CMHA celebrates National Volunteer Week 2022

CMHA Niagara joins organizations across the country this week in celebrating National Volunteer Week.

The theme this year, Volunteering is Empathy in Action, affirms the strong connection between volunteerism and empathy. This profoundly human connection is at the heart of healthier individuals and stronger communities. Empathy is a quality that can help people relate to others and build awareness around different experiences. It connects people in ideas and actions and helps create bonds forged in common goals and aspirations. From coast to coast to coast in formal and informal settings, volunteers create caring, collaborative, and compassionate communities.

Volunteers play a crucial role at CMHA. Without the dedication of volunteers, many programs offered by our branch would not be possible. And as an added benefit, research shows that doing things for others strengthens our own mental health. Help is often recruited for volunteer committees, board of directors, assistance at CMHA Niagara or third party events, and bingos.

Currently CMHA Niagara is recruiting for new volunteers (19 years and older) to fill vacancies on our upcoming volunteer bingo rosters.

Each year Delta Bingo & Gaming generously donates a portion of their gaming revenues to CMHA Niagara (to the tune of about $30,000 annually). In return, our organization provides bingo volunteers to cover various shifts throughout the month. The money we receive helps to fund CMHA Niagara’s one-to-one counselling sessions offered to Niagara residents who are in need of mental health and addictions supports.

The volunteer mission is simple: No sales and no cash handling! Volunteers need only represent CMHA Niagara with a smile on their face and be ready to greet players, respond to questions and provide customer support for a two-hour shift. If we aren’t able to supply volunteers to cover the assigned shifts then we forfeit our donation share. It’s a relatively small investment of time for such large gains! But we can’t do it without you.

Our upcoming schedule includes shifts at both Fort Erie’s Golden Nugget Bingo, 427 Garrison Road, and Niagara Falls’ Delta Bingo, 4735 Drummond Road. If you would like to become a part of our volunteer team to fill a shift (do it once a month – or more if you choose!), it would really serve to help CHMA Niagara and the people who depend on our programs and services.

For more information email [email protected] .