Grit, Grind, and Give Back: Volunteering When You’re New to Memphis
By: Dannon Eubanks

Moving to a new city can be overwhelming. You’re eager to meet people, explore what your new home has to offer, and find events that interest you. Whether you’re moving to Memphis for the first time or coming back after time away, there are new and exciting things to discover in this city. If you’ve done any research about Memphis, you know about some of issues that members of our community face. Did you know that you can help resolve these issues, even if you’ve just moved here? You don’t have to live somewhere a long time to make an impact, you just have to begin the journey of volunteering. Volunteering allows you to meet people, explore your community, and start to invest in your new home.

Our VolunteerCompass platform makes the process of finding volunteer experiences simple while enriching the lives of both our volunteers and the community members we serve. You may be new to the city, but you aren’t the only one and often times you won’t be the only newbie at an event. You will feel the southern hospitality that is embedded in this city and soon forget the intimidation of doing something new. When you’re volunteering in activities you enjoy, you’re likely to meet people with similar interests. This is one of the quickest ways to meet people and make friends. In addition to making connections with soon-to-be-friends, volunteering allows you to make connections with prospective employers.

Memphis has a wide range of needs and thus allows you the opportunity to give back in a variety of ways. You can find community engagement events and speakers through cityCURRENT, help out at an outdoor concert with Levitt Shell, help keep Memphis’s green space clean at Shelby Farms Park, or deliver meals to homebound seniors through MIFA.

You don’t have to be Memphis-made to make a difference. Memphis welcomes you. Show your new home you care by volunteering today. Make connections to people and communities. Make a difference in the city you now call home.