By Kasi Khathuria 

Whether you’re interested in saving the environment or helping puppies find their new homes, a community service opportunity is always available. To find the right service program and activity for you, it’s important you know your passions and interests. If you understand these, it will not only help you make a bigger difference in the world but also help you find who you are. 

First, in order to start your community service journey, it’s helpful to understand the importance of these programs and services. Of course community service helps people, animals, and the environment thrive just a little more and can make an enormous difference in anybody’s life. Although, we may say we understand the greatness of service but to what extent? Giving just a can of food could truly save a person’s life and help them avoid going hungry. Helping a dog or cat get adopted can save them from being put down. Every bit you give helps more than you can even imagine. 

Not only is your volunteering helping other people, but it gives you a deeper purpose and can even increase your own happiness. It’s been proven when we give and aid our communities we are happier people, because we feel fulfilled. In the long run, helping others can help ourselves develop into happy and confident individuals. 

Now that you understand the significance of community services, the next step is to think of what activities you are attracted to. Ask yourself, do you enjoy interacting with other people, animals, or the environment? Do you enjoy cooking or crafts? These factors all determine the type of volunteer activities you will pursue in the future. For instance, if you enjoy interacting with people and cooking, a soup kitchen is where you can help people who may be starving by making and providing food. 

Once you find the activity that you connect best with, you will actually enjoy the volunteer work you are doing, making it  much easier to make a change in your community and even the world as a whole.