Looking for ways you can de-stress this summer? Whether or not you have other additional responsibilities during the summer season, it’s important to remember that you need time to just unwind. You owe it to yourself to recharge your batteries.
One way you can take a breather is by giving back and helping others in need. While altruism has always been seen as good for your soul, research conducted by the Corporation for National & Community Service revealed that charitable work can actually make one’s heart stronger as well.
Other health benefits include lower blood pressure, lower stress levels and better physical and psychological well-being. Volunteering also offers an opportunity to further career goals through networking and learning new skills or a new trade.
Many nonprofit organizations offer volunteering opportunities in communities all across the country. Ochsner Health System, as one example, offers volunteer positions in patient care, service, clerical duties and other special projects. Some examples include the following:
- Volunteers in patient care visit with patients and assist staff members.
- Volunteers in service areas act as greeters and assist patients and their family members with directions. They also may deliver mail, magazines and packages.
- Volunteers in clerical roles help Ochsner staff members with tasks such as answering phones, data entry, filing and other duties as needed.
- Other volunteer opportunities include assisting with pet therapy, music entertainment and rotating art exhibits.
Adult volunteers can find more information about Ochsner’s volunteer opportunities here. Ochsner is also taking applications for its annual Summer Junior Volunteer Program. Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17 can find more information here.
In addition to the selfless gift of time and talent, generous individuals can donate to Ochsner at https://giving.ochsner.org. There is nothing more powerful than knowing that you have changed or even saved someone’s life. Donors to Ochsner have been responsible for improvements to critical care, increased participation in clinical trials and advancements in patient care.
To kick off summer, Ochsner will be participating in the annual GiveNOLA Day on May 7. GiveNOLA Day, hosted by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a 24-hour giving day that inspires philanthropic individuals to give generously to the nonprofit organizations that make the New Orleans region stronger.
Every dollar donated to Ochsner from midnight to midnight on GiveNOLA Day will go towards Ochsner’s Excellence Fund, which supports selected projects at Ochsner that improve patient care.
In recent years, the selected projects have included concussion management tools for area colleges and athletic programs, weight loss therapies, art therapy programs and equipment to assist patients with anxiety during MRIs and many others that have provided patients with better outcomes and experiences.
To donate to Ochsner on GiveNOLA Day – or any other nonprofit in the Greater New Orleans area – visit the GiveNOLA website. Every dollar donated will be increased with additional “lagniappe” dollars provided by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and generous GiveNOLA Day sponsors.
