Where can I volunteer in Louisiana?

If you’re pursuing recovery at a rehab in Louisiana, whether it’s in Metairie, Covington, New Orleans or Baton Rouge, you may be thinking about what to do in your spare time. People struggling with addiction often turn to their drug of choice during their downtime or when relaxing, making it hard to retain their sobriety when they try. That may make you wonder: where can I volunteer at in Louisiana?

This article will explain why volunteering is important to a healthy recovery and the benefits of volunteering in recovery, and list several volunteering opportunities in Louisiana. If you’re addicted to drugs and alcohol and are looking to stop, we invite you to reach out and allow us to help you. At Avenues Recovery, we’d love to have you join our rehabs so we can guide you to sobriety.

Why is volunteering in addiction recovery important?

People battling addiction often become self-absorbed and singularly focused on obtaining and using their drug of choice, above all else. They may prioritize the use of drugs over their closest relationships and commitments, including allowing their spouse and children to suffer, their careers to go downhill, and their hobbies to be neglected. Volunteering allows recovering addicts to come out of their selfishness and learn to think about others more.

In addition, many drug and alcohol addicts report that they use their drug of choice more often when feeling lonely, sad, or bored. They also come to depend on that substance to help them relax and unwind, making it an important aspect of their downtime. Volunteering allows recovering addicts to find different and productive ways to relax, take them out of boredom, and make them feel less sad or lonely, all of which helps them stay sober.

Benefits of Louisiana community service opportunities:

There are so many benefits to volunteering during recovery. If you’re wondering whether or not you should search for ‘volunteering opportunities near me in Louisiana,’ read on to explore some of the benefits of servicing the local community:

1. People struggling with addiction are often lonely. The more they use substances, the more they feel like they don’t have much in common with their family and friends- they’re simply living on a different planet. They usually start isolating themselves, causing them to use substances even more, and setting them into a depressive cycle. Volunteering allows such people to find friends, stop isolating, and feel less lonely.
2. Many people in early recovery have a hard time staying sober once they end their stint in rehab and return home. They find that returning to the people who they used to do drugs with is a trigger too great to overcome, causing a relapse. People with addiction typically stick together, so by the time a person seeks recovery, they may find that their only friends are addicts who aren’t in recovery. Volunteering allows recovering addicts to create a new community of emotionally healthy, fellow recovering addicts, who can support them and help them stay sober.
3. People who use substances heavily often feel like they have no meaning or purpose in their lives. Their obsession with substances takes precedence over everything else so they neglect their hobbies, relationships, commitments, and work life. This can leave them feeling devoid of deeper meaning in their lives, which can trigger the use of drugs to help them numb the feeling. Looking for volunteer opportunities in Louisiana allows you to find more purpose in your life, helping you stay sober.
4. People struggling with addiction often have low self-esteem. It goes two ways: low self-esteem is a difficult emotion, so people may seek to numb the emotion by using drugs or alcohol. Conversely, continuous use of drugs can lead to a person feeling bad about themselves. Regardless of the cause, people with addiction often struggle with low self-esteem, and volunteering can help them feel better about themselves.

Places to volunteer in New Orleans: 

At this point, you’re probably convinced and want to search for ‘where can I volunteer at in Louisiana?’ There are many New Orleans volunteer opportunities near Avenues Recovery’s rehab centers in Metairie, Covington, and Baton Rouge. Here is a list of places you can look into for volunteering:

1. Volunteer Louisiana- This government initiative focuses on promoting volunteerism and helping volunteers find a cause they’re passionate about. They have several services, including education, disaster services, helping out military families, and more.
2. City of Baton Rouge- Another government organization, this volunteer opportunity involves helping people who are affected by natural disasters. Called CERT (The Community Emergency Response Team), they provide a 16-hour course in natural disaster response so you can have a real impact.
3. Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS)- This nonprofit, located in Baton Rouge, helps lost or abandoned pets find a home. Volunteers also provide animal therapy to children in hospitals, and give workshops on responsible pet ownership.
4. Volunteers of America (VOA)- With different branches across Louisiana, Volunteers of America helps the homeless in myriad of ways. Volunteers are invited to host a collection drive for the benefit of the homeless, pack bags of essential items to be handed out, and teach a class or demonstrate a skill to adults with mental health issues.
5. Feeding Louisiana- This resource allows you to find your local food bank and volunteer to help. The organization has split their resources between different areas of Louisiana, with each branch covering different districts. You can contact them to find out what you can do to help.

Conclusion:

If you’re in Louisiana pursuing rehab for a drug or alcohol addiction, you’re on the right track to living a more serene, fulfilling life. Whether or not you feel up to volunteering, you can have a meaningful, growth-filled recovery at any of our rehab centers in Louisiana. You just have to take the first step of choosing recovery.

We have three great rehabs in the state: In Metairie, Covington, and Baton Rouge. Each of our rehab facilities offer the same level of professionalism, compassion, and personalized care for the ultimate recovery experience. Reach out today to start your journey to recovery, serenity, and sobriety.