By Barry DeKemper, Development Director, People Who Care
What drives a person to volunteer? Does volunteering feed some sort of need? Is it a duty that
springs from the values we share as a community? Do we volunteer out of a sense of
responsibility? Maybe volunteers are born of something that’s more elemental, something that
is deep, humbling, and inspiring. Consider the following.
Bob’s a volunteer in his mid-80s who refuses to quit. He works in People Who Care’s office,
answering calls and arranging services. He also volunteers with a local organization that
collects and distributes food. He’s responsible for gathering all the food donations from his
network of donors, and he helps other volunteers sort the food that has been collected. This
man has lived a long and productive life; he’s raised a family, contributed to the community,
been a good citizen. He, as much as anyone, deserves to rest in his retirement years, but he
chooses to continue giving. And by the way, his wife has dementia and requires a great deal of
support. We would understand if he chose to stay home with her.
How do you describe the kind of volunteerism that brings a grown man to tears? A colleague
told me about an experience during Christmas of 2020, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A local business executive was helping People Who Care (PWC) deliver food boxes to
homebound adults. When he arrived at one elderly woman’s home, she refused it, telling him,
“Give it to someone who needs it.” He responded by telling her that there was enough for
everybody, and he volunteered to put the items away for her. When he opened up the
cupboard, it was completely bare. She literally had nothing.
Finally, how do you describe the volunteer spirit that turns darkness into light? Sometimes we
volunteer to fill the emptiness of a loss. One of our volunteers turned to it when his wife of 49
years died. When asked why, he replied that it made him feel like he was a member of the
families he served. When he became too old to drive, he refused to take help from PWC,
explaining that he wanted it to go to those who needed it more than he did. Even in his mid-
90s, he visited residents in his community who were ill or those who just needed company.
So why do people volunteer? I’m not sure there’s a definitive answer. We certainly can’t
ascribe it to a single thing; it’s complicated and very personal. Whatever drives us, however,
seems to reward us in ways that are nearly indescribable. Maybe that’s the answer. Become a
volunteer, and maybe you’ll find your own answer.
People Who Care needs volunteers to take its neighbors to the doctor and the grocery store
and to provide several other nonmedical support services to help them live independently,
safely, and happily. And the hours are flexible—you can volunteer a couple hours a week or
even just a couple of hours a month. Call 928-445-2480 today!
We work hard to support our Neighbors who cannot drive due to physical limitations and assist them in remaining independent in their own homes.
Your donation is an act of kindness and generosity that truly makes a difference.
Together, we can improve our Neighbors’ access to healthcare, food, and other essentials – and replace loneliness and isolation with meaningful connections.
Thank you for giving!
