Did you know there are health benefits associated with helping others? Whether you are donating time, talent or treasure, giving back has been shown to positively impact both the receiver and the giver.

Research has found that charitable work can lower blood pressure and stress levels, leading to better physical and psychological well-being. Giving has been shown to increase a person's overall happiness and emotional connection to the community.

GiveNOLA Day brings our community together to show their love for their favorite local causes. As we prepare to celebrate GiveNOLA Day on May 2, here are some of the ways that you can get involved.

Donate to the Excellence Fund at Ochsner

At Ochsner, donors are critical to our ability to pursue research, education and innovations in patient care and treatment. No matter the size of your gift, your generosity is BIG. Donors like you make the impossible possible every day. At Ochsner, GiveNOLA Day supports the Excellence Fund. Teams throughout Ochsner submit applications for funding from the Excellence Fund for projects that improve and innovate patient care. Since 2013, 283 projects have been made possible by people like you! If you are interested in making a difference by supporting the Excellence Fund on GiveNOLA Day, please visit givenola.org/OchsnerHealth.

Volunteer

Nonprofit organizations across the country benefit from the time and talent of volunteers. Here at Ochsner, volunteers serve in various positions, including patient care, greeting and support service areas, hospital administrative duties and other special projects. Volunteering offers a unique opportunity to further career goals through networking or learning a new skill while making a difference in the community. Each day, they help us by:

• Visiting with patients and assisting staff members.
• Serving as greeters and assisting patients and family members with finding their way around the hospital.
• Helping to deliver mail, magazines and packages to the intended recipients.
• Assisting Ochsner staff with answering phones, entering data and filing documents.
• Assisting with pet therapy, music entertainment in our atriums and rotating art exhibits.

If you want to find a volunteer opportunity at Ochsner, please click here.

Donate Blood

Blood is needed every five seconds. The Ochsner Blood Bank supports over 70% of Ochsner's blood needs for patients at Ochsner hospitals. Few acts are as simple and yet so generous as donating blood. And the only source for this blood is you, the volunteer donor. You can donate blood at one of Ochsner's convenient community blood collection centers, visit one of our donor centers or call us to schedule a mobile blood drive in your area. Blood donations by appointment are preferred. For additional information or if you have any questions, please call 504-842-3375 or click here for more information.

No matter what your circumstances allow, there is a way for you to give back to a cause that is important to you on GiveNOLA Day. In doing so, not only will you impact lives in our community, but you may also see positive change for yourself!