These days it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the distressing headlines and images that fill the news, not to mention our social media timelines. With so much need in the world, how can we stay engaged and avoid falling into apathy?
Science has proven that there is a key to breaking through these feelings of overwhelm: Giving back.
Wired to Help
Humans are wired with an “altruistic urge.” Thanks to thousands of years of evolution, we want to lend a hand when we see people in need.
Unfortunately, when we’re inundated with too much bad news—feeling like there are too many people in need of help—our brains become overwhelmed. Faced with situations that feel out of our control, empathizing becomes more difficult. We tune out or go numb as a defense mechanism.
The best way to break out of that cycle of apathy is to identify ways in which we can make a difference—start small, use the skills you have.
“Skilled volunteering allows you to jump in and make a difference immediately,” shared Grace Litzau, Taproot Plus Volunteer Community Manager. “You see the need right there and discover that you really do have the ability to help. It can be incredibly powerful to realize the impact you can make on a nonprofit, and you get to see that impact up close.”
Making Connections, Building Community
Every day, countless individuals—activists, nonprofit leaders, and community members alike—are working to create positive change. For those outside the nonprofit sector, it can be grounding just to discover the efforts already underway. Skilled volunteering allows us to connect to and amplify those efforts.
Volunteering builds connection, which is key to creating lasting change. Through pro bono service, we have the opportunity to develop connections to people who are different from us but working toward a shared goal. We become more knowledgeable about our community and better advocates for those in need.
Taproot volunteer Elaine Go expressed enthusiasm for the awareness she’s developed through her pro bono service, working with a range of nonprofit professionals and organizations: “I’ve learned so much about their work, my community, and even about myself. I cherish the connections I’ve made.”
Meeting the Moment
Recent federal funding cuts and policy changes have impacted many nonprofits across the country. Many organizations find themselves in unchartered waters, needing to scale down or even cut programs. In this climate, the need for pro bono support is more urgent than ever.
Taproot recently launched a new filter for Taproot Plus opportunities to highlight projects submitted by affected organizations. Spotlighting these organizations will connect them even more quickly to the skilled volunteers, like you, they need to not just survive this moment, but thrive.
Getting Started
With so much need in the world, it can be difficult to know where or how to start making a difference. But breaking the cycle of overwhelm is vital to meet this moment, as well as for our own wellbeing. Skilled volunteers are building a movement for change.
