LIFESTYLE AUTHOR
Caroline Betik
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of Swoovy
SKIP SWIPING, TRY VOLUNTEERING! n New dating app, created in Austin, connects volunteerism with meeting new people.
A
s we move into the winter and holiday season, it is common for many people to experience lower levels of mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “64% of people with mental illness report holidays make their conditions worse.” That, combined with dealing with seasonal depression, can make the holiday season incredibly difficult for some. Two things that have been found to boost mental health are healthy relationships and volunteerism — and an app has been created that combines the two. Swoovy is an Austin-based, online dating and connections platform which introduces its users to volunteer opportunities in order to increase volunteerism while fostering relationships. As social distancing guidelines persist, this app has allowed people to form new relationships and boost mental
NOVEMBER 2020
health while giving back to the community in a safe and helpful way. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve really found that community outreach is one of my big passions,” Summer McAfee, Swoovy user says. “Just being able to help, whether it be mentoring kids or volunteering at the food bank or doing care packages for the soldiers that are deployed, I just feel like it’s one of those things that you just feel good about doing some good.” Many studies have shown the mental health benefits for volunteering. According to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), volunteering is significantly predictive of better mental and physical health, life satisfaction, self-esteem, happiness, lower depressive symptoms, psychological distress, mortality and functional inability. “As someone who has been single since quarantine
36
