Argumentative Essay: The Benefits Of Volunteering

“Did you attend the Christmas party at the orphanage with the National Honor Society last Friday?” asked Angelica as she walked with Jacoya to lunch in the cafeteria.
“I did,” Jacoya confirmed with a nod of the head, “but I didn’t expect to have as much fun as I did. The kids were actually really cool and were thankful that we were able to bring them gifts in addition to the ones they received from the orphanage’s staff.”
“Gifts?” Angelica questioned. “Orphanages have the money to buy the children gifts?” Stifling a laugh, Jacoya sat down with her lunch-bag.
“Of course they do. Although, they cannot afford as many presents as most of our families, they are not as different as we thought. In fact, I think I’m going to go back. I actually made a couple of friends. You should come, too. I really think you’d like them.” Taking a bite into her sandwich, Angelica secretly smiled at the thought.
This is just one example of how youth volunteers dedicate themselves to assisting others by having “a desire to become more internally aware” and “to understand what [is] ‘out there’”
However, according to Sally Brown, volunteering brings these groups together and unites communities through bonding and “mutual understanding” (qtd. in Dykhuis 16). In fact, Pappas states that many youth volunteers get started in service work through church or school. Consequently, these closely knit programs encourage friendship and address areas of each community’s concern (Dykhuis 16). This allows communities to come together through a similar cause whether that be “illiteracy, teen pregnancy, high crime rates, or drug abuse” (Spiegel and Safrit 14). Due to the different opportunities for community service, volunteers are able to understand the barriers between affluent and limited resource areas and use their knowledge of these barriers for further personal and communal