to help raise awareness or money to help find a cure. Others have an emotional bond to a community or place and feel obligated to protect it, such as when first responders volunteer during a crisis or natural disaster. Some may be compelled to volunteer because of their religious beliefs. Jesus commanded that we “love one another as I have loved you.” Buddhism speaks of volunteerism bringing a ray of hope into this world and dispelling its darkness. In Islamic tradition, it is noble to seek Allah’s pleasure and reward by alleviating the lot of a needy person. A favorite quote of mine is by Mohammad Ali: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

So, most, if not all, great wisdom traditions call for some sort of practice of helping those in need. And, as we are finding out more and more, scientific research is showing that these traditions are right. Volunteering is beneficial not just for the spirit, but for the mind and body as well.

The Health Benefits of Volunteering

According to a meta-analysis by the Corporation for National and Community Service (The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research), volunteering is good for both your mental and physical health, as serving others has been shown to lower mortality rates, improve functional abilities (being able to do normal day-to-day activities such as running errands, visiting friends, walking up and down stairs, and doing housework), alleviate chronic pain, lower depression and increase life satisfaction. These health benefits are even more pronounced in older (over 50) volunteers, so volunteering after you leave the workforce is a vital part of living well during retirement. In fact, in a surprising and somewhat counterintuitive (at least to me) finding, there was no correlation between receiving social support and improved health, but there was a positive correlation between giving support and improved health. So scientific research has proven that the wise old adage is correct: It is better to give than to receive.

But how much, in terms of time, should you give to receive the greatest health benefit? Two studies have found that the maximum benefit comes from volunteering around 100 hours per year, or about two hours per week. A third study found that volunteering with two or more organizations was the most beneficial. But yet another found that moderate levels of volunteering (at least 40 hours per year, or around one hour per week) with just one organization offered the greatest benefit. There did not appear to be additional benefit from volunteering more than 100 hours per year. So, although the specific data may vary, it is clear that between one and two hours per week with one or two organizations is optimal, but these guidelines should be tailored to the individual. If you can find something that you enjoy doing and are physically active enough to do it, go for two hours per week. If that seems like too much and it begins to feel like a chore or obligation (or a job!), cut back or find something else to do. Finding the right balance between a volunteer opportunity that is challenging and rewarding, but not too stressful, is important. Remember that volunteering should be FUN.

Best Friends

Best Friends

Speaking of fun, my first recommendation for one of the best volunteer opportunities for retirees is the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. The Sanctuary is home to almost 1,600 animals including dogs, cats, horses, pigs, rabbits, and birds; it spans 3,700 acres of beautiful landscape, with 33,000 more leased from the Bureau of Land Management. Volunteer opportunities include exercising the animals, cleaning their living areas, preparing meals and grounds maintenance. Depending on your comfort level, experience, and age, you can work with everything from baby bunnies to injured wild animals.

Since it was our first time volunteering, my daughter and I decided to stick to working with dogs and puppies. Our shifts included walking older dogs, playing with puppies to help socialize them, and spending time with Kit and Caboodle, two dogs with severe neurological disorders (watch this video to see the amazing work that is being done to rehabilitate them). And at the end of the day, we were able to bring a dog back to our rented house for a sleep-over.

Volunteering at Best Friends was a great way to spend quality time with my daughter, help rescue unwanted animals and enjoy the scenery of the American Southwest; I can’t wait to go back there again. But most studies show that to have the largest impact on both yourself and the organization that you volunteer with, you should make a long-term commitment of at least two years. Doing meaningful work takes time and effort; you will probably need to learn a few new skills, which is beneficial for neuroplasticity and brain health. It also takes time to form new relationships with your organization’s leaders and fellow volunteers, which is good for mental health and well-being. In addition, volunteer organizations want people who are willing to make a long-term commitment, just as in the working world. It often takes substantial time and effort to train a new volunteer and organizations want to make sure that they get a return on their time and effort investment. Whereas Best Friends was more like a mini-vacation (for about a week), my next volunteer opportunity, with Fostering Youth Independence, is much more of a long-term commitment.

Fostering Youth Independence

Fostering Youth Independence (FYI) is based in my hometown, Santa Clarita, CA, and serves local foster youth who are aging out of the foster care system. I have been volunteering there for almost two years now and am an ally (as opposed to simply a mentor) to a young man who recently graduated from high school and attended a local community college (part of the youth eligibility requirements for joining the program is that they must be pursuing an education or trade). He is now thinking of starting his own business and, as his ally, I will be there to offer encouragement and moral support. This is why FYI uses the term “ally” rather than mentor; the relationship is not one of parent-child, teacher-student, or even big brother. Although at times it can be these, it is more often an equal partnership where you walk side-by-side with the youth that you are paired with.

As the name suggests, fostering youth independence is the goal, but foster youth must learn interdependence as well. Many do not trust adults, and often with good reason. It’s hard for them to believe that anyone would care about them, at least not without getting paid for it. By building trust and rapport with a youth, you show that there are people who can be counted on and will be there when needed, whether it’s moving furniture into a first apartment, filling out a tax return, or helping with math homework.

Besides the social interactions of being an ally, FYI offers many other benefits when you volunteer with them. Their leadership team is available to answer any questions that you may have (I had many when I started) and guide you through the process of building a relationship with your assigned youth. Their case managers help you deal with the alphabet soup of acronyms that is social services – DCSF, SILP, FAFSA, CASA, etc. There is also a bi-monthly support group for allies led by a licensed therapist to help with any specific needs or issues that you or your youth may be dealing with. FYI is an amazing organization that serves the Santa Clarita Valley, but there are similar groups that serve throughout the nation, and there is certainly a need for volunteers. Here are a few statistics that illustrate the need:

• More than 23,000 children age out of the foster care program every year
• 20% of those will become homeless instantly when they turn 18
• Only half of the foster children who age out will be gainfully employed by the age of 24
• Less than 3% will earn a college degree
• 25% suffer from PTSD

So the need is there for anyone looking to help. I got involved because I wanted to do something to help, even if it was only one youth, but I’ve gained so much more in the process.

Habitat for Humanity

Another great opportunity for volunteering in retirement that may interest you is Habitat for Humanity. I recently helped in the construction of an affordable (at least for California) townhouse complex in Oxnard, CA.  Although I have done some DIY projects on my homes and rental properties, I’m no expert when it comes to construction. I have to admit that I was a little nervous and intimidated when I showed up at the worksite at 8 AM and was given a hardhat, work gloves and a nail pouch. But there are plenty of retired contractors and other tradespeople who are more than willing to share their knowledge, and they encourage you to jump right in and get your hands dirty. I was pretty surprised, and even more intimidated, when the site volunteer supervisor asked me to use a pneumatic nail gun to attach siding onto the second story of the house, twenty feet up in the air. I’ve been told that getting out of your comfort zone is important if you want to stay mentally fit, but that was about as far out of my comfort zone as I wanted to be! But you don’t have to do anything that you’re not comfortable with and safety always comes first.

If you don’t want to work on a construction site and get your hands dirty (or blistered, for newbies like me), you can help out with retail (they have second-hand furniture and appliance stores), technology, mortgage services, public relations, or fundraising. They also have volunteer opportunities to help build housing in more than 70 countries around the world. Again, it’s best to make a commitment if you are serious about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. I decided that I couldn’t commit to a set schedule because the building site was a little too far from my home, but I could see that I would have benefited greatly from the experience. I met some wonderful people who I know that I would have bonded with if we had worked on a shared project. These people are so knowledgeable about their crafts, and so willing to share that knowledge, that I’m sure that I would have learned a ton of new skills, which is another way to keep your brain healthy.

In Conclusion

In this post I’ve shared just a slice of all of the opportunities for volunteering in retirement that are available to you. If you stop and think about all of the problems in the world today, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and not do anything. My advice to you is to start small and locally, and volunteer with several organizations until you find the right fit and the right cause. A great place to start your search is Volunteer Match. There are more than 137,000 non-profits in their database and they have connected 17 million volunteers to these organizations. There are 30 categories to choose from, ranging from such fields as Arts and Culture, Environmental, Sports or Politics. The site also has a really helpful and inspiring blog that has lots of tips and resources for how to be kind to yourself and others.

When I began my search, I was told to start by thinking about an issue that breaks your heart; I think that’s great advice. Unwanted animals, underprivileged kids, and the homeless all break my heart, and if I can help to rescue one animal, encourage one disadvantaged youth to become a successful adult, or help one family attain affordable housing, then I feel that I’ve paid my rent to live here on Earth. But I’ve gained so much more in terms of my spiritual, mental, and physical health, and I’m sure you will too!