Good News and Happenings: There is More Good News in the World Than Bad

Volunteer Week

Last week was a Volunteer Week like no other !!!

As a result of COVID-19, it seemed almost everyone wanted to help someone else in some way.

During the month of March, New York City had a 288% increase in people volunteering from a year ago. While I have no stats, April was probably well up from previous years too. My guess is many other communities in the U.S., Canada and around the world  have had a similar experience. 

Many of these were in volunteer activities, which up till a few months ago, did not even exist until now. They ranged from delivering groceries, to keeping people in line ups 6 feet apart, to organizing communities in singing groups, making masks for others, and helping people learn how to Zoom.  The list goes on.

Some entertainers and organizers volunteered their time and talents through fundraising events.

Others helped by calling friends and others they did not know, just to see how they were doing, helping to reduce anxiety and making people know that someone cared. This typically gave people a big lift, particularly those living alone.

In addition to these new volunteer needs, there are thousands of volunteer activities which go on around the world each and every day. I am sure every reader has many more examples they can add.

While these activities were in many cases functional and had direct beneficiaries, for most volunteers it also fulfilled their own need to fill their time, wanting to help others  and be useful.

I am sure 99% of the givers felt better as a result of reaching out. Reaching out and helping others, though, has gone well beyond volunteering. It includes companies and people making huge donations to assist in many ways, including fulfilling the increased need for food at food banks, and governments ensuring people had money. I know people who paid their staff their wages, even though they could not come to work.

There are, of course, the front line health care workers and others who do so many of the basic but important jobs we take for granted, and in general are paid poorly. (Think about  their true worth, and what they are paid compared to a professional athlete.)

This includes foreign workers coming in to work in the fields picking crops because Canadians will not do the work, transportation workers, and garbage collectors. It is wonderful to see the recognition and thanks they are receiving. Let’s hope we remember their contribution, not only during this difficult time, but when things settle into the new normal, whatever and whenever it is.

Last month we have observed our society in different ways: some good, some bad. We have been reminded of the importance of families and friends who care. We see people differently. I for one, believe I am now much more empathetic. Now that it is available, I am taking more time to “smell the daisies” and am seeing people and the world more completely than ever before.

Our reaching out to others has also shown us the best of humanity at work. The virus has, though, shown us huge cracks in our society, many of which we did not even know existed. As Warren Buffett said, “You do not know how many are swimming naked until the tide goes out.”

COVID-19 has reinforced our awareness of the inequalities that exist. This includes the elderly in long-term care facilities and people of colour who are dying at a much higher rate than privileged white people.

I have found many people are taking time to look at themselves, talking about how they are living, and realizing how entitled and lucky they are.  They are examining their values to realize what is really important, exploring their skills, considering how they spend their time and recognizing the importance of the environment.

Because of the virus we have become amazingly creative and we have found new ways of doing and thinking about things. It has also giving us an opportunity to ask ourselves, What will my (our) new norm look like?

Many, particularly people in the developing world, because of circumstance, lack of education and lack of money will not be able to choose a new norm and act, but those who can choose have a great opportunity.  That is GOOD NEWS and will be a GOOD HAPPENING, particularly if the new norm includes reaching out to help those who have no choice. 

Till next time,

Chris Snyder

We are now offering an e-book version of my book, “Creating Opportunities: A Volunteer’s Memoir” for only $14.95 Click here:
https://hilborn-civilsectorpress.com/collections/new-releases/products/creating-opportunities-a-volunteers-memoir-ebook