I’ve been volunteering with God’s Love We Deliver (GLWD) since 2016 when my alumni organization planned a group outing to participate in their Kitchen Projects activity. I was instantly inspired by their incredible mission and work. GLWD is a non-sectarian organization that prepares and delivers nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of serious illness, are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. What I love about the organization is that they also provide meals for each patient’s entire family –– not just the person dealing with a disease. They prepare 4+ million meals each year, delivering 15,000+ meals each weekday.
At Thrive, we offer a full day off to volunteer per quarter and I decided to organize an outing to GLWD with my peers. Together, we went to their headquarters in Soho to volunteer in their kitchen, packaging and preparing nutritious meals for folks in need. We spent three hours in the kitchen, assembling hundreds of meals as a team. It was incredibly fulfilling and was a great way to foster connections with one another.
I’ve learned from Thrive that giving back to my community can also boost my well-being in a myriad of ways. Giving back is beneficial for our physical health and mental health, and it can even boost our resilience during times of stress. Giving back to others can actually make us more productive at work, and can help with time management. I truly believe that volunteering enriches our own lives, fostering a sense of compassion, generosity, and community spirit, creating a positive ripple effect on everyone involved.
