Advil® Relief in Action: The Heart Behind a Helping Hand

Image Copyright The Siners Photography

In today's world, we are faced with so many tragedies from natural disasters to poverty to everyday sadness and crime. There is always a cause that is in need of attention, help, and resources. If you go online to search for volunteer opportunities, you will be faced with thousands of pages that are asking for your help. If you turn on the news, you are informed of something heartbreaking. There will also be stories that will affect us, draw us in, and change our lives forever.  Stories, and people that leave us with a simple question to ask ourselves....are we doing enough to help?

I've had the pleasure of seeing and meeting some of the most gracious people in this world. A friend of mine has shown me the depth of volunteering from the heart. She has traveled to other countries, using her own resources, taking time off work, and even risking her life to give to women, men, and children the basic essentials to survive life. Things that we often take for granted, such as food and our health. The most selfless acts of volunteerism and the passion behind her giving hands shine through with every story that she tells. Not only would she give the shirt off her back to a complete stranger, but she'd give them her shoes off her feet, the food off her plate, and the medicine to keep her well for someone else that needs it more. She gives, and she gives without ever needing recognition or something in return.

I was talking to her the other day about some of the things that she has seen and it brought me to tears. She talked about seeing children that did not develop because of malnourishment. She talked about the sadness in their eyes and the emptiness that she felt. She talked about the need for vaccines. The diseases that children are dying from that we may never see. And then she told me of how grateful these people are for each person devoting their time and hands to helping complete strangers. 

Image Copyright The Siners Photography

You know, our society is so caught up in the materialistic things that we often times forget about the importance of the basics. Just the basics to survive. And more importantly, the fact that there are millions of people out there who do not have those basics that we take for granted.

Are we doing enough to help?

While surrounding myself with people and organizations that have a passion for volunteering, it pushes me to want to get more involved with the community. Not just send my donations, say yes to the cashier when prompted for a certain cause, and participate in food drives, but physically devote my hands to volunteering. Devoting the time that I may complain about not having, but very well know that if there is anywhere my time should be placed in, it should be in this. 

Are we doing enough to help?

Have you asked yourself that question lately? You can start today. Support the act of volunteerism by liking Advil® on Facebook and following @ReliefInAction on both Twitter and Instagram. You can then share your story of Relief in Action and use hashtag #ReliefinAction to help spread the cause. 

The Advil® Relief in Action campaign is honoring all the volunteers that help give back to the community during times of need, such as volunteers that helped during tragedies such as Super storm Sandy, to those building and giving families a home through Habitat for Humanity®. Advil® recognizes these heroes that don't let pain get in the way of giving back. We can all be a part of something bigger.

To learn more, visit www.advil.com/reliefinaction.

I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by Advil® as part of the Advil® Relief in Action campaign. I received compensation for this post. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Advil® as a product or its effectiveness.