In one year, approximately 26% of the American population volunteered eight billion hours. With that amount of service, there had to be a reason. People consider time valuable, therefore, contributing a total of eight billion hours, they spent it for a good cause and, of course, to benefit something or someone. Community service is basically a beneficial action that people do for their community. Its history begins during the first colonies. During times of trouble, people selflessly offered their hands to help others. Especially when they moved or farmed, or tried to avoid disease, they had to rely on each other to survive. Even though the number of volunteers centuries ago was not as large as it is today, that doesn't mean they weren't willing to go out of their way to help others. Back then people only had other means of volunteering. For example, during the Civil War, women volunteered to make shirts, towels, uniforms, and bandages, and later in 1881, the Red Cross was founded by a woman named Clara Barton. One form of volunteerism still present today is the soup kitchen concept that dates back to the Great Depression. The kind of volunteerism that early settlers brought to people has had lasting effects today. The long history of volunteering should remind us that community is important and that much has been provided to us, but that through community service people have the opportunity to give something back. When you help the community, not only do you get benefits, such as the sick, the environment, the hungry and the homeless, but people also improve emotionally and physically. Fundraising or volunteering at children's hospitals can influence patients in a favorable way. . Although... in the middle of the paper... the emotional state and academic record. People may have multiple reasons for helping, such as wanting to make a good impression at universities or getting rid of depression. They may simply want to altruistically make a difference in nature, the sick, the hungry, and the homeless. Although every action seems like nothing, it is important. By funding a cancer patient, they are given hope even when it seems like there is none left. By planting an extra tree or collecting a few bottles scattered on the ground you help the environment. By giving food to one person, one less person dies of hunger. He or she could have died, but that meal could have saved his or her life. Volunteering is truly beneficial. If there are cons, the pros certainly outweigh them. There are countless ways to volunteer, so you should take this opportunity to serve others.