Kate Brennan
April is National Volunteer Month, and the 19th – 25th marks National Volunteer Week, an inspiring reminder of the power we all have to help make the world a better place – wherever we are.
At Reward Gateway | Edenred, all employees are provided Volunteer Time Off, a special set of extra PTO days that allow us to take time away from our desks and participate in our communities. As an organization dedicated to making the world a better place to work, one organization at a time, we honor and celebrate the personal call to donate time and energy to our respective communities.
I am privileged in the opportunities afforded me in my life and feel fervently that acknowledging a privilege means working to situate everyone in a position to access their own opportunity. That belief drove my desire to attempt to make a difference in whatever way possible. I think, selfishly, I also crave a sense of community in likeminded individuals who yearn to leave places in a better state than they found them.
According to a Baylor University article,
“There is experimental data in psychology showing that when you induce gratitude, people are more generous with their time, money and volunteering – not only to the person who just benefited them, but to a stranger to whom they don't have a relationship with, who might not ever pay it back again to them.”
I wish I could say the genesis of my volunteering was this intentional, but after discovering this study linking gratitude to generosity, it makes sense to me that, on some human level, this drive could be innate.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Stories about children making sacrifices to financially support their families or people losing access to healthcare, and witnessing the effects of housing insecurity while actively treating myself are all experiences that have chaffed at my psyche. I realized in my early twenties that my time was the most valuable resource I could offer. With both a full-time and part-time job on my schedule, I determined evenings and weekends would be my sweet spot for giving back. The hubris of youth convinced me I had unlimited energy to take it all on, but – as the saying goes – where there’s a will, there’s a way.
At certain phases of life, the causes and needs have come to me. Finding the right niche and setting boundaries on how much time to volunteer proved to be challenging in the beginning. I absolutely overcommitted for some time and found my life tipping off balance – rated 3/10; do not recommend.
Everything in moderation, including moderation
Determining where to volunteer and how much time to dedicate was the hardest part.
To protect my physical wellbeing, my personal enrichment and my career performance, I scaled back my volunteer time to one day a week. This pace turned out to be much better for my personal work-life balance, while also keeping me engaged and providing the connection I was craving – and still make a tangible difference with the people and organizations I was prioritizing. As life continued to grow and change, that commitment became once a month, and I learned to accept that is what I had to give. Just like any phase of life, things ebb and they flow; maybe I’ll be able to increase participation in the future.
Greater than the sum of our parts
If every adult in America volunteered one day per month, that would equate to approximately 100 million volunteer hours (at least, right?).
I keep going back to feeling grateful for what I have and my drive to make everyone experience that, and I hope that inspires people to want to get involved. So here’s my formal pitch: The commitment is so low; if you show up to a group that doesn’t work for you, then don’t go back! Most orientations for organizations are via Zoom, so you can get a feel for the level commitment they want and how organized they are. There are so many causes and organizations that I’m sure there is a place for you. Once you find your group, sign up is typically via app, and you can see what fits into your schedule.
I wish we could structure our lives around volunteering, but we all know that simply isn’t the case in today’s world, so we work with what we can do. A couple hours after work one day a month could change someone else’s life – or yours.
Happy National Volunteer Month! Check out our 2026 HR Planning Calendar to make sure you know what’s happening. Get countless opportunities to celebrate with your employees, drive engagement and build a culture of community and belonging.
