Pittsburgh's Joe Zanotti Attempts To Boost Volunteerism Rate
Joe Zanotti touts the benefits of working to help others in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
- Pittsburgh, PA (1888PressRelease) October 05, 2011 - With the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that the number of Americans performing volunteer work has declined slightly, Pittsburgh native Joe Zanotti hopes others will find the same joy he experienced while helping others at the Family House in Pittsburgh.
Since 1983, Pittsburgh's Family House has assisted families with comfortable, reasonably priced accommodations while loved ones are undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals. Hospitals served, reports Joe Zanotti, include the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospital system and Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
Joe Zanotti says the Family House is located "in the Oakland area of Pittsburgh, a major center for world class hospitals and universities. Many people from all over the world come to get cancer treatments, lung, liver, and heart transplants."
At Family House, volunteers like Joe Zanotti greet guests, help on the phones, assist with linen distribution, and help with day-to-day operations. In fact, many organizations like Family House are looking for individuals to help with those very types of things. Volunteer opportunities include answering phones, sorting mail, or simply listening with empathy to what the families are going through.
The benefits of volunteering go beyond the immediate gratification it brings the volunteer. Joe Zanotti points to studies that have shown employers are more likely to hire a candidate with volunteer work on his or her resume than without. Additionally, Joe Zanotti says, volunteer work can lead to connections that bring future opportunities.
But for Joe Zanotti, volunteer work paid off in ways he never imagined. "I was always amazed by the fighting and upbeat spirit these people had who stayed at one of the four houses," Joe Zanotti remembers. In fact, says Joe Zanotti, seeing these family members put his own experiences in perspective, making him grateful for the small blessings in his life.
In addition to career payoffs and personal fulfillment, volunteering can help you live a better life, Joe Zanotti says. Studies have shown that volunteering also lowers mortality rates, regardless of existing health problems, and volunteers who do have health problems tend to experience less pain while helping others. Can volunteering make you live longer? Joe Zanotti says there are no guarantees, but it certainly can make you live happier.
Helping others also strengthens your social skills, reports Joe Zanotti. While volunteering, you're likely to make new friends, and that kind of bonding can be life-changing. For those who are newcomers to an area or simply feeling lonely, Joe Zanotti points out that volunteering is a great way to get out of the house and meet new people. Volunteering in an area that catches your interest, Joe Zanotti says, will help you meet people who share those interests.
No matter what venue you choose for your volunteer work, states Joe Zanotti, your perspective will be changed. It was hard to complain about his life, Zanotti concludes, while talking to the man waiting for a double lung transplant.
For more information, visit Joe Zanotti online at http://joezanotti.com
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