Why Volunteering Feels So Good
Have you ever finished a volunteer project and thought, “Wow — I feel amazing!” You’re not imagining it. There’s real science on why lending a hand feels so great for your body, mind, and spirit. And when you combine volunteering with movement — like walking, biking, or running — the benefits multiply.
Let’s break down why volunteering feels so good — and why the active part of Stride to Serve makes it even better.
1. Volunteering Lights You Up — Literally and Emotionally
Studies show that helping others activates the brain’s reward pathways. When you volunteer, your body releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, which boost mood and reduce stress. That’s part of the reason people talk about a “helper’s high.”
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that volunteers experience the same sort of emotional boost as people who exercise or take antidepressants — without the prescription.
2. The Health Benefits Are Real
Volunteering isn’t just good for your brain — it’s good for your body too:
Greater happiness: Research shows that people who volunteer are happier, and that volunteering changes people to become happier than they were before volunteering.
Lower stress levels: Helping others is linked to lower blood pressure and reduced stress hormones.
Longer life: Multiple studies suggest that people who volunteer tend to live longer.
Boosted heart health: Acts of service are associated with better cardiovascular outcomes.
One powerful theory psychologists point to is the Generativity Drive — the desire to contribute to the well-being of other people, including future generations. Erik Erikson, a developmental psychologist, described generativity as a core human motivation — especially in adulthood — that brings deep psychological satisfaction. In other words, we’re wired to feel good when we help.
3. Move Your Body, Boost Your Mood — Twice the Benefits
If volunteering is good, then exercise + volunteering is a game changer.
Movement on its own has huge benefits:
Releases endorphins (natural mood lifters)
Improves sleep and energy
Reduces anxiety and depression
Increases brain health
When you combine movement with meaningful service, you get:
More endorphins (from exercise)
More oxytocin (from social connection)
More dopamine (from helping others)
In short — your mind and body get double the reward.
Which might be why research shows that volunteering in sports activities provides more benefit for participants than other kinds of volunteering.
That’s the philosophy behind Stride to Serve:
Make service social. Make service active. Make service good for everyone — including you.
Things to Keep In Mind
A few points to consider:
Formal group volunteering significantly boosts well-being more than informal volunteering.
Monthly volunteering correlates with life satisfaction gains comparable to employment transitions.
Higher volunteering frequency yields greater well-being; weekly volunteering triples benefits of occasional volunteering.
At Stride to Serve, we build our program to give our participants the most benefit possible. We make finding volunteer opportunities easy and organize our events to provide the best experience.
Final Thoughts
Volunteering feels so good because it feeds essential parts of what makes us human — connection, purpose, and impact. We’re wired to feel better when we do good. When you add movement to the mix, you’re not just making the world better — you’re making you better too.
Ready to feel great and do good? Let’s stride — together.
Announcing Our First Service Partner: Carver County Parks Adopt-A-Trail!
We’re thrilled to share a major milestone for Stride to Serve — our first official recurring service partnership with Carver County Parks’ Adopt-A-Trail program! This collaboration marks a meaningful step toward caring for the natural places we love and serving our local community in a lasting, tangible way.
Carver County Parks plays a vital role in preserving outdoor spaces and promoting recreation across the region. We have committed to caring for a specific trail segment — monitoring conditions, removing litter, and helping ensure safe, welcoming pathways for all who visit.
Our Trail: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
We’re especially proud to adopt a trail segment within the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. This special partnership gives Stride to Serve volunteers the chance to care for a trail that not only provides recreational opportunities — from hiking to environmental appreciation — but also supports the Arboretum’s mission of conservation and learning. And we can take advantage of the beautiful Arboretum spaces for our social events and walks/run!
What’s Next
We’ll be hosting regular community volunteer days throughout the year where members can join in trail clean-ups, have a beautiful walk or run on our trail and enjoy fun and games in the beauty of the Arboretum. Stay tuned for updates on dates and how to get involved.
We’re grateful to Carver County Parks for welcoming us into the Adopt-A-Trail family — and we can’t wait to make a difference on the trail! Together, we’ll help keep this corner of the Arboretum inviting, healthy, and vibrant for all who explore it.
Welcome to Stride to Serve
It all begins with an idea.
Introducing Stride to Serve: Moving With Purpose, Serving With Heart
In every community, there are people who want to get active, people who want to give back, and people who want to feel more connected—but rarely do all three happen in the same space. Stride to Serve was created to change that. Stride to Serve is a new nonprofit built around a simple idea:
When we move our bodies and serve our neighbors together, good things happen.
We become healthier, more connected, and more aware of the needs around us. Communities get stronger. And doing good becomes something we look forward to— not just one more item on a to-do list.
What Is Stride to Serve?
Stride to Serve hosts community events that combine movement (walking, running, or biking) with local service projects. Each event includes:
* A meet-up and warm welcome;
* A walk or run (up to 45 minutes) at your own pace;
* A short, hands-on volunteer activity with a local organization;
* Time to connect and celebrate with others.
The structure is intentional: energize, serve, and connect throughout. The goal is not performance or competition—it’s participation, community, and shared purpose.
We partner with local organizations to support real needs in the community—everything from assembling essential kits, to helping neighborhood groups, to supporting housing, hunger, and youth programs.
Why We Created Stride to Serve
Most people want to do more good in the world and want to feel healthier and more connected. But modern life makes it difficult:
* Volunteering often feels like a big time commitment, and good events are hard to find.
* Fitness activities can feel isolating or intimidating.
* Social connection is harder than ever, despite being deeply needed.
Stride to Serve was created to lower those barriers by offering events that are:
Short & approachable
You don’t have to commit to regular volunteer shifts to make a difference. Our events are designed to fit into real life.
Welcoming to all ages and abilities
Whether you walk slowly, run hard, or bring a stroller, you belong.
Social, meaningful, and fun
You don’t just show up—you meet people, accomplish something together, and leave feeling better than when you arrived.
Locally impactful
Every event supports organizations serving the community right now. You see the good you’re contributing to.
The Benefits of Participating
Stride to Serve isn’t just an event—it's an experience. People join for different reasons, but nearly everyone walks away with benefits that last well beyond the day.
1. Better Physical Health
Our events offer a no-pressure way to be active fitness—with others cheering you on.
2. Stronger Mental and Emotional Well-Being
Serving others is one of the most reliable ways to feel happier and more grounded. Combined with movement and community, it becomes even more powerful.
3. Genuine Social Connection
You’re not networking. You’re not making small talk.
You’re doing something meaningful, side by side, which naturally creates connection. Many participants say it’s the easiest way they’ve found to meet new people.
4. A Sense of Purpose and Contribution
You leave not just with a workout completed, but with a tangible impact made. You know your effort matters—and that feels good.
Our Hope for the Community
We believe this model — movement + service + connection — can become a new way people gather.
Not an obligation.
Not a competition.
Not a meeting.
But an experience of joy, energy, and shared purpose.
Our hope is simple:
That people feel healthier, more connected, and more hopeful because they participate.
And that communities become stronger one stride—and one act of service—at a time.