What happened?
It's hard to get help anymore. Whether it's a school event, community fundraiser, or volunteer project, the same faces show up- the same tired hands doing the heavy lifting, again and again.
What's frustrating isn't just the work itself, but the imbalance. The people who already give most of themselves- those juggling full-time jobs, families, and countless commitments- are often the ones asked to do more. They don't say "no," even when they should, because they care too deeply about what happens if they don't show up.
Take, for example, the small group of parents who consistently run the concession stands at school events. They work long hours as nurses, professors, and other very demanding jobs. They clock out from one shift only to clock into another-serving nachos and hotdogs instead of grades and medicine. They do it not because they have the time because I can assure you THEY DON'T, but because they understand what happens when no one steps up: things fall apart. That pee wee football game, that girls soccer game, that track meet- all served up by the handful of band parents who choose to step up to serve food during these events.
The truth is, this imbalance isn't just about school events. It's a reflection of something bigger happening in our country-a growing disconnection. We've become so focused on our own schedules, our own stress, and our own comfort that we forget communities only function when people invest in one another.
We see it everywhere: volunteers dropping out of local organizations, fewer people attending town meetings, nonprofits struggling to find enough help. Everyone's "too busy." And yes, life is busier than ever. Inflation, long work hours, digital overload, unrealistic expectations, glamorizing a life that is Instagram perfect- these all take a toll. But when we retreat completely into our own worlds, the entire fabric of community starts to fray.
It's easy to forget that the world doesn't just run on paychecks- it runs on people willing to give their time, their effort, and their presence. Teachers staying after to plan events and crafts, PTA organizing a Santa Shop, and parents stepping up to run the concession stand for their children who are in the band. None of these special things happen without somebody choosing to step up.
Yet, the more we depend on the same few people, the closer they come to burnout. And when people stop showing up, the whole system wobbles. The burden has to fall somewhere, and if no one new steps up, everything stops.
Maybe it's time we start asking ourselves not "Do I have the time?" but "What happens if I don't?"
Our communities need us- our schools, our kids, our neighbors. We can't keep pretending that someone else will always take care of it. Because more often than not, "someone else" is already exhausted. Believe me, we are hanging by a thread in our household.
So next time you see that Facebook post nudging for help or a sign- up sheet comes around as a call for volunteers, maybe just say yes. Not because it's convenient, but because it matters. Because the only way to fix what's broken is to stop waiting for someone else to carry the load. And one more thing, before you pass down an opportunity just to be spiteful or because someone told you incorrect information, you are the problem. If my almost seventy-year old mother can show up to volunteer depending on an oxygen tank to breathe, I'm pretty sure you can do it too. To the people who do show up, not just parents, but those who don't even have kids in school, THANK YOU. You are noticed and appreciated.