The federal government’s workplace charity drive, the Combined Federal Campaign, is celebrating International Volunteer Day on Dec. 5.
The observance was created by the United Nations in 1985 and highlights the crucial role volunteers play around the world.
Volunteering is an integral part of the Combined Federal Campaign, or CFC. More than 6,600 volunteer hours were pledged in last year’s campaign.
“Pledging volunteer hours is perhaps the purest expression of the spirit of the CFC there is,” said Myriam Irizarry, a USPS program and policy analyst who serves as campaign manager for headquarters.
“Our volunteers get a lot out of it, too,” she said.
No less an authority than the Mayo Clinic finds that the benefits of lending a hand boomerang back to the volunteer. According to an article on its website, volunteering improves physical and mental health, provides a sense of purpose, teaches valuable skills, and nurtures new and existing relationships.
For more on volunteering through the CFC, including a virtual list on volunteer activities at participating charities, visit the CFC website.
