LIMA — The Christmas season can often be a blur of rushing from store to store, finding that last gift or tracking down the last ingredient for the traditional holiday dinner. For some, however, the spirit of giving associated with this time of year can be seen in how they spend their time, not just their money.
Non-profit agencies and charitable organizations rely not only on monetary donations, but also volunteers giving their time and talents to help these entities function.
“We have more volunteers than paid staff,” according to Putnam County Community Thrift Store Co-Manager Tammy Schmitz. “We have between 30 and 35 volunteers here throughout the year. It varies some every month.”
Those volunteers are not alone. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, 26.6 percent of Ohio residents volunteer, ranking the state 26th in volunteer participation, according to 2015 statistics. Those volunteers donated a combined 268.2 million hours of service, equating to 27.8 volunteer hours per capita.
Nationwide, the volunteer rate was 24.9 percent in 2015, a 0.4 percent drop from the year before, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Women tended to volunteer more than men (27.8 percent and 21.8 percent participation rates, respectively), with 35- to 44-year-olds and 45- to 54-year-olds the most likely demographic to volunteer.
“Most people here are retired,” Schmitz said. “They have more time on their hands. We do have a few that work and come in. That’s probably a handful of them.”
Time to help
Statistics on volunteer trends over the course of a year are not readily available, but while volunteer participation at the thrift store has stayed largely consistent, according to Schmitz, West Ohio Food Bank Executive Director Linda Hamilton has seen participation vary throughout the year.
“This time of year, people begin thinking more about a giving spirit, beginning in October, and we really see an influx from October through the first of the year,” she said. “You’ll see a lot of companies or groups coming together to use this as an opportunity for team building. We also see individuals and families reaching out.”
That participation can trail off into the new year, Hamilton said, as colder weather and other concerns tend to keep people at home. However, she also maintained that giving back during this time is not only still beneficial to the agencies and charitable organizations accepting the help, but also to the volunteers themselves.
“Especially in the winter, there is a tendency at times to get down a little bit with the gloominess and grey, but getting out and helping others, whether it’s with the food bank or another non-profit centered around a passion you have not only helps those who need assistance, but it produces a change in attitude, especially during the dark winter months,” she said.
Filling a need
As to what exactly a volunteer can do, the answer to that is as varied as the needs of an organization.
“We can use anyone, anytime,” Schmitz said. “It can range from ladies coming in for an 8-hour shift to people bouncing in and out as they can or as time allows. But we’re definitely in need of cashiers here.”
For the thrift store, serving as a cashier or sorting through and stocking donated items are some of the primary functions for volunteers. Volunteer opportunities at the food bank, however, can change according to the need.
“Every day, we have a need for volunteers, even with things like cleaning,” Hamilton said.
For many people, simply doing good to others is its own reward. However, Hamilton said there can also be side benefits to giving your time and talents for others.
“Perhaps you’ve been out of the workforce because of health problems or you were raising your kids and it’s been years since you’ve been out of the workforce and you need to fill that skills gap,” she said. “Volunteers are just unpaid employees. For us, they’re walking side by side with us and you wouldn’t be able to tell who was a paid employee and who was a volunteer.”
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