This month, from April 21 – 27, National Volunteer Week will be held across our country.  Many of us make time to volunteer when our schedules are free.  National Volunteer Week though is an event not all of us take time to put on our schedules due to the natural acceleration of our markets in the spring.  However, this is perhaps the most important time to serve as role models for the people we know and serve. 

Jen Knieram schedules volunteers and cooks many of the meals at the Time Center in Champaign.  For those who don’t know, the Time Center is a men’s shelter offering meals, lodging and counseling to men hard on their luck. Recently a group from my office and another group from Centennial High School took on hour and a half on two different weekdays to serve lunch to 50 or so men and women.  Jen describes the average client as low income, who typically has a job, but primarily homeless.  For many, this is their only hot meal of the day.  Most of the food at the Time Center is donated including fresh vegetables, fruits and meats by members of our community who just “want to help.”  Jen offered, “One man will go to the local grocery store, see what’s on sale, and bring a few pounds of bananas, or apples or whatever is available.”  She continues, “These acts of selflessness don’t go unnoticed by the Time Center.  Without them, we wouldn’t even begin to have the variety of meals we can offer.” 

However Jen noted when their core volunteers, the UI students are out, their ability to serve the people who need our help the most is challenged.  “We have many groups who pick a day here or a day there and send over people to help.  However, we need help 365 days a year, twice a day. “ 

This is true of just about every non for profit agency in our town.  They all have needs for people to roll up their sleeves every day, not just when the “business is slow.”  Knieram suggested, “If every organization in town, every church, every service group, every fraternity, sorority, student volunteer group, trade association, etc., volunteered for one hour every month, our community would have more volunteers than we have need.”

So my challenge to you this month is to do just that.  Set aside one hour this month, and every month to give back to the community.  Challenge your family, your friends, and your co-workers to commit to do the same.  All of us work hard to make Champaign/Urbana a great place to live.  Part of that work is to help those less fortunate to enjoy the community as well.

If you need a project, you can sign up for Austin’s Day, held April 20 in conjunction with the university’s Campus/Community Day of service.  More than 20 local agencies will be served by over 1000 volunteers that day.  The UI alone will pack 146,000 meals for the Eastern Illinois Food Bank.  You can register at www.austinsday.org.  While you’re at this website, read about Austin Cloyd, a remarkable young woman dedicated to serving our community every day of her life, whose life was cut short at Virginia Tech 6 years ago.

Or call the United Way or any of the many agencies in C/U and ask what you can do to help.  I hope to see you with your sleeves rolled up giving back this April.  More important, I hope to see you doing the same in May, June, July and every month of the year.  Busy or not, the community needs our help.