A Time to Save

'Still Working but Making Do With Less'

The above article ran in The New York Times yesterday. It is a story of a family in California, the Ferrells. Both parents have steady jobs but due to the recession have either had a reduction of hours, imposed furloughs or a salary deduction.

Layoffs have affected many but what this article points out that even people who still have a steady job are suffering from the economy.

In recent months in Story County, food pantries, rent and utility assistant programs and homeless shelters have all seen an increase in the number of individuals they help. Luckily, community groups and individuals and groups have stepped up to help this growing number.

If you are in need of assistance please look at the 'Story County Resource Guide' for a general list of services.

Dare to Dream

Last night a friend of mine stated how she felt on top of world. Doors were opening for her, opportunities were coming her way and in general, everythjng was going her way. She felt she didn't even deserve all of it but it just fell into her lap so naturally, she was enjoying it.

All of us, to a degree, expect good things to happen to us. We all have a level of optimism that even if three terrible things happen, one good thing will eventually happen . But what if we don't have this optimism?

Each day, I'm reminded of how fortunate I am. I take it for granted that I can do whatever I want with my life. I'm in college at a great university, I have a decent place to live, I have access to loans to help pay for my education, I have scholarships available and most importantly, I have a great suppport system of family, friends and professors that encourage me to excel.

I'd like to think if tomorrow I didn't have a support system, a loving family, an education or financial security, that I would still be as optimistic for the future as I am. I'd like to think, I would still believe I could accomplish anything.

For those in the world, in our country, in our state and in our community without one of those things, it is easy to think of how their optimism can be dim, at times. With outreach programs that help and inspire youth and adults either in crisis situations or from low-income or homeless families, we can help ensure people continue to believe that good things will happen and that their dreams are a possibility.

Go to our web site to find an opportunity in Story County to volunteer and inspire others.

An Appalachian story

Those living in a constant state of poverty know how a small amount of generosity can go a long way.

Linda is a woman I met in the Appalachian region almost two years ago during a spring break service trip. Her hair was pure gray streaked with white, shoulder length and pulled back in a low pony tail. She wore baggy shorts, a loose fitting tee and flip flops. Her home was a small wore-down trailer at the end of a dirt road were she lived with her daughter, son-and-law and two grandchilren.

Linda and her grandchildren were the only ones I met. Linda's daughter was ill with cancer and was bed-ridden, which was why myself and other volunteers where there. We volunteered to supply all materials and build a ramp for Linda and her family so that her daughter could be wheeled out of the trailer for hospital visits.

In our group of volunteers were two men with experience with carpentry, a woman who had volunteered for re-building sites and myself, a first time volunteerer whom had never held a hammer in my life.

That day, I learned to hammer nails and saw wood but more importantly, I learned to laugh at myself. Linda didn't care that I'd never built anything out of wood in my life, all that mattered was my effort and volunteering my time to help.

Once the ramp was completed, it had to be tested. Linda's grandson took his tricycle for a spin down the slope and all was well--mission completed. Linda took each of our hands in her own and thanked us. She had tears in her eyes and said a few words summed up in, "Bless you".

Building a ramp seemed such a small thing to do. We couldn't help the family pay their medical bills or give them a better home but we could make at least one thing in their life better. And that one thing, the ramp, made their life that much brighter because it reminded them that they're never alone in their struggles.

We all have a chance to give a small amount of generosity and we all have a chance to be a friend, to be a neighbor, to be an inspiration and to be a volunteer.

What's your story?

Why we Volunteer

Volunteering can be as simple as spending time with children while their parents run errands or as big as creating a philanthropic event to support cancer research. But why do we volunteer?

Logically, it doesn't make sense. Why give your time and expect no monetary or other compensation? Is it because we have to? Because our job or school requires us to? Or do we truley feel the need to make a difference?

Why do you Volunteer? What inspires you to go out of your way to make a difference?

For me, volunteering is a way to connect with others and learn more about them. I volunteer at homeless shelters, women's shelters and with low-income families so that I can better understand the causes behind poverty and abuse and help end the cycle.

This summer I am interning at the Volunteer Center of Story County not just for my college degree but so I can help inspire those in the community to volunteer. I've found my passion is

1. Helping those in need
2. Inspiring others to do the same

'Volunteer to Change the World' was created to inspire, inform and educate on 'why we volunteer'. So drop us a line...why do you volunteer and what inspires you?

Hope to hear from you soon!