Keep Your Health Resolutions by Volunteering
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Keep Your Health Resolutions by Volunteering

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January 6, 2017

Written By Meghan Marsden Parsche, United Way Volunteer 

With the start of a new year, many of us are making resolutions to take better care of our health or do more for our community. Did you know that you can meet both of these goals through volunteering? It’s true – there are both mental and physical benefits to giving your time and talents to your community.

A national survey of 3,351 adults conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of UnitedHealth Group found that volunteering is good for your health. Here are some findings from the study:

  • Volunteers say they feel better—physically, mentally and emotionally—than non-volunteers
  • Volunteering helps manage and lower stress levels
  • Volunteers feel a deeper connection to their communities
  • Volunteers are more informed healthcare consumers and are more engaged and involved in taking care of their own health

Many of the study’s participants attributed their lowered stress levels to the fact that volunteering helped distract them from their own problems. Stress has been linked to multiple health issues, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Survey respondents who volunteered scored better than those who do not on nine well-established measures of emotional well-being.

Whether you want to volunteer once per week or once per year, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County makes it easy and fun for you to make a meaningful difference in your community. Simply visit our Volunteer page to find the perfect project for you.  

Source: Nonprofit Quarterly


Meghan Marsden Parsche is a proud United Way supporter, stay at home mom to her four young children, and volunteer writer for United Way.

Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the programs and people making a positive impact on our community.

 

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