Stepping out of your comfort zone is not, well, comfortable. Finding yourself in a new place with new people, new responsibilities. Add all of that to an injury restricting your normal schedule, activities and even your ability to work and it is distinctly uncomfortable.

A truck driver from Michigan found himself in this situation while he volunteered at a local nonprofit organization while healing from an injury. He sorted clothes and processed donations for a resale store — this is a bit of a stretch for a truck driver. He found he received much more in return than he gave in time and effort. By stepping out of his comfort zone, he gained an experience of a lifetime. He wrote to the facilitator of the assignment, “I have to say thank you for sending me to (the nonprofit organization) for my work assignment. I have been blessed by them in more ways than I can count. I never work a day that someone doesn’t stop me to just say thanks for being here. I know it has been years since I have been  this needed and appreciated, I know I will miss these people when I have to go back to the “real” world. In this day and age, they have reaffirmed to me how you are to treat one another in a workplace. I have LOVED it.”

Transition2Work is a cutting edge RTW program which enables employers to provide temporary modified duty to their injured workers with ReEmployAbility’s national network of nonprofit partners. For more information, please contact ReEmployAbility:  Toll Free. 866-663-9880 ‐ Email. info@reemployability.com Website: www.reemployability.com.