By: Marta Rusek

March is Red Cross Month, and this week we’re celebrating volunteers! More than 90% of the Red Cross’ lifesaving work is powered by volunteers, many of whom decided to do this work because someone they knew was a volunteer, or they read about the perks of volunteering in an article (like this one!).

If you’re a student looking for life experience, a retiree looking for meaningful work, or someone who just wants to pay it forward through good deeds, the American Red Cross is one of the best volunteer opportunities around. Here’s why:

You become a better leader. Many different personalities and skill types come together in the volunteer force at the Red Cross, so you will learn very quickly how to identify your fellow volunteer’s strengths and discover what motivates them. Also, you become more organized than you ever thought you would! These skills and knowledge will come in handy the next time you have to lead a project at work or in your neighborhood.

You meet some really cool people. The Red Cross attracts staff members and volunteers from all life experiences, from veteran service members to people who themselves were helped by the Red Cross after a disaster. Plus, some volunteers have served the Greater Philadelphia Area as Red Cross volunteers for 20, 30, or even 40 years! These folks will have some extraordinary stories to share, and their experience will inspire you on your volunteer journey.

You have access to top-notch training modules. The Red Cross goes to great lengths to prepare its volunteers for anything they may experience during their service. The online knowledge base has learning modules for everything, from disaster training to public affairs/communications lessons. Since the materials are updated regularly and created by staff members with years of professional experience under their belts, you can be sure that you’re learning the most accurate and effective information possible (and you never know when that training will come in handy in other parts of your life).

The Red Cross looks great on your resume. If a prospective employer says they’re looking for a team player who is hard-working and eager to take on new challenges, they know they will find all those qualities and more in an applicant who volunteers for the Red Cross. Not everyone will answer the call to help communities in crisis after disaster strikes. The ones that do are highly motivated and committed to making the world a better place, and those are the kinds of people an employer is proud to have in their ranks.

So what are you waiting for? Visit RedCross.org/VolunteerToday to learn about volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross right now!

Primary image description: a graphic with the words “Volunteer with Us!” on a red circle with red drops around it. Behind the circle and words are four faded images of Red Cross volunteers engaged in different life-saving activities.