It Doesn’t Need to be Mandela Day to Volunteer for a Cause

It Doesn’t Need to be Mandela Day to Volunteer for a Cause:

Volunteering is good for your health Photo: It is a stock image; no accreditation needed

Port Elizabeth, November, 22, 2017 – Mandela Day may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to volunteer your time throughout the year. According to research by Carnegie Mellon University, Volunteering is Good For Your Health. Results have shown that those who had volunteered a minimum of 200 hours within one year were less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who didn’t, possibly because volunteering increased physical activity.

So if you’re looking to volunteer on a regular basis, but don’t know where to start looking or what’s out there, here is a list of organisations in and around Port Elizabeth, written in collaboration with Hippo.co.za.

Lake Farm Centre

Lake Farm Centre is a care home for 90 mentally impaired adults. The centre was founded in 1959, and the residents contribute to the upkeep and general running of the facility. This permanent home is situated just outside PE in the nature-filled area of Kragga Kamma.

The centre welcomes volunteers to help with a number of activities from fundraising, to help in the onsite coffee shop, to occupational workshops, and helping organise events such as the Christmas Fair.

Animal Welfare Society PE

The Animal Welfare Society of PE is a shelter for lost, unwanted or abandoned animals, from cats, dogs and horses, to donkeys, cattle and birds. The facility rehabilitates the animals and, once ready, puts them up for adoption. The facility also provides 24-hour veterinary services.

Located in Walmer, the facility is always in need of volunteers to walk dogs and provide love and attention to the cats in their cattery. Volunteers can also raise money by participating in a sports event like a cycle or running race.

Love Story

This organisation focuses on providing much needed empowerment projects, educational programmes and food schemes to the underprivileged within PE. Founded in 2012, Love Story provides a number of ways to uplift the communities in PE that do not have the means to do so themselves. Those wanting to volunteer can get involved with serving meals, sorting, packaging and handing out parcels, donating unwanted clothes, toiletries and toys, and getting involved in educational programmes.

SANCCOB

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) rescues and rehabilitates sick, injured or oiled seabirds such as the African penguin, and releases them once clean and healthy. The PE branch can be found at the Cape Recife Nature Reserve.

Volunteers can help the organisation by assisting with cleaning and feeding birds, collecting and transporting birds, upkeep of the centre, administrative tasks, marketing of the organisation, and educational tours.

If you’re looking to contribute towards a charity, boost your exercise regime and reduce your dependence on your Medical Aid, and even meet some new people, there are a number of charities in and around PE that you can contact. The organisations on this list are only a few of the many needing the help of volunteers on a daily basis.