Today kicks off our Celebration of Service: 30 Years of Giving Back, which is a month-long recognition of the amazing work The Home Depot associates do year-round in our communities. On any given month, we have about 50 volunteer projects across the country. Our associates, through Team Depot, come out during their personal time to paint houses, plant trees, build community gardens and otherwise make a lasting difference in their neighborhoods with their muscle, sweat and heart. They are like the postman, they do it in the heat, rain, snow and (occasionally) the dark of night. They do it because they are good, caring people who know what we can accomplish working alongside our neighbors.
I brought the rain to a tree planting event in Miami earlier this summer.
This is the fifth year we have set aside September to focus on volunteer service and as we prepared for all of the activities (we have a map and calendar to show all of them), I started think about why I volunteer. This question is particularly pertinent because it seems that I bring a torrential downpour wherever I decide to work, which makes it a little less enjoyable. It’s not because a celebrity told me it was cool to serve or because my mother told me it was the “right thing to do.” And although it’s part of my job, it’s not because I have to, because I volunteered before I worked for the Foundation.
I very much enjoy the opportunity to directly help others, but I believe that that is something almost anyone would say. And there is satisfaction in seeing something made better - whether it’s a freshly painted (with no-VOCs!) room, a brand new playground or a newly planted tree. But mostly, I think I volunteer to be part of a team - I mean that not only in terms of the people with whom I volunteer, but also with the people who are benefiting, whether they are able to volunteer as well or not. I volunteer because of the personal connection we are able to make with one another when we step outside of our usual day-to-day routines.
We were in Galveston this summer repairing houses that were damaged by Hurricane Ike. We painted, landscaped and replaced a door at one house, and the elderly homeowner told me that she never knew people had activities like the one we were supporting that day, and in particular, she didn’t know people would work to help people they didn’t even know. She was really stunned by what 30 Home Depot volunteers did that day to help her and her family move on from the devastation of the storm. Standing there talking in her frontyard, we were together, we built a relationship because of what we did for each other: I helped repair her house, and she allowed me to do that. I probably won’t see her again, but I feel like we are connected - we are on the same team.
I’m sure you have a reason, perhaps very different from mine, for volunteering. We want to learn from your experiences, so I ask that you please tell us why you volunteer by leaving a comment.
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I volunteer because I like to help others. It not only makes you feel good when you see the joy in the faces of those you have helped, but it gives you hope that they may have a brighter future. Nothing compares to being able to invest your time into helping others.
I volunteer because it’s the only way I know how to live. I grew up on a 37-square mile island in the Caribbean and learned early on that no man is an island, even if he lives on one. Taking canned goods out of the pantry to give to the family down the street per my mom’s directives, accompanying my dad as he handed out presents to neighborhood children during Christmas time, climbing a tree to pick fruit for the elderly couple who are unable to do it for themselves, helping to secure and cover a neighbor’s roof with tarps after a hurricane, and assisting as neighbor’s helped us secure our own roof shortly afterwards… I was volunteering long before I ever knew there was a term for it. Helping others is a part of my value system; it’s how I govern my actions and interactions with others.
Great question Kelly! It took me some time and reflection to actually think about “why” I volunteer. I’ve done it for so long that it has just morphed into something I do, without really thinking about it. I would have to say a big part of why I volunteer is a direct result of how I was raised. My family was very involved in the church, so service has always been a part of my life. But, I think one of the main reasons that I keep doing it is simply because I believe it’s the one thing that EVERYONE can do to make a difference in the world. Like your story about the woman in Galveston, I too have had moments of truly connecting on projects with people…and those moments have stayed with me. Whether it’s being an advocate for a cause, a parent volunteer at my child’s school, or a hand to help build a home, there’s really nothing that compares to the feeling I get when I see the happiness I bring to others by helping.
I never knew I had a love for serving others until I started my professional career. I had the opportunity to join fellow teammates on a playground build and my first thought was, \do I have to get up THAT early on a Saturday?\ By the end of the day, I’d forgotten my early morning complaints and realized how very cool it was that 200 fellow employees and community members had built an amazing playground in just six hours. Even cooler were the thank you’s we received two days later from the neighborhood children who now had a safe to place to play.
There is no better feeling in the world than to realize something you’ve done has made a positive impact on someone’s life. It could be small, like planting a single tree, or it could be a huge undertaking, like refurbishing a park so that neighbors have a space to gather and build community. No matter the size of the gesture, seeing the smiles you have created and sensing genuine gratitude from those you’ve helped is truly priceless.
So, why do I volunteer? It’s completely selfish. I feel good knowing I’ve made someone’s life a little better than it was the day before.
What a loaded question!! I started volunteering in the community many years ago. Not only is it needed but it’s a wonderful thing to do. There isn’t anything more priceless than the smile you see on the face or faces of the people or the organization you have helped. We make such a difference. Being a district captain for Team Depot for the past 8 1/2 years has been the most rewarding position I have ever had the honor to hold. Having Home Depot backing our efforts and being able to touch so many lives is amazing! We have made such a difference in our communities and it just makes you feel so proud. We have an army up here at every project and everyone just keeps coming back! They tell me it just feels good and it is the right thing to do! It’s always so heart warming!!!! I wouldn’t have it any other way!
I believe that by doing these projects we make a huge impact on the lives of others. A one day project on our part can create something that people in the community can enjoy for many years to come. It’s a win win situation because the people working on the project feel good that they can help the community and the community is so appreciative of what we are doing for them. There is no better feeling than completing a project and seeing the joy on the faces of the recipients.
First, let me say that I am so inspired by the volunteer work, dedication and spirit that most of you reading this blog probably possess. You truly do inspire me by your heart!
I volunteer because I can’t imagine what our community would look like if we didn’t help each other out. And I know that every time I am out at a project, that I am working alongside someone’s parent or sibling or child or friend to help better our collective lives and community. And I would want to believe that someone out there might do the same for my family or friend one day.
Taking the pulse and heartbeat of the orange box to the community is the most powerful force an orange blooded Home Depot associate can experience. The excitement involved in the planning, organizing and promoting of community involvement projects is such a tremendous rush. The brand has been a well recognized fixture in homes across the country for some time. In our district, our consistent service to the community has established The Home Depot as the most respected retailer and admired volunteer organization. The opportunity to bring people together, to create excitement about something so unbelievably worthwhile, to wear the brand so proudly, to motivate others, to motivate companies that aspire to be like us and to be a part of something so much bigger than me is only part of the reasons I volunteer. To serve others, to provide a service to the needy or underserved, to add value to the lives of others, to leave our stamp on the community in a way like no other convinces me that volunteerism is essential to life’s inner rewards. The accomplishment of service to others instills in me pride and fulfillment. I’ve been told by those we have worked with that our volunteers can move mountains. Many times we do. Thank you to The Home Depot for providing all associates the opportunity to feel the warmth of volunteerism. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers of District 300, Southern Division, for your tireless efforts in giving back and making the dreams of others come true. See you at the next project!
Susan - What a powerful comment you wrote. Your community and The Home Depot are both fortunate to have your passion and dedication. Thank you for all that you do. Kelly
With my parents words echoing in my head “Volunteerism is ones responsibility to his/her community.” I joined Home Depot over 11 years ago with the first impression that my values align with the Orange Box core values, but not understanding the orange blood that runs through this organization is something very special. In the past 11 years I have witnessed the orange blooded Home Depot associates rehab a whole neighborhood of near condemned houses in one day and save their residents from homelessness; I have seen many playgrounds build that put smiles on the children’s faces when playing in it; I have seen reconstruction of three baseball filed for a Hispanic Little League in one day that truly amazed the children, their parents, and the whole community of the power of orange blood. I have come to the realization that I am a drop in this beautiful orange sea and I must live her values and do my best everyday so I can continue to follow her lead so I can remain the drop in the sea of orange.
As District 336 Team Depot Captain, I can’t tell you how proud I am of our associates. I truly enjoy watching our neighborhoods be lifted in spirit through the work of our teams. Actually, when I say teams, in many cases, all our stores come together to help each other with projects as one. It is always uplifting to experience stores uniting for causes. It is even more so knowing some stores support each even though they are up to 100+ miles apart. Whether we are building a training tower to support several volunteer fire depts, providing workshops to schools and senior centers, refurbishing local parks, supporting Special Olympics, planting trees in neighborhoods, or involving ourselves in an endless array of other activities, they are there for each other and each others’ communities. It is even more heartwarming to see and hear the excitement, enjoyment, and appreciation of those folks we serve. I was raised to give back. I always have and always will, and I am honored to be surrounded with associates who believe the same.
helping others…
Good article but I m not sure I agree with all of it….