The holidays can be challenging for many, as they may experience increased stress, loneliness, or isolation. Volunteering is a thoughtful way to counteract these challenges and bring about positive impacts on both physical and emotional health. This week's Pearl will focus on ways you can volunteer in your community and how you can benefit from it.

The Mayo Clinic outlines how you can benefit from volunteering in the article, ‘Helping people, changing lives: 3 health benefits of volunteering’.

The benefits are:

1. Improves physical and mental health.
2. Provides a sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills.
3. Nurture new and existing relationships.

Other benefits include:

• Cultivating Gratitude: Volunteering can foster a sense of gratitude. Seeing the challenges others face and being in a position to help can lead to an increased appreciation for one's blessings, promoting a positive outlook.
• Reduced Stress: Helping others have shown to reduce stress levels. Volunteering can shift the focus from personal stressors to the needs of others, providing a refreshing perspective.

Here are a few organizations that focus on how you can volunteer to support the physical and emotional health of your community. 

• Salinas Valley Health

Hospital volunteers provide support services for many programs and activities, which include Information Services, LIFELINE, Telecare, Hospital Tours, Museum of Medical History Tours, Career Pathway Program for student volunteers, Pet Therapy, Patient Ambassadors, Mended Hearts Visitors, Spiritual Care Volunteers, and the Gift Shop.

• Montage Health Foundation

Montage Health Foundation volunteers play an essential role in the patient experience at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and all Montage Health enterprises. We appreciate the time, kindness, and dedication our volunteers share with us. Choose a volunteer opportunity that matches your interests and preferences from our wide range of options.

• 7 Cups

7 Cups provides free, 24/7 emotional support to millions via online chat. We want to make sure nobody has to face their problems alone. Having someone like you to listen can be all it takes to make a real difference.

• Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need.