CommunityCare of Lyme was launched with the intention of fostering community, resilience, and well-being, with neighborly warmth and volunteerism at the core. Volunteers serve in various capacities and have a broad impact in Lyme and beyond. You may not see them all, but they’re everywhere! Donating their time, skills, and enthusiasm to make our community a bit more vibrant. We all have a lot to juggle right now, so why add volunteering to the mix?

CCL’s new initiative, In the Lyme Light, highlights volunteers each month who support our mission in a special way, going above and beyond to give back to the community. Each honoree is celebrated with a profile on our website and a work of art donated by a local artisan. The truth is, that’s not why people volunteer with CCL or any other organization. We believe recognition of volunteers is essential. We’re so grateful for the support, both out in the community and “behind the scenes”. Volunteers offer deliveries, errands and transportation; handy help, like odd jobs and yard work; neighborhood support, friendly visits and other social connections; Lyme Food Pantry staffing, baking, meals, and food support of all kinds; event planning and organization, and more! As a volunteer, you can impact so many others – and in such a positive way – doing something that makes you feel good too.

Research has explored the correlation between volunteering and benefits on mental health. In an article by Elizabeth Hopper titled, How Volunteering Can Help Your Mental Health: According to new research, people become happier over time after they start volunteering.:

In a study published this year in the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers examined data from nearly 70,000 research participants in the United Kingdom, who received surveys about their volunteering habits and their mental health, including their distress and functioning in everyday life, every two years from 1996 to 2014.

Compared to people who didn’t volunteer, people who had volunteered in the past year were more satisfied with their lives and rated their overall health as better. Additionally, the researchers found that people who volunteered more frequently experienced greater benefits: Those who volunteered at least once a month reported better mental health than participants who volunteered infrequently or not at all.

(Hopper, Elizabeth)

You can read more about the physical and professional benefits of volunteering from this article by Mayo Clinic Health.

Are you asking yourself, “What can I do now to give back?” Reach out to CommunityCare of Lyme! We always can connect volunteers in various capacities with people and projects that can use their generously donated time, taking advantage of special interests and skills. 

This coming weekend is Lyme’s Day of Service and Green Up Day, which requires many hands to make light work of various projects throughout our community. If you haven’t already signed up, it’s not too late! You can review available projects by visiting the following links:

Would you like to help with a neighbor’s project?
Click here to review options and sign up now.
If you have questions about the listed projects or want to discuss which volunteer opportunity would be best for you, please give us a call at 603-795-0603.

Would you like to help Green Up Lyme roads?
Click here to sign up now.

Simply stated, our volunteers are our heroes! Volunteers help make our community a better place by sharing their time, skills, energy, and love. Volunteers in turn have our unrelenting gratitude and enjoy mental and physical health benefits, too. Join in!

Let us know how you might like to help in the community. Click here to tell us a bit more about you. Or contact us any time: call 603-795-0603 or email info@cclyme.org.

Worked Cited:

“Helping People, Changing Lives: The 6 Health Benefits of Volunteering.” Mayo Clinic Health System , 18 May 2017.

Hopper, Elizabeth. “How Volunteering Can Help Your Mental Health According to New Research, People Become Happier over Time after They Start Volunteering.” Greater Good Magazine: Science-Based Insights for a Meaningful Life , 3 July 2020.

If you have a wellness themed topic you would like to share or learn more about, and/or blog/vlog about as an expert in a health/wellness related field, please reach out to shelby@cclyme.org. 

Shelby Wood
Manager of Program Development
CommunityCare of Lyme
Shelby@cclyme.org
802-468-7776