Danny Keith photo by Charles Mixson

Most people are satisfied with their contributions to their community, but there may be a bigger reason those that volunteer do so with such fervor. Studies indicate people that volunteer in their communities experience longer lives, better relationships with their families and a stronger sense of social connection. Veritable nutrition ingestion for the soul.

The human soul (to quote C.S. Lewis “You don’t have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body”) cannot be disputed; it’s only what happens in death that becomes discussion. Nonetheless, people require balance between body and soul in order to sustain and live happy lives. The human soul craves connections with other souls. Interacting and supporting another human is nourishment for the soul.

When you donate time at your kid’s school, the local food bank, disabled veterans or working with the elderly, you are refueling your soul, which can provide you hormonal releases of oxytocin (the helper’s high) combating the feelings of depression triggered by opposing hormones epinephrine and cortisol. When we lock away our altruism, we cannot flourish. It has been proven that volunteering in some capacity can be addicting, continuing their efforts searching for that next high. Depending on where your volunteering takes you, recipients are often shown to be more hopeful, have increased self esteem and decreased anxiety overall completing the circle.

I have seen this firsthand in my interactions with the youth of Santa Cruz County through Grind Out Hunger. What started out as a challenge to make a difference has turned into a full-blown movement. Kids in general are altruistic; we have all seen a toddler help their friends up when they fall, or comfort another friend on a playground after a scrape.

As humans age, need and natural awareness of the social circle and the souls around us diminishes for some. Maybe as we age we cannot be bothered to contribute any of our valuable time. In my travels around the county seeing all levels of schools from well off to below poverty there was one main theme that resonated … kids will help kids. No matter how much they actually donated, they felt fulfilled— part of the solution, empowered, solving the problem (in this case childhood hunger) placed in front of them.

In many ways, when you give of yourself to someone that is less fortunate, you actually are getting something in return. The human soul thrives on appreciation, adoration and the feeling of actually comforting another person even if it’s only momentary (such as giving a significant other a hug). It also can be said by interacting with the less fortunate, we somehow create a more introspective review of our own lives and abilities to accept our own challenges. Whether they be health, finance or relationship related, those that volunteer are more aware of their own issues and how to cope with them more effectively.

Visiting the schools, the message is one of altruism—paying it forward, finding something that gives you back tenfold of what you put in.

While I personally challenge childhood hunger, I tell the kids they need to find something that gives them that same passion, maybe caring for the elderly, cancer patients; developmentally disabled kids … the possibilities are endless. Moreover the message is that it doesn’t require much time, but more a mentality, a way of life if you will, ultimately making your life better. In the end, all we have is each other and it sure does feel good knowing that the people you volunteer for will have hope … and for me that is payment enough.

Last night I was awarded a NEXTie award with three other amazing people Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Reyna Ruiz and Marina Sousa held at the old Wrigleys Gum Factory…yes they use to make gum in Santa Cruz.

A night at the NEXTies

My wife and I arrived to find the venue artfully decorated and definitely 1st class, there was a bit of comedy when we tried to check in as my name wasn’t on the guest list….thank god they had the party poster nearby with my pic on it…it was a close one as I saw security eyeballing me lol. Once we worked out that issue which was hilarious as I had to have Ryan Coonerty vouch for me and then all was fine. As the sold event filled in and the food rolled out, people started mingling and the party was getting started. Ironically, the first people we spoke with were Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Reyna Ruiz (2 of the 3 other award recipients) you could tell the nervous energy was built up as we were excited to be honored and really had no idea what was in store for the evening. Greg Archer and Jeff Dinnell were on fire making sure to get film outtakes with all the nominees and making the event even brighter. Jeffrey Kongslie, MC and man de la extraordinaire with his spiffy bow tie was full of energy and a phenomenal host to all that showed to celebrate the gala in store. After carousing the crowd and eating the fine hor devours it was time to get down to business. I was up first and Ryan Coonerty along with an insane video bio introduced me to the stage and I had my moment to share with the crowd what Grind Out Hunger meant to me through this quote from Alvin Toffler:

“The secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely until they – at some distant point in the future – will take over the reigns. Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely… because the rest of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties. For society to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of even very young people is imbecile.”

I had the time of my life as my wife and I made it around the capacity crowd talking about Grind Out Hunger and what an inspiration it is to the youth of Santa Cruz County.  My friends and colleagues came out in full support of the evening, Willy McCrea, Shane and Eden Gallagher, Paul Gallagher, Gina Renna and Eric Walters, Sean and Valerie Sinnot, Christian Sacoolas and Jen Nelson. I also ran into a few of my Facebook and Twitter friends Dewey Decibel, Mosiac Moon and MRosas who shared the wonderful evening.

Greg Archer, Jeff Dinell my lovely wife Taniya and yours truly DK

Tons of thanks and gratitude go out to Ryan Coonerty for nominating me, Greg Archer for believing in me, Willy McCrea Second Harvest Food Bank for taking a chance on me and Grind Out Hunger, Jeff Dinnell for capturing my essence on video, Jeffrey Kongslie, Timerie Gordon, Santa Cruz Next and its board, Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop, all the volunteers that helped setup, my wife Taniya and especially…especially the youth of Santa Cruz County…this award is ours!!!!