Making Time Count Where it Matters through Volunteerism

At Bank of America in the Twin Cities, we support the company’s corporate social responsibility strategy and work with the Bank of America Charitable Foundation team. Our work with many community partners as well as the volunteering done by local Bank of America employees illustrates the impact that volunteerism has on the local community.

Volunteers create connections, change lives and help build prosperous communities. With the holiday season in full swing, now is the perfect time to reflect and be grateful for the commitment invested by volunteers – and even make the leap on your part to volunteer.

Research shows that volunteerism can boost confidence and social skills leading to stronger relationships and a greater sense of fulfillment. Perhaps that is why more than 62 million people volunteered at least once between September 2014 and September 2015. In addition, studies like this one in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine have found that people who volunteer are happier with their work-life balance.

This is why many companies encourage volunteerism among employees and implement programs and policies that support the passion and commitment of employee volunteers. As part of our broader efforts to build thriving communities, Bank of America is making a difference in the Twin Cities community through initiatives like Neighborhood Builders Grant, Habitat for Humanity builds, financial literacy programs for area youth, and packing food at local food shelves.

At Bank of America, we are fortunate to be able to volunteer up to two hours each week during work hours and can further support organizations where we volunteer regularly by applying for grants on their behalf. Putting our interests and expertise toward a worthy cause is both rewarding and meaningful, and a great way to build new skillsets. Last year, our Minneapolis-St. Paul Bank of America colleagues achieved 6,387 hours as part of 2 million volunteer hours given across the company.

So if you’re looking to spring into volunteerism, now is a terrific time to start.

There are several different ways for you to get involved:

Plan a volunteering event with your family, friends or co-workers. Determine what types of nonprofits you’d like to volunteer with and reach out to them to see if there are any activities that your group can be involved in. There are many websites like VolunteerMatch.com that can help you find the right volunteer position based on your interests, skill sets and location.

Utilize your skills. Many nonprofits are always looking for volunteers who have personal talents or professional skills. Board service with a nonprofit is another meaningful way to share your expertise, from financial skills to communications, in order to address needs in the community.

Learn more about your workplace policies and opportunities. Ask your company if it is planning any volunteer activities in the upcoming months and if not, offer to coordinate one. Remind your company of all the great benefits of volunteering and ask about any special programs that it may have for employees who volunteer. Set goals and keep track of your efforts. You’ll be surprised how they can add up collectively. In addition, if your company is a specialized industry, find out if it could provide its services pro bono to a nonprofit.

I encourage you to take an active role in helping our community thrive. Without volunteers, many organizations would not be able to continue doing the good work that makes the Twin Cities the wonderful place that it is. I hope you’ll join me in making a difference.

Bank of America donated 6,387 volunteer hours to local organizations throughout the Twin Cities in 2015