10/27/2025
📣 HSBR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM! 📣
Every day, a volunteer helps improve the life of an animal here at the Humane Society of Blue Ridge. Volunteering is not only good for our animals, it's good for the volunteer!
The joy and companionship animals bring can lift your spirits & calm your mind. Not everyone can have a pet at home, but volunteering with HSBR offers a rewarding way to experience these benefits!
Here are a few ways spending time with animals through volunteering can boost your mood and overall health!
1. Spending time with animals reduces stress and supports mental health.
Interacting with animals can lower cortisol levels and reduce stress. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that time with animals can ease loneliness and improve mood instantly!
2. Animal companionship supports heart and overall health.
Time with animals can help lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cortisol levels. Less stress also means a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Simply put, being around animals can contribute to both your physical and mental well-being!
3. Volunteering has several mental health benefits.
Volunteering, whether with animals or otherwise, can improve your mood and mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, volunteering can reduce stress, increase happiness, build confidence and give a sense of purpose. It is also a way to discover new strengths and skills while connecting with others!
4. Volunteering improves social wellness and overall well-being.
Regular volunteering can help manage chronic stress and support long-term health. A 2020 study found that people who volunteered 100 hours or more per year had a lower risk of death over four years compared to those who did not volunteer. The American Heart Association notes volunteering can also increase physical activity and reduce feelings of loneliness!
At HSBR, we love our volunteers and are grateful for them everyday!
Our volunteers make a difference in the lives of countless animals through programs such as:
- Fostering, feeding, caring for, walking and socializing animals
- Assisting at adoption events
- Transporting animals
- Working at our thrift store attendants
- Grant writing, including researching and applying for grants, writing proposals, making calls to potential donors and networking with other grant writers.
If you'd like to become a HSBR volunteer, click the link below!
👉 https://www.humanesocietyofblueridge.org/volunteer
We can't wait to meet you! 🤗
