Heart of Missouri United Way recently hosted our Week of Action. What began only last year as a Day of Action has quickly grown into an inspiring week for hundreds of individuals who chose to “take action” and help tackle some of our community’s toughest problems. Our Week of Action presenting sponsor, MU Health Care, has been instrumental in the success and advancement of this volunteer week.
From June 15-21, over 200 volunteers worked on more than forty projects for many local nonprofit organizations. Some of these projects included volunteering with City of Refuge to support their growing culinary program; removing invasive plants at the Agriculture Park for Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture; building a horse shelter for Coyote Hill; and packing wellness kits at Heart of Missouri United Way.
Volunteers also took on projects with Columbia Parks and Columbia Public Schools, including some specifically focused on recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth.
Many organizations, individuals, friends, and families gathered United in Action to complete these much-needed projects and make our community a better place. It was incredible to see our community coming together to accomplish so much good! A comment posted on Heart of Missouri United Way’s Facebook page tells a wonderful testimonial by one project completed at Boys and Girls Club: “The volunteers … did a phenomenal job! Both of our storage units were cleaned out and organized in 3.5 hours …We are so grateful for their efforts today!” How wonderful is that?
As I reflect on the Week of Action, I am so thrilled to hear about the impact of the projects and why this work is so important to so many local nonprofit partners. However, there is another important benefit to volunteering. While we know this work benefits our community, it also has a significant impact on individual health.
In today’s fast-paced world, social isolation has become a major concern, with significant implications for mental and physical health. We saw this accelerate during the pandemic and are finding the challenges greater as communities feel more alone. One of the best ways to address this is by getting involved with your community. Doing so can foster a greater sense of self-worth and connection to others. Research from a 2023 report by the U.S. Surgeon General shows that stronger community connections lead to reduced social isolation and overall better mental and physical health.
“A sense of meaning positively contributes to health because it motivates greater self-regulation in pursuing goals – including health goals” (Murthy, 2023).
Local researchers at the University of Missouri have also noted the importance of social connections and relationships to combat social isolation, highlighting the importance of positive relationships and their correlation with better physical health. The research is strong, so while we celebrate the larger community impact of volunteering, we should also celebrate the positive effects on individual health achieved during this year’s Week of Action! Talk about a win/win!
As the Week of Action ended, we gathered for a celebration breakfast. During the breakfast, several compelling examples of why volunteering matters for community and personal health were shared. We heard stories from Ric Ransom, CEO of MU Health Care; Kip Kendrick, Presiding Commissioner of Boone County; Lorraine Gustavis, United Way’s Give 5 and volunteer coordinator; Debbie Beal, executive director of City of Refuge; and Fred Young, a City of Refuge volunteer. They each spoke about different aspects of volunteering and how it touched their lives, highlighting how community service can alleviate feelings of isolation and promote a sense of belonging. It was an inspiring morning!
If you missed the opportunity this year but would like to volunteer in our community at anytime, visit volunteer.uwheartmo.org for a list of opportunities.
Andrew Grabau
Andrew Grabau is the President and CEO at Heart of Missouri United Way.
