Five reasons why you should volunteer at The Lending Cupboard®

Volunteering is about so much more than just giving your time. It is about making a difference, building relationships and becoming part of something bigger than yourself. At The Lending Cupboard® (TLC), volunteers are the heartbeat of our mission to support individuals and families in need of medical equipment and daily living aids. Whether you’re looking to give back, grow personally or meet like-minded people, here are five reasons to get involved with TLC. And trust us, there are even more reasons we didn’t list here.

1)Create meaningful connections with other volunteers

When you volunteer at TLC, you join a community of passionate, caring individuals who share a common goal – to help others thrive. Working side-by-side with people from different backgrounds can encourage genuine relationships to form, especially when they are built on shared experiences and values. Many of our volunteers have formed lasting friendships, professional connections and a strong sense of belonging, something that’s hard to find elsewhere.

2)Use your skills and expertise for the greater good

Everyone has something to offer at TLC. Whether your strengths lie in administration, fundraising, customer service, equipment repairs or leadership, your skills can directly support our mission. Volunteering can allow you to put your talents to work in a meaningful way. What you do with TLC truly does matter and contributes to positive change in people’s lives in our community.

3)Learn new skills and ways to grow

Like we said at the top, volunteering isn’t just about giving your time. It’s also about learning new things. At TLC, you’ll have the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, take on new responsibilities and develop new skills you may not regularly use in your day-to-day life. From teamwork and problem-solving to client interactions and nonprofit operations, these experiences can help you grow personally and professionally.

Take for example, TLC volunteer Julia. Each volunteer shift she works, she sees how her role connects to her career path in occupational therapy.

“Here, I’m surrounded by OTs and PTs,” she said. Since joining the TLC team this past September, Julia has learned so much about the equipment and her future role. This knowledge and experience have given her a headstart towards her career.

Julia volunteers in both the storefront and in the returns area, where clients bring back equipment and bring in donations of gently-used equipment.

In returns, Julia says she connects most with the people. “I like helping people,” she said. “When they come back in and say thank you, that means a lot.”

4)Give back to the community in a meaningful way

Supporting your community creates a ripple effect of positive impact. By volunteering with TLC, you are directly helping individuals in the community meet essential needs during challenging times.

In a recent Google review, Ronda shared about how TLC has helped her: “From a bed rail to a walker, a lift seat to be able to safely have a bath to a raised toilet seat with handles. Every conceivable assistance device, they have it. And the staff are all amazing and willing to help. We are so fortunate to have this service here in Central Alberta.”

Seeing the real-world impact your efforts can make is incredibly rewarding and reminds us all of the power that compassion, generosity and community care can make.

5)Help us help more people - make an impact

Every volunteer hour allows TLC to serve more people and ensure they are getting the equipment they need.

With a team of over 110, our volunteers contribute around 1,700 hours each month. To break that down further, that's 425 hours a week and over 20,400 hours a year. We are so grateful for each volunteer and every hour contributed. Your time and energy can really help extend TLC’s reach.

Ready to Get Involved?

If you’re looking for a volunteer experience that’s meaningful, impactful and enriching, TLC would love to welcome you. Visit our volunteer opportunities page on our website (https://www.lendingcupboard.ca/volunteer-opportunities) or contact our Volunteer Coordinator Tamara to get started (volunteer@lendingcupboard.ca)