The Power of Community: Group Volunteering
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King
There is such great power that comes from building a community. Having others be there for you and you being there for others during not only the darkest times but also the lightest times makes all the difference. A strong and powerful community often inspires its members and people outside of the community. Here at Gilda’s Club Minnesota, fostering compassionate communities is one of the main drivers of our purpose to ensure no one faces cancer alone. Our wonderful volunteers help us achieve this goal by uplifting and strengthening our members by providing the support they need. From our dedicated Gilda Greeters to our yoga instructors to the local businesses and corporations that support us, each person that shows up with compassion makes an impact, no matter how small the action is.
Recently we’ve had some of our local businesses and corporations reach out wanting to give back to our community. United Health so generously reached out about volunteering over the summer, and a group of their employees came to our clubhouse and helped us give it a deep clean, helping refresh it for our members. We’re planning to continue utilizing volunteer groups to deep clean our clubhouse each month before our New Member Meetings so that all our new members are welcomed to a sparkling clean clubhouse.
Over the summer, I reached out to Allianz Life about helping us out with a special project. I wanted our new members to know immediately that they will find support and a compassionate community with us, and thought making welcome cards to include in our New Member folders we hand out during the New Member Meetings would be a wonderful way to do so. Allianz Life helped make it happen! We were able to hand-write over 200 welcome cards, which will make a lasting impact on so many members and will continue to inspire each of us to take compassionate actions that help foster our community.
I want to continue this momentum of group volunteering going forward. One way is through our Family Night Dinners. Each month Gilda’s Club hosts two dinners for all of our members to join along with their friends and family. And while our staff are more than happy to make a nice homecooked meal for everyone to gather around, I know our members truly appreciate when a group, business, or corporation volunteer their time to serve a meal. We’re also hosting Trunk or Treat this year at the end of October for our members and their friends and families to participate in. We would love to find a number of volunteers and groups to help make this a special event a joyful experience for everyone involved! These small, yet mighty acts of kindness and compassion can and will continue to inspire others to give back to their community.
We’re developing even more group volunteer opportunities, and are always looking to partner with groups who would like to give back through volunteerism. If you’re connected with an employee or community group and would like to learn more about volunteering with Gilda’s Club, please get in touch!
Please check out our MyImpact page to learn about all the different ways you can volunteer and make an impact on our members! If you’re interested in any of these wonderful volunteer opportunities, please fill out a volunteer application or contact me at Melissa.McWilliams@GildasClubMN.org.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Melissa McWilliams
Program & Volunteer Coordinator
612-227-2147 office | 952-767-2591 direct
10560 Wayzata Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55305
