In a world defined by rising anxiety, disconnection, and division, the need for service has never been more urgent. As I’ve written about before, volunteering isn’t just a way to help others—it’s one of the most powerful ways we create meaning, reduce loneliness, and feel connected to something larger than ourselves. The simple act of volunteering, for example, has been found to improve both mental and physical health.

The benefits are huge. But volunteering efforts often go unseen, unsupported, and underfunded.

Here’s a case in point: For three decades, AmeriCorps has served as one of America’s most powerful engines for civic service. The government-sponsored organization dispatches more than 200,000 volunteers each year to support children, veterans, and older adults across the country. Since 1999, AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 8 million hours to nearly 3,400 disaster relief projects, helping communities recover from wildfires, hurricanes, and other emergencies. Due to recent federal policy changes led by the Department of Government Efficiency, AmeriCorps is being dramatically defunded. Thousands of staff are on leave. Programs are being paused or shuttered. And nonprofits and communities that once relied on a steady stream of volunteer support are being left in limbo.

The disconnect between the importance of volunteering and the funding required for it is more than a budget issue. It’s a warning signal. In a world that feels increasingly divided and uncertain, volunteerism is one of our most reliable pathways to connection, purpose, and community resilience. And, yet, it remains dramatically undervalued.

Volunteering does more than help........

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