From Obligations to Finding Purpose
Volunteering or rather any community involvement used to feel mundane to me. Back in my late middle school or early high school days, I saw every volunteer opportunity as primarily a way to fulfill an obligation. It was all about meeting the service hour requirements for the National Honor Societies and other teams or activities I was part of. It felt more like a chore than anything meaningful.
My initial experiences were at a Soup Kitchen near downtown Austin, where I prepared meal kits (see picture below), and at the Central Texas Food Bank, where I donated food. I also raised money for my middle school band by selling door-to-door baked goods. During the Covid timeframe, I also engaged in virtual activities like penning letters of support and remote tutoring and mentoring for kids entering First Lego League competitions. While these activities weren’t entirely purposeless, I didn’t think much about them beyond meeting the requirements.
But all that changed during the 2nd half of my freshman year. We received a message from the local Autism Society to volunteer at an aid station in the Austin Annual Marathon. Suddenly, volunteering wasn’t some pointless timely endeavor. I have a personal connection to the Autism Society because my younger brother is on the autism spectrum. I hadn’t previously thought of the impact of my volunteering. Where did the money I helped raise go? Exactly how many homeless people am I feeding? And yet, all I could think about was helping my brother. And now, I saw this opportunity to make an impact that was personal to me.
My dad and I arrived early on a cool February weekend and settled at an indicated mile marker where the autism station was set up. We filled water and sports drinks on paper cups, and offered them to the runners, cheering them on as they passed by. Seeing the determination of the runners was incredibly moving and inspiring, but what touched me even more was witnessing special-needs young adults participating in the marathon. We did this for about four hours and the feeling of fulfillment I had heard from other volunteers that I previously dismissed was now understood. See my pictures from this event below.
Inspired by this transformed notion, I sought out other opportunities with the Autism Society where I could make a personal impact. Since that first marathon, I’ve made it a point to volunteer at this event and many other events every year. I’ve become a regular volunteer for the Autism Society of Texas, participating in their annual walk and helping set up various stations for vendors showcasing their exhibits.
This summer, I actually had the honor of representing the society at a local community event for special needs kids at our place of worship, the Austin Hindu Temple. I distributed flyers and explained the various services the society offers, which gave me a great sense of pride. I plan to participate in another similar community event in August.
I am now approaching each opportunity with the desire to contribute first and worry about recording the hours later. My journey from seeing volunteering as a chore to embracing it as a meaningful and fulfilling activity has been transformative. I’m excited about continuing my journey with the Autism Society and finding more ways to make a difference in my community.