The Benefits Of Giving

Jennifer Cohen has devoted her life to helping others. The Fort Lauderdale mother of two has fostered dogs since she was a young girl and has volunteered with Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center since 1987.

While Cohen has helped both animals and people over the years and raised millions of dollars for charitable organizations, she says that giving to others and volunteering has also boosted her own happiness.

Studies show that helping others offers numerous benefits, not just to the receiver, but also to those who graciously donate their time and money. Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies in March 2020 found that people who volunteer on a monthly basis are happier and report better mental health than those who volunteered rarely or not at all.

“Performing kind acts are transformative for the giver, receiver and those who witness them,” says Julie Levin, a licensed therapist and author of “After 40: Meaning of Life Journal: Prompts and Practices for Self-Discovery and Finding Purpose.”

“Creating joy for others can also bring you joy,” she adds.

In her work, Levin has seen how volunteering provides those who give with both a sense of purpose and improved self-esteem.

“Finding a volunteer activity that aligns with your interests and where you can have a meaningful impact can be life-changing,” Levin says. “In my own life, I’ve found it very rewarding to teach self-care to volunteers who are doing frontline work with cancer patients and survivors of abuse.”

In addition, volunteering also offers many life enhancing benefits. In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that giving to others is a powerful prescription for good health. Volunteering has been shown to reduce stress and increase life expectancy and combat depression by providing social connections.

With many people practicing social distancing during the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted in March that anxiety and depression increased 25% around the world during the first year of the pandemic. They attributed this in part to loneliness and isolation.

Levin says that giving to others can serve as a powerful remedy for these feelings.

“Volunteering outside of the home and giving to others offers a sense of purpose,” Levin says. “By offering a service the world needs, volunteers are able to fight isolation, improve their self-worth and feel valued.”

Prosocial Spending Linked To Increased Happiness

The old adage, “Money Can’t Buy Happiness,” isn’t necessarily true. Prosocial spending, the practice of using money to help others, as opposed to spending it on oneself, has been linked to greater happiness.

In the book, “Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending,” Elizabeth Dunn, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, readers are encouraged to think of their own prosocial spending budget in terms of connection. Dunn, who co-authored with Michael Norton, the Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Mass., notes that we’re more likely to get the biggest bang for our prosocial buck by investing in others in ways that help us connect to people.

Dunn goes on to say that when prosocial spending is done right, it should feel like a choice, connect us to others and make a clear impact. By doing this, even small gifts can increase happiness, potentially spurring a domino effect of generosity.

Finding Meaning In Giving

Lisa Christopher-Stine, MD, MPH, professor of Medicine and Neurology and director of the Myositis Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. has seen firsthand how volunteering has had a positive effect on many of her patients with chronic disease.

“I’ve had patients volunteer with organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation, where they’ve gained more knowledge about their own condition, while also reaping the therapeutic benefits of giving to others,” she says.

One volunteering study conducted by UnitedHealth Group, a managed healthcare and insurance company, found that 76% of those who volunteer claim it makes them feel healthier and 25% said volunteering helped them to better manage a chronic condition. Another found that older adults who volunteer for at least 200 hours per year, which breaks down to 3.8 hours each week, decreased their risk of high blood pressure by 40%.

“Some of my patients have volunteered to advocate for policies that help patients with rare diseases such as myositis [an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the muscles], as well as other roles that draw on their own expertise,” Christopher-Stine says.

Cohen learned this firsthand when her twin daughters were born 10 weeks premature in 2003. She didn’t leave their side as they spent five weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, but she also remembers feeling helpless and wanting to do something to help other premature infants and their families.

Impressed by the care her daughters received, Cohen decided to put her fundraising skills to good use and launched The Sydney and Alexandria Cohen Foundation in 2005, applying for nonprofit status in 2008. Named after her twins, Cohen raised funds to buy the hospital a state-of-the-art incubator.

“I wanted to thank the hospital staff for the excellent care they provided my daughters and to also pay it forward to other babies born prematurely,” Cohen says. “Through fundraising, I was able to purchase one of the most advanced incubators available, to help other premature babies have the same successful outcome my daughters had.”

In addition to her own fundraising efforts, Cohen served as corporate development officer at Goodman Jewish Family Services in Davie. Since February, she has worked as head of fundraising for Southeast Veterinary Neurology in Miami, a position she calls her “dream job.”

“When my 12-year-old dog, Jake, had a slipped disc, Dr. Michael Wong saved his life with surgery and gave my family an additional four years with Jake,” Cohen says. “He believes finances shouldn’t be the reason families can’t obtain medical care for their pets. When he asked me if wanted to head up fundraising efforts for his charitable foundation, I immediately said yes.”

For her fundraising and volunteer efforts, Cohen was named 2020 Florida Mother of the Year by American Mothers Inc., a national nonprofit organization that works to recognize mothers across the country through programs that empower them to positively impact their families and communities.

Cohen says she’s also encouraged her daughters to support the causes they believe in.

“I’ve taught them that charity isn’t something you just do once a year, it should be an ongoing part of your life,” Cohen says. “Donating money can fix a lot of things, but giving your time and talent is equally important.” 

Giving Opportunities In South Florida

If you’re looking for a cause to support in South Florida, Brittany Dover, external affairs director at Volunteer Florida, recommends visiting their Volunteer Connect portal that serves as an intermediary between residents who want to donate their time, money or expertise and local nonprofits that need volunteers.

Choose from opportunities such as serving on a nonprofit board, providing disaster relief, being a museum docent, volunteering in a food kitchen and more.

Chef José Andrés and his organization, World Central Kitchen, have been front and center providing meals after natural disasters, including feeding search-and-rescue teams responding to Hurricane Ian, first responders who worked to locate survivors after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside last year, after Hurricane Michael hit Florida in 2018 and more. They welcome both donations and volunteers.

Hands On Broward maintains an updated list of local volunteer opportunities. Many are one day commitments, while others offer the chance to give back on an ongoing basis.