Even if you’re driven and dedicated to your volunteer cause, it’s possible to run a little low on motivation at times. When this happens, taking a look at some inspirational volunteer quotes can make all the difference!

Other volunteers in the space might also not feel motivated every day. Keeping motivation high is a great way to ensure sustainability in your organization. 

So, we’ve collected some of the most inspirational volunteer quotes that will make you excited to get back to work! 

31 Quotes About Volunteering To Inspire You To Give Back

Inspirational volunteer quotes 

1. “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.” - William J. Clinton
2. “Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless.” - Sherry Anderson
3. “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” - St. Francis of Assisi
4. “You must give some time to your fellow man. 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
5. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” - Nelson Henderson
6. “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” - Albert Pike
7. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” - Muhammad Ali
8. “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 

Volunteer quotes for everyone

9. “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
10. “Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.” - John F. Kennedy
11. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” - Dr. Seuss
12. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  - Margaret Mead
13. “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” - Edward Everett Hale
14. “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 agree 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. 
15. “You can study government and politics in school, but the best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time.” - Rob McKenna
16. “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.” - Unknown
17. “The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” - Ethel Percy Andrus

Motivational volunteer quotes

18. “The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you can alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change the world.” - James Baldwin
19. “I wish to do something great and wonderful, but I must start by doing the little things like they were great and wonderful.”  - Albert Einstein
20. “It is not enough to be compassionate – you must act.” - The Dalai Lama
21. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” - Leo Buscaglia
22. “Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.” - Minor Myers, Jr.
23. “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
24. “There are three kinds of people: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who say, ‘what happened?’.” - Casey Stengel
25. “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

Famous volunteer quotes

26. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” - Denzel Washington
27. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Gandhi
28. “I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands.  You need to be able to throw something back.” - Maya Angelou
29. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands - one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” - Audrey Hepburn
30. “We celebrate the selfless individuals around our country who channel their civic virtues through volunteerism… devoted to a cause bigger than themselves…. Volunteers help drive our country’s progress, and day in and day out, they make extraordinary sacrifices to expand promise and possibility.” - Barack Obama
31. “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.” - William J. Clinton

It’s Time To Change The World

Changing the world isn’t always easy. These inspirational volunteer quotes can help you and your fellow volunteers see your work in a fresh light. 

If you’re feeling a bit low on energy and motivation, sometimes the right words can make all the difference.