40 Volunteer Quotes That’ll Inspire You to Serve

These volunteer quotes will surely inspire you to be selfless and extend a helping hand to other people.

Life has always taught us that we should put ourselves first. Since we were young, our society has prepared us for how harsh the world is.

In the same way, people around us have always tried to show us that we should be selfish and save ourselves from other people.

So, as we grow up, we do not realize how much we have internalized being selfish. But, the older we get, the more we understand that our existence doesn’t mean anything if we have never touched the lives of others.

That’s why making a mark and leaving a lasting memory in the world by being a volunteer is essential.

It’s not that easy to get rid of our selfish habits, so let these quotes teach you what it means to serve the people.

Start reading here.

And don’t forget to check out these helping others quotes and positive quotes.

Best Volunteer Quotes

1. “Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” – Heather French Henry

2. “Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale, and it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds. It changes the odds.” – Bill Clinton

3. “A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see, who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers but as citizens. Citizens in the fullest sense, partners in civilization.” – George H. W. Bush

4. “Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.” – Helen Dyer

5. “The heart of a volunteer is never measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.” – DeAnn Hollis 

6. “Volunteers will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no volunteers.” – Ken Wyman

7. “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” – Sherry Anderson

8. “The broadest, and maybe the most meaningful definition of volunteering: doing more than you have to because you want to, in a cause you consider good.” – Ivan Scheier

9. “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish, caring patience, and just plain loving one another.” – Erma Bombeck

Volunteer Quotes That’ll Encourage You to Help Others

10. “Volunteers wear working boots but leave a trail of angel footprints.” – Terri Guillemets

11. “If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” – Kofi Annan

12. “Volunteers are love in motion!” – Anonymous

13. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

14. “The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution. When you work to improve the lives of others, your life improves automatically.” – Kurek Ashley

15. “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time. They have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew

16. “Volunteers help drive our country’s progress, and day in and day out, they make extraordinary sacrifices to expand promise and possibility.” – Barack Obama

Also read: Encouraging Quotes, Inspirational Quotes

Volunteer Quotes for Everyone Who Wants to Serve

17. “The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers.” – Terri Guillemets

18. “God and angels don’t get paid even though theirs is some of the most important work around. Ditto for volunteers.” – Cherishe Archer

19. “Volunteering creates a national character in which the community and the nation take on a spirit of compassion, comradeship, and confidence.” – Brian O’Connell

20. “Volunteerism is currency that appreciates.” – Administrators Of Volunteer Resources

21. “Even if it’s a little thing, do something for those who have need of a man’s help. Something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. For, remember, you don’t live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.” – Albert Schweitzer

Volunteer Quotes to Remember in Your Life

22. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King Jr.

23. “From my early school days, I was brought up with the belief that we have a duty to use our talents, to volunteer, and to make a contribution.” – Michael Hintze

24. “Volunteering is so pervasive, it’s invisible. We take for granted all the things that have been pioneered by concerned, active volunteers.” – Susan J. Ellis 

25. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands—one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Audrey Hepburn

26. “The patriot volunteer, fighting for country and his rights, makes the most reliable soldier on earth.” – Stonewall Jackson

27. “Volunteer activities can foster enormous leadership skills. The nonprofit professional volunteer world is a laboratory for self-realization.” – Madeleine Kunin 

28. “I urge young people to consider public service, whether they do it now by volunteering in their community or prepare for public service as an adult.” – John Walters

29. “Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” – Robert Kennedy 

Witty Volunteer Quotes That Will Make You Laugh

30. “Here’s to all volunteers, those dedicated people who believe in all work and no pay.” – Robert Orben

31. “Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers, the Titanic was built by professionals.” – Anonymous

32. “Volunteers are paid in six figures—S-M-I-L-E-S.” – Gayla LeMaire

Volunteer Quotes That’ll Start a Positive Change in You

33. “Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer.” – Anonymous

34. “You can study government and politics in school, but the best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time.” – Rob McKenna

35. “Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” – Anonymous

36. “People have always volunteered. They just called themselves coaches, trustees, and firemen!” – Susan J. Ellis

More Volunteer Quotes to Learn About Service

37. “Be of service. Whether you make yourself available to a friend or co-worker, or you make time every month to do volunteer work, there is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service to someone in need.” – Gillian Anderson

38. “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject, and your verb agrees to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace—a soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

39. “Love and charity are service, helping others, serving others. There are many people who spend their lives in this way, in the service of others. When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love! And with the washing of the feet, the Lord teaches us to be servants, and above all, servants as He was a servant to us, for every one of us.” – Pope Francis

40. “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” – Kahlil Gibran

Have You Ever Tried Volunteering and Serving Others?

Changing the world does not mean that we need to do extraordinary things. Sometimes, it just means offering a helping hand to someone in need. After all, making a mark doesn’t always mean doing the impossible; it can be done simply by making someone’s life a little bit better than before. 

One way of doing this is by being a volunteer. By extending a helping hand, we can make sure that we live our lives with purpose and meaning.

Additionally, being a volunteer is one of the simplest things we can do to give back the blessings we received from the world. By offering our help, we spread love and kindness to everyone. Moreover, these unselfish actions make us grow and teach us the value of altruism and service.

Hopefully, these volunteer quotes were able to encourage you to start making a move today. Don’t let your life pass by without making an impact on the lives of other people!

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Karen Danao

Hi, I’m Karen, a content curator and writer for Quote Ambition; I’m also a marketing and advertising professional. Beyond the keyboard and the screen, I’m someone who’s out to enjoy every bit that life has to offer!

Poetry, philosophy, history, and movies are all topics I love writing about! However, my true passion is in traveling, photography, and finding common ground to which everyone from different cultures can relate.

With the many places I’ve been to, I found that love, inspiration, and happiness are some things that bring people together. No matter how different we are on the outside, I’m a true believer that our emotions don’t lie; if you dig deep into our psyche, we’re all the same inside.

This belief was further amplified when I joined Quote Ambition. Through the quotes I’ve read, collected, organized, and written about, I found that humans are resilient, creative, and compassionate.

We take from each others’ hearts and courage, and it’s through our individual experiences that we learn how to rise above our challenges and pain. In so many ways, Quote Ambition is a platform that allows people from all over the world to gain the inspiration they need anytime, anywhere!

You can find me on MuckRack and LinkedIn.