When you lead a lifestyle as unpredictable and ever-changing as being a military spouse, it’s easy to lose your sense of self, belonging, and purpose. Much of our lives as spouses revolve around supporting our service members, navigating the challenges of military life, and providing stability for our children.

For me, personally, I faced the challenge of finding my career path after a permanent change of station (PCS) move. Volunteering made a significant difference for me. I took on the role of the Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG) Leader and joined a spouse’s mentorship group committee. This not only helped me build strong bonds but also provided me with a sense of purpose and connection to my local community. Volunteer work benefits not only the community but also your entire military family.

Create a Sense of Belonging and Build Strong Bonds

It can be hard to feel connected to a place, especially when you know that military life means you’ll be relocating every two or three years. However, volunteer work can help give you that sense of belonging and value within your community. Whether it is a neighborhood clean up, packing bags at a food bank, or organizing a blanket drive, making an effort to improve the community or lives of its residents motivates you to seek stable, long-lasting relationships. It also encourages participation in social activities like religious groups, clubs, sports teams, and other community organizations.

When I arrived at my first duty station, I struggled to adapt to military spouse life, Particularly due to my challenges with military spouse unemployment after a PCS. I found myself in a new place with no familiar faces, just a California girl in a southern military world. I made a conscious decision to volunteer with my husband’s SFRG, and I am so grateful for that choice. It not only introduced me to military spouse life but also connected me with other military spouse organizations that have since become important resources, places of respite from the challenges of military life, and a central part of my social calendar. I now have a circle of mom friends, belong to a book club, and am part of a committee for a military spouse mentorship organization.

Volunteer Work Equals Work Experience

Volunteer work, especially in official positions or with consistent hours, can be added to a military spouse’s resume. As a spouse who struggled with military spouse unemployment, one of my main reasons for starting volunteer work was to ensure I did not have a huge gap in my resume while I was not officially working. I took an official volunteer position with my service member’s unit and registered for the Volunteer Management Information System. As an involuntary stay-at-home mom, I had to do something to maintain my work experience until my reentry into the workforce. My volunteer positions allowed me to utilize and hone my job skills to make that transition smoother.

Strengthening Family Unit

They say that “the most important time is family time”. For a busy family, especially a military one, it can be hard to carve out time together. One solution is to commit to volunteer work as a family. Whether it’s a single event or an ongoing activity, volunteering together multiplies the joy of giving back. What amazing memories you can make doing good deeds together. One holiday season, my family spent time together making a traditional Filipino rice porridge called Arroz Caldo or Lugaw and served it to the homeless community downtown. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered on a cold night helping those in need, warming not only their bellies but also creating memories that will warm their hearts for a lifetime.

Types of Volunteer Opportunities

During the season of giving, there are various volunteer opportunities for military families to participate in. These include working at food banks, contributing to toy drives, volunteering at homeless shelters, assisting in organizing holiday events for underprivileged children or participating in programs that support veterans.

Food and Toy Drives

During the holidays, numerous organizations offer holiday assistance to families in need. These are prime places to volunteer for busy military families Some of these include Angel Tree Programs at the Salvation Army or Walmart, as well as holiday food distribution events with local food banks and religious organizations. The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) has multiple programs that provide resources to the community during the holidays. These programs, like Operation Holiday Joy, distribute toys and food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas to junior enlisted families. Such events require many hands, even small ones, to make them happen for families in need.

Remote and Virtual Activities

Volunteer work doesn’t always mean you have to go to a location and physically offer your assistance. Even the youngest members of your family can contribute. Your family can make holiday cards and write letters to service members overseas or elderly residents in local nursing homes. Families can also organize online fundraisers, pack holiday care packages, or offer virtual tutoring.

Holiday Helpers

Volunteer work can be as easy as offering to help with household and outdoor chores. You and your family can volunteer as “Holiday Helpers” in your neighborhood or community. Maybe you help a spouse whose service member is deployed set up their outdoor holiday decorations. You could also set up a gift-wrapping table and take donations for a family in need. You could open your home up and babysit for parents who need to do their holiday shopping.

Find Volunteer Opportunities Locally

There are many holiday volunteer opportunities to find locally. Check with neighborhood food banks, religious organizations, and non-profit organizations. Some specific organizations I would try are the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), Feeding America, the Military Family Advisory Network, and the Salvation Army. Keep an eye out on social media for events that could have volunteer opportunities coming up and reach out to the organizers.

Organizing An Event

In cases where volunteer opportunities are limited, you and your family can organize your own volunteer event.

1. Choose a cause: Brainstorm as a family and identify the needs of your community.
2. Define the event’s objective: Determine what you want to achieve with your event, such as providing food to families in need or giving gifts to children of low-income families.
3. Plan the event: Figure out what you need for your event, how many volunteers you’ll need to make it happen, and how much money or donations you’ll need.
4. Gather support and resources: Reach out to local non-profit organizations, businesses, and even local government agencies to get support and resources for the event.
5. Recruit volunteers: You can use word of mouth, social media, or reach out to other organizations (such as college students or religious organizations). You can also see if any local nonprofits have a volunteer roster you can borrow for your event.
6. Advertise the event: Utilize social media to spread the word about your event. Pro tip: use hashtags and social media algorithms to maximize advertising. Make sure to comment on posts and share them with local groups such as neighborhood and spouse information pages to reach the desired population
7. Execute the event: The event is here! Ensure to stay organized with checklists of tasks that need to be completed and who will be completing them. Then watch the joy that volunteering brings to people and the community. Be sure to take photos and videos for future events and to showcase your event.

Be Inspired, Then Share and Inspire

The best thing you can do after a volunteer opportunity or activity is spread the word and share your experiences. Posting photos and reviews to social media about any organizations you work with not only helps you document your experience but also assists those organizations in recruiting more volunteers. Be sure to use any hashtags your organization recommends to reach your target audience.

The ASYMCA is Here For Military Families

The holiday season is about giving and sharing. Volunteer work is a powerful way for military families to connect with their communities while making a positive impact. The Armed Services YMCA offers many programs to support military families and provides numerous volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

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