Benefits of Volunteering: How Helping Others Boosts Your Health, Happiness and Purpose

Volunteering is usually framed as something you do for other people. And of course, it is. But ask almost anyone who volunteers regularly and they'll tell you the same surprising thing: they get at least as much out of it as they give. More friends. More purpose. A brighter mood. A sense that they matter.

The research backs up that feeling more than you might expect. In the US, about 28% of people formally volunteer through an organization, according to AmeriCorps data, and many more help out informally. Here's what helping others can do for your own wellbeing, how to find a role you'll love and how to keep it from becoming another source of stress.

Health benefits of volunteering: what the research says

Greater happiness and life satisfaction

Many studies have found that people who volunteer tend to report greater life satisfaction, a stronger sense of purpose and better mood. Some research suggests the boost is especially strong for people who volunteer for others' benefit rather than mainly for themselves.

Less loneliness, more connection

Volunteering puts you alongside other people regularly, with a shared purpose. That's one of the best recipes for friendship there is. For people facing loneliness, volunteering can be a gentle way back into community.

Better physical health and longer life

Several long-term studies of older adults have linked regular volunteering with better health and a lower risk of dying over the study period. A 2013 meta-analysis by Morris Okun and colleagues found volunteering was associated with about a 24% lower risk of early death among older adults.

A 2020 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, led by Eric Kim, followed nearly 13,000 US adults over 50. Those who volunteered about 100 hours a year or more (roughly 2 hours a week) had a lower risk of dying during the four-year follow-up, were more physically active, and reported more optimism and purpose, compared with non-volunteers.

Lower blood pressure

A 2013 study from Carnegie Mellon University found that older adults who volunteered at least 200 hours a year were less likely to develop high blood pressure over four years than non-volunteers.

An important caution

Most of this research shows a link, not proof that volunteering causes the benefits. Healthier, more social, better-off people may be more likely to volunteer in the first place. Still, the pattern shows up often enough, across enough studies, that researchers take it seriously. And the social side alone is valuable.

The "helper's high": why helping feels good

Many volunteers describe a warm glow, a feeling of calm and energy after helping someone. Writer Allan Luks coined the term "helper's high" in the 1980s after surveying thousands of volunteers.

Research on generosity supports the idea. In a 2008 study published in Science, Elizabeth Dunn and colleagues gave people money and told them to spend it either on themselves or on someone else. People who spent it on others felt happier by the end of the day, even when the amounts were small. Giving time seems to work in similar ways.

Why volunteering may help your wellbeing

• It connects you to people who share your values.
• It gives a sense of purpose, which matters especially during life changes like retirement, an empty nest or recovering from illness. See finding your sense of purpose.
• It gets you out of your own head. Focusing on someone else's needs can give your own worries a rest.
• It often gets you moving. Building homes, walking shelter dogs, sorting food donations and trail maintenance are all physical.
• You learn new skills, from first aid to fundraising, which can help your career too.
• It builds gratitude and perspective.
• It's good for your community, which is good for everyone in it.

Volunteering for older adults and retirees

Retirement can bring a sudden loss of routine, social contact and identity. Volunteering offers all three back. Many organizations especially value the experience and reliability of older volunteers, from mentoring young people to tutoring, hospital greeting and museum guiding. National service programs for older adults, like AmeriCorps Seniors, offer structured roles.

Volunteering for students and young adults

For younger people, volunteering builds skills, confidence and connections, and looks great on college and job applications. Studies have also linked youth volunteering with stronger social skills and a sense of belonging.

How to find volunteer opportunities near you

The best volunteering is something you'll actually keep doing. Before you sign up, think about:

• What you care about. Animals, kids, older adults, the environment, literacy, health, your neighborhood, arts.
• What you're good at, or want to get better at. Teaching, fixing, organizing, cooking, listening, writing, design.
• How much time you really have. A one-off event, two hours a month or a weekly shift.
• Whether you want people contact or prefer behind-the-scenes work.
• Whether you want to go alone or with family or friends.

Places to look

• Food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens
• Animal shelters and rescues
• Libraries and adult literacy programs
• Hospitals, hospice programs and care homes
• Parks, trail groups, community gardens and environmental cleanups
• Schools, after-school programs and youth mentoring (like Big Brothers Big Sisters)
• Habitat for Humanity and home repair programs
• Faith communities
• Disaster relief organizations like the American Red Cross
• Online volunteer matching sites (VolunteerMatch and Idealist are popular in the US)

Questions to ask before you volunteer

A quick conversation with the volunteer coordinator can save you from a bad fit. Ask:

• What would a typical shift look like?
• How much time do you need, and how flexible is it?
• What training and support do you provide?
• Who will I be working with?
• Are there background checks or age requirements?
• Can I try a shift before committing?
• How do volunteers usually make a difference here?

Good organizations will be happy to answer. If a role is vague, disorganized or makes you uncomfortable, it's okay to keep looking. The right fit makes all the difference to whether you'll stick with it, and whether it lifts you up.

Virtual and micro-volunteering

Can't commit regular hours in person? There are lots of ways to help from home:

• Crisis Text Line trains volunteers to support people in crisis by text
• Be My Eyes connects sighted volunteers with blind and low-vision people via quick video calls
• Translating, tutoring or mentoring online
• Citizen science projects, like transcribing historical records or classifying wildlife photos on Zooniverse
• Skills-based volunteering: offering your design, accounting, writing or tech skills to a nonprofit

Micro-volunteering means tiny tasks that take minutes, which is perfect for busy schedules.

Volunteering with your family

Volunteering together builds family bonds and teaches kids empathy. Family-friendly options include packing food at a food bank, park cleanups, making cards for care home residents, walking dogs at a shelter or running a lemonade stand for a cause.

How to avoid volunteer burnout

Helping can become draining if it takes over. Keep it healthy:

• Start small. You can always add more.
• It's okay to say no to extra shifts.
• Choose roles that fit your emotional limits. Some, like hospice, crisis support or work with trauma survivors, are deeply rewarding and also heavy. Good organizations offer training, supervision and debriefing.
• Watch for compassion fatigue, feeling numb, exhausted or cynical. Take breaks.
• Look after your own basics, like sleep and time with loved ones.
• If it starts to feel like an obligation you resent, it's okay to change roles or take a break.

Small acts of kindness count too

You don't need a formal role. Checking on an older neighbor, helping a friend move, donating blood, picking up litter on your street or cooking a meal for a new parent all count. Kindness that fits into your everyday life is still kindness, and it still lifts you both.

Frequently asked questions about volunteering

How many hours should I volunteer to see benefits?

Research suggests benefits can show up at modest levels. In the 2020 study of older adults, about 100 hours a year (roughly 2 hours a week) was linked with better outcomes. Even less is worthwhile.

Can volunteering help with depression?

Volunteering may lift mood and reduce isolation, and some studies link it with fewer depressive symptoms. It isn't a replacement for treatment, though.

Is it okay to volunteer for selfish reasons?

Yes. Wanting friends, skills or a lift in mood is completely fine. Most volunteers have mixed motives, and the help you give is just as real.

Can volunteering help my career?

Yes. It builds skills, references and networks, and can help you explore a new field.

Giving back touches several parts of the wellness wheel at once. See all eight with our free quiz.