GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

With gas prices rising, the economy in dire straits, and people losing jobs and money, depression is all too real for so many suffering Americans today. It seems that at any moment people could just go crazy and start running in the streets and jumping out of windows! So what is the solution? How do we all get past it? How do we get out of it? IS there a way out of it?  There is no right answer but there are ways to get your mind off of your problems. Sitting at home or work dwelling on all of your problems is not going to help. Doctors and therapists often recommend volunteering. They say that one of the best things a person can do to overcome depression is to volunteer their time with someone else who really needs it. Once you do, you will realize that your problems are probably not nearly as bad as those you are volunteering with. The Gorilla could not agree more, and as someone who is actively involved with his own community outreach programs, he knows firsthand just how great it can make you feel to hang up your own worries and just give of your time.  And it isn’t just the wealthy housewives with plenty of time on their hands doing it either- actually the statistics are quite diverse. So many types of people of all ages volunteer their time to help others. Approximately 60.8 million people volunteered in this country in 2007. Were you one of them? Perhaps you are one of those people who thinks, “oh they have plenty of help, they don’t need me!” Well, you’re wrong.  They- meaning just about every non-profit help-based organization- relies on people just like you to be there and to offer their help! There are many organizations that are in constant need of “bodies,” and not just money (although that’s always needed). Organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army always need able-bodied people to organize, plan, and sometimes for some light manual labor (loading and unloading trucks of supplies, re-stocking etc.). If you are confused about where to start or which organization to become involved with, don’t be. The Gorilla believes that it is always good to defer to that old adage “charity begins at home,” and he takes that to mean in your own community.  

There is a fantastic web site that can help you find your local non-profit organizations called www.volunteermatch.org. It is a great way to match yourself with an organization that is local, and the site even tells you how far from your zip code they are located. That is exactly how the Gorilla got involved! It lets you know exactly what is out there and what they are looking for. So stop dwelling on how bad the economy is, and how bad your personal finances are, or how high gasoline prices have become, and GET OUT THERE and do some good for others. Remember folks, no matter how bad it gets (and he knows how bad it gets), in many instances, someone always has it a little bit worse than you! How’s that for humility?