Volunteering | Dr. Barbara R. Edwards

January 29, 2018August 23, 2018

How to Volunteer to Help Animals in Your Community

Many communities rely on local shelters to help save the lives of many animals without a home. It’s important that shelters are available and have the essential resources they need. Here are a few ways you can share your support:

Become a Volunteer

While a good portion of volunteering for an animal shelter is cleaning up after the animals, (be prepared to get your hands dirty), a huge part is bonding and spending time with them. You will be helping the animals stay happy and active, while having fun taking care of them. Inevitably, you will become attached to one of them. Before you know it, someone else will be taking them to their new home. This can be the hardest part of volunteering for an animal shelter, but it is certainly worth it to see wonderful animals find great homes.

Become a Foster Parent

For various reasons, there are many animals out there that may need a little extra attention. It could be that they need medicine administered during hours the shelter isn’t open, or maybe they are too young to be left unattended. Whatever the reason may be, there are many shelters out there that are in need of foster parents. If this is something you are interested in, be sure to contact your local shelter!

Donate

If you do not have time to become a volunteer, that’s okay—there is still plenty you can do to help improve the animal’s lives. Shelters are constantly in need of cleaning supplies, animal food, grooming supplies, toys, etc. Some of the animals at the shelter may need medicine, and a monetary donation would go a long way. Old blankets and towels can be great donations too. Check with your local shelter to see what they are currently in need of.

Share Their Story

Do you have photography or video skills? Many shelters are looking for help to promote their animals. As animals come in and out of their facilities, they need to update pictures on their website and generate more video content to share on social media. Who doesn’t love a good cat video? You could be part of the reason these furry friends find a forever home.

Every little bit counts and benefits the animals of your community. Consider what you can do to make an impact.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area practicing at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Medical Center.

January 15, 2018May 8, 2018

5 Ways You Could Make This World a Better Place Starting Today

Whether or not you have social responsibility on your mind, there are many things that you could do today to improve your community. Every little bit of effort will make a difference. Though you may think there is too much out there that needs to be done to make any worthwhile change, the trick is to start small but think big.

Help a Neighbor

Chances are that somebody comes to mind. Whether it be cooking a meal for the young couple that just had a baby or shoveling the driveway for the newly single workaholic mother across the street, a little bit of effort can certainly make their day brighter.

Volunteer at School

Schools are always in need of some dedicated parents willing to donate their time. Maybe the theater department is in need of set-building; whether it’s using power tools to construct the set or simply help with painting, they could use the extra set of hands. If you’re into sports, talk to the athletics department about becoming a soccer coach or starting an afterschool dodgeball club. Maybe the library is looking for tutors in their afterschool programs. It’s likely that there is a department that could use your help tailored to your skills and interests.

Visit a Local Nursing Home

While the staff at nursing homes is often busy and overworked, you can both brighten their day and their patients’ by paying them a visit. Many patients are just looking for someone to talk to, share an old story with, and something to bring excitement to their day. Visiting for just one hour could really make a significant impact.

Volunteer at a Local Food Kitchen

Love to cook? Volunteering for a local shelter is a great way to connect with your community. Taking the time to help prepare a meal for someone else can be relaxing. You will gather with other volunteers who share this common interest in cooking. Helping hungry people in your community receive a good, healthy meal can fill your heart, and their bellies.

Join or Organize a Park Clean-Up

Sick of passing that run-down park everyday on your way to work? Grab some trash bags, rakes, gloves, and ask for some help from your neighbors. A few hours of hard work and a communal effort could make a big difference and help restore the area to what it used to be. Even if you can pick up just 10 water bottles, those are 10 plastic bottles that can be properly recycled instead of harming the environment.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area practicing at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Medical Center.

December 21, 2017May 8, 2018

How to Impactfully Volunteer with Seniors

One of the most enriching service experiences one can find right in their hometown is volunteering with the elderly. As baby boomers age, assisted living facilities are getting more full and having to spread resources thin to care for this aging population. Senior living facilities are home to an incredibly interesting group of people who have valuable knowledge and a lifetime of experiences to share. Here are some tips to create the best experience when volunteering with seniors:

Listen
One of the things senior citizens often cope with later in life is losing companions as they age. Friends and family that once surrounded them with may be distant or have passed away, and having a friend to listen to them can improve their happiness by leaps and bounds. They are full of stories to tell and wisdom to pass on, and being available to listen can be a great gift to the both of you.

Stay Local
You don’t have to travel far to find a senior citizen in need. Whether you volunteer at an assisted living facility, or spend time with an elderly neighbor who lives alone, there are ways to help your community right outside your door. Sometimes, they may even share interesting stories about how your town once was if they’ve been in the area for several decades.

The Golden Rule
Treating those the way you’d want to be treated is incredibly important when dealing with the elderly. As our elders, it is important to treat them with the utmost respect. Their needs are on a spectrum, so whether they need help with technology, or even eating, treat them the way you’d want to be treated at that stage in your life without judgement.

Be Playful
Try to be a source of sunshine for whom you’re volunteering. Maintaining a positive attitude can greatly affect how their day goes. Play board games, card games, and find things in common that make you both happy. Take an interest in what their passions are and incorporate them into activities you do together.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area practicing at Princeton Medicine and is affiliated with University Medical Center at Princeton.

November 21, 2017October 23, 2017

Why Students Should Volunteer

Many schools have a community service qualification in their curriculum which encourages students to seek volunteer opportunities in the hopes they’ll become more well-rounded. It’s important to encourage volunteering early on because volunteering enhances a student’s educational experience by taking lessons outside the classroom. Here are some of the many benefits to encouraging students to volunteer.

Personal Responsibility

Though homework assignments and exams teach a student personal responsibility on a basic level, they are only accountable for themselves. Volunteer work puts students in a situation where they work on a team one main goal. A student can see how their actions have a direct impact on the community, which can develop a sense of importance to affect change on a higher level.

Puts Their Lives into Perspective

Young people who are still developing their view of the world may sometimes only be exposed to what they see online and in the media. Many students don’t fully grasp the idea of their own privilege, and it’s a tough lesson to teach without putting them in a situation with context. Volunteering, whether it’s for the homeless or at an animal shelter, can give students a sense of gratitude for the things in their life they may take for granted.

Community Awareness

Living in a bubble shuttling from school to sports and back home can prohibit young people from being aware of what’s going on right in their community. Civic engagement is important for students to learn early on, and volunteering is a great way to raise their consciousness of issues right in their backyard.

Experiential Learning

None of these lessons mentioned can be taught in a classroom from a textbook. Hands-on experiential learning gives students concrete experience of how things work in the real world. Developing a value system is not something that can be taught, but rather realized through life experiences.

How to Fit Volunteer Work into an Already Busy Schedule

You may like the idea of giving back to the community, but are already stressed by your commitments to family, work, and an overflowing inbox. However, it is possible to do your part and be of service to others in addition to the work you do from 9 to 5 (and sometimes longer). Here are some tips on how to squeeze volunteer work into your busy life:

Commit to Realistic Projects
Volunteering on projects that genuinely excite you will keep you thinking about volunteering throughout the day. Sometimes, figuring out how to prioritize your life can help you make time you didn’t realize you had. It can be helpful to find an organization that is deliverable-oriented so you feel productive in the time you spend volunteering. Make sure you’re realistic in the time you can commit to an organization. Over commitment can be stressful and make your experience less enjoyable—not to mention the cause you’re helping out with will suffer as well.

Try Voluntourism
Taking time off from work to spend a few weeks out of the year abroad serving a community half a world away enables you to give back in a big way. Instead of committing to weekly service or even monthly, voluntourism can enable you to get away with no other obligations but the program you’re serving.

Volunteer Online
There are online services that need volunteers to help virtually. Volunteering remotely can be less time intensive because you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Remote volunteering is anything from online mentoring to donating your unique skills to nonprofits. Find ways to volunteer remotely on iCouldBe.

Include Loved Ones
Sometimes it’s hard to find a work-life balance, but it’s essential for your mental health to establish. A productive way to give back can be through encouraging your family to volunteer with you. For example, serving dinner at a local shelter together enables you to break bread with those in need as well as with the ones you love most.