There are a billion reasons to celebrate National Volunteer Month this April. Literally!  That’s because there are more than a billion volunteers worldwide, and the value of their economic impact tops a trillion dollars.

This month, as LMD celebrates volunteers, we also reflect on an exciting aspect of giving that fills our organization with pride. Compassion has always been part of our culture, so it comes naturally for us to have employees who give back to their communities. At LMD, being empathetic and supporting each other at work is what we do, and creating positive change in our communities is part of our DNA.

As LMD has evolved, our business has experienced remarkable growth. But something uniquely wonderful has also happened in the past few years: our remote workplace means that when LMD employees give back to their own communities, it means that collectively, their reach of compassion extends across the entire country. Likewise, when LMD recently stepped up to support a local organization serving children in need, donations from our remote workforce poured in from coast to coast.

Our employees who volunteer give us so many reasons to celebrate and so much to be proud of.  It’s why this April, we’re shining a spotlight on volunteering and encouraging others to volunteer. It’s not just great for the world, research shows it’s great for employees and businesses, too.

Here are LMD’s top 5 reasons we’re celebrating National Volunteer Month:

1. We’re thankful for LMD volunteers.  Each in their own way is creating positive change, strengthening communities, improving lives, and bringing great pride to our organization.
2. We’re proud of our clients. It’s an honor to be involved in the meaningful work our clients do every day to create positive change in the world.     
3. Volunteers build better workplaces by enriching corporate culture and creating happier, more engaged, and more fulfilled employees. This LMD blog presents three great reasons why you or your organization should volunteer.
4. Volunteering spreads happiness and good health. Discover how people who volunteer become happier over time in this article from Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center Magazine.
5. Volunteer opportunities are all around us. This Reader’s Digest article offers amazingly creative ways to add volunteerism to a favorite hobby or activity.

Whether by giving time, talent, skills, resources, or simply helping raise awareness, everyone can make a difference. And it’s a lot easier for working people to invest in their communities when they have the support of their employers. At LMD, we know firsthand the positive impact volunteers have on our workplace and our communities. We’re a better, stronger agency thanks to every person who helps foster the culture of compassion we are so proud of.   

Happy National Volunteer Month!