On days like this, always allude to our higher selves by going out to volunteer a few hours or getting together friends to help a Habitat for Humanity Project.  These are all admirable gestures, but by far we as professionals need to invest more.  Especially where it is really needed in our communities and cities.  Volunteering shouldn’t be a special event.  The tragedy of the commons is that everyone has something to gain and lose from it.  Often we forget that as we forge ahead in our careers.

As  a communications professional, I am always looking for a new volunteer venture.  I especially like to support minority, women-owned and non-traditional organizations because these often do not know or harness the power of communications media as they should.  For years’ minorities have been the object of media, but a rare few have been the masters of their own image and narrative. As a communications professional it is my sincere joy to support these organizations and help empower them to tell their own stories.

No matter your profession, find a way to give back to the communities and issues that matter to you every day.  Once a year volunteerism is fine and certainly church/religious affiliation is good, but I find the reach and impact is simply not the same as what long-term volunteerism toward a specific community or issue can accomplish.  You will also find that long-term volunteerism is like marriage, it is fun at the beginning but gets challenging as you go along—but also like marriage, the rewards are amazing!

Get involved today—especially where it matters and the need is greatest.