Top 5 Benefits of Group Volunteering at Bridging

Group Volunteering Fosters Communication, Teamwork, and Problem-Solving Skills

Each year, Bridging is grateful to host more than 100 groups comprised of more than 2,000 volunteers, altogether contributing nearly 6,000 hours of service! These diverse groups include volunteers from the corporate world, faith-based organizations, civic and student groups, athletic teams, alumni clubs, groups of friends and retirees, as well as Bridging agency partners.

With their hard work and commitment, volunteer groups help Bridging serve clients by sorting furniture and household donations, loading and unloading trucks, and building dressers among other projects.

Volunteers share that they receive many benefits of the group volunteer experience beyond personal satisfaction and a good feeling after serving at Bridging.

Serving together is a great way for colleagues and friends to meet and reconnect, especially for many groups that have not been together the past two years because of COVID-19. In fact, as employees in many organizations are still working virtually, sometimes coworkers have never met.

“The onsite dresser build with Bridging brought teams together who haven’t seen each other in years due the pandemic,” says Senior Community Relations Specialist Kelly Bukowski at Land O’ Lakes. “The event reinforced team connections and increased employee morale all while fostering Land O’Lakes’ culture of volunteering and supporting our communities.”

The opportunity to meet one another in person, serve, and collaborate results in increased communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

“We wanted to bring our group together in partnership with an organization that allowed us to work as a team while still giving back to the community, and volunteering at Bridging was the perfect experience,” says Specialist Erika Olson of The Toro Company’s Talent Development Team.

“Whether the team was wrapping blankets, constructing furniture, or loading a truck for a family, we leaned on our communication and problem-solving skills to work as a team unit to get the job done,” says Erika. “Through only a few hours of volunteering, our team members were able to build stronger connections with not only one another but also to the community where we live and work.”

Volunteers note the relationships and soft skills that develop through group volunteering.

“Serving together outside of the office is fun, gives a chance to get away from the desk, get active, and use your hands,” says a Boston Scientific employee.

“We spend so much time in the office, so it’s good to come out here for the community and do some team bonding as well,” says another Boston Scientific colleague who volunteered with the group.

Many organizations utilize a volunteer shift at Bridging to help new employees, students, or members get to know one another.

Anna Newberry, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Western National Insurance and a longtime Bridging supporter describes the benefits to their team:

“The Bridging volunteer event brought old and new members of our team together to problem solve, communicate, have fun, and get to know each other. It was a great opportunity to work together on a task that was not familiar to us and accomplish a common goal.”

For their annual Citizen Katie Day, new and returning students, alumni, and staff get to know one another through a Bridging Dresser Build event. Knowing the big-picture benefits of service learning, D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch, Director of the Center for Community Work and Learning and a longtime Bridging advocate highlights the significance:

“St. Kate’s has loved partnering with Bridging, both through our community-engaged learning courses and our all-campus service events. The benefits of coming together as a campus community to do good work, collaborate, and problem solve in teams has been beneficial on so many levels. We are so thankful for the daily work of Bridging and that we get to be a small part of their impact.”

Enjoy teambuilding while supporting Bridging’s critical mission.

Annie Kassel from HandsOn Twin Cities has connected many organizations with Bridging and reports that Bridging is one of the most popular choices for many reasons, among them being: “People love the teambuilding aspect.”

Lisa Kolberg with the Young Men’s Service League of Eden Prairie echoes that viewpoint.

“Volunteering as a group has been great at Bridging,” she says. “We have had a group of moms and sons volunteering together. The boys have bonded doing their tasks like finding furniture for families and loading the furniture onto trucks as well as other various tasks in the warehouse. It feels good to know we are helping so many families with housing stability. I have only heard positive comments regarding the experience.”

Connect your group with Bridging.

Are you interested in doing more than just serving? Bring your team together to engage with the communities in which they live and work! Bridging has numerous options for onsite and offsite opportunities.

Connect with Community Relations Associate Joel Bisser to book a Bridging project today! Thank you for helping us FURNISH HOMES WITH HOPE.