In service of others

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

There are tens of thousands of nonprofits, community groups and volunteers in Arkansas that live by that motto, and we should take time during National Volunteer Month in April to celebrate them. Many of these groups are started by people who have nothing more than passion for a cause and a willingness to act.

Luckily, they are in a state that values service organizations and believes that these groups make a difference in the lives of Arkansans of all ages every day.

Arkansas boasts the oldest state office dedicated to volunteerism in the nation. The Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Division of Community Services and Nonprofit Support assists all types of community and nonprofit organizations, not just those focused on social services. Libraries, community theaters, museums, schools, civic clubs, state agencies and many others all call on us for guidance.

The free training opportunities we offer are as varied as the programs themselves: project planning, fundraising, grant-writing, strategic development and leadership and management. We help small, grass-roots organizations come to life-guiding them through the complex process of applying for 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service, and providing assessment tools vital to creating a strong, healthy organization.

The result of the state’s investment in our office and the training we provide is a vibrant volunteer community that touches people in every county in Arkansas. These volunteers work to shelter the homeless, treat the sick, employ the disabled, preserve history and much more.

The organizations they work for are among the first to step up when the state experiences a disaster or has an unfilled need, like serving snacks and meals to low-income children as part of the Department of Human Services’ summer feeding program, or providing business attire to people trying to get back in the workplace.

These organizations also deserve continued thanks and gratitude for the economic contributions they make to society.

According to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, public charities in Arkansas in 2010 employed more than 93,000 full-time employees-6.8 percent of the state’s labor force. During the same year, the 9,000 public charities had an economic impact on the state of more than $13 billion.

I can think of no better way to celebrate National Volunteer Week than by pledging my division’s public commitment to continue to support nonprofit and community organizations in Arkansas.This year, the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence, the Arkansas Community Foundation and the Arkansas Volunteer Coordinators

Association partnered with the Division of Community Services and Nonprofit Support to host “The Summit” last week, offering training sessions touching on topics such as building a diversified development program, program evaluation, technical writing, and social media.

We will be observing National Volunteer Week today through Friday. I encourage those of you who have been thinking about volunteering to take action during this week. The nonprofits and community groups in Arkansas depend on volunteers and can do amazing work with your help. Find a group or organization dedicated to a cause important to you.

Donating even a few hours a month of your time can make a difference in your community and can be very fulfilling for you.

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Sherry Middleton is the director of the state Department of Human Services’ Division of Community Service and Nonprofit Support.