United Way: Commitment to ongoing volunteerism increases impact – Daily Herald

Courtesy Riana Bruce-Goodsky

Bill Hulterstrom is president and CEO of United Way of Utah County.

It is always so inspiring to see how Utah County comes together to participate in volunteer events like the Day of Caring. Large group volunteer experiences are a crucial support to our community, and it is wonderful to see how such events can spark a desire for continued personal impact through volunteering.

One way to increase your personal impact is to find a way to participate in more committed long-term and ongoing volunteer opportunities. These opportunities help volunteers increase their own skills and provide valuable experience in a variety of settings, and they seek to build deeper relationships between volunteers and the recipients of their service. Those relationships provide the foundation for strong, vibrant and more connected communities.

Here in Utah County, there are so many ways for community members to get involved in committed ongoing volunteer opportunities. Many of these opportunities require higher skill levels and are an excellent way to increase the volunteers talents and capabilities. For example, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program provides free tax preparation training and IRS certification to its volunteers. After completing the training process, volunteers dedicate a couple of hours a week during tax season to help low- and moderate-income families prepare their personal tax returns.

Each year, this program returns millions of dollars in tax refunds to our community, providing much-needed relief to families who just need a little help to make ends meet. The skills that volunteers learn through this program also benefit their own families, and some volunteers have even decided to pursue similar work professionally after their time with the program. Programs such as VITA show how the impact of committed volunteering doesnt just benefit the community it benefits the volunteers as well.

There are many other volunteer opportunities that give people the chance to increase their skills while strengthening relationships and supporting individual community members. One such program is The Refuge Utahs Rape Crisis Team. Volunteers with this program complete 40 hours of training before they start working with sexual assault victims. Rape Crisis Team Members give one day a month to answer calls on the rape crisis phone line and meet with rape victims in the hospital. These volunteers provide essential support at times of severe personal crisis, and are such a valuable resource for our community.

Courtesy United Way

A volunteer with United Way's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helps prepare income taxes for a community member.

Community Action Services and Food Banks Circles program is another valuable resource that relies on committed volunteers. This program helps individuals and families who are experiencing poverty access the skills and resources needed to become more self-reliant. Volunteers, known as Circles Allies, become intentional friends to families and provide encouragement and support as they go through the program. This program, with its focus on long-term relationships, is a stellar example of how committed volunteering leads to significant impact in the community.

Another way that committed volunteers can support families in Utah County is by volunteering with the crisis and respite nursery at Family Haven. This nursery is available 24/7 for parents who need a safe place for their children to stay for a couple hours whether due to a family emergency or something as simple as a doctor appointment or a job interview. The volunteers at the nursery provide a fun and positive environment for children who need it.

No matter what your interests, skills, or time availability may be, there is a volunteer opportunity for you. By increasing your commitment to giving of your time to support our community in a long-term and ongoing capacity, you will see increased impact from your efforts. Your experiences as a committed volunteer will change our society for the betterand they may just change your life.

For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities in Utah County, please visit http://volunteer.unitedwayuc.org.

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United Way: Commitment to ongoing volunteerism increases impact - Daily Herald