A community’s strength depends upon its contributors. Getting involved in Baldwin County with its wide variety of volunteer opportunities and events creates what  locals and visitors have come to know as community.

According to al.com, Baldwin County is the second fastest-growing county in Alabama with an 11.29 % increase rate per year since 2020. The county hosts community events including art walks, festivals and fundraisers. Students can get involved by attending community events and giving back which helps to grow small and local businesses.

Prodisee Pantry, an organization located in Spanish Fort, packages and delivers food to those who can’t afford to feed their families. They frequently host events for anyone to help. During weekdays, volunteers unload trucks with food shipments and organize them onto the shelves. 

On Tuesdays, volunteers work personally with families at Prodisee and help them find groceries and take them to their cars. Community members can contribute by dropping off food and money donations to help with expenses. For anyone who may be in need, the organization guarantees that they will not go hungry. 

Volunteering at Thomas Hospital is another option to help people in need. The hospital volunteers provide directions to patients or visitors, help with the staff information desk, drop off meal trays and provide baby items for new moms. Thomas Hospital has a volunteer program for teenagers starting at age 14. Teens must complete one 4-hour shift per week, volunteering for a minimum of four weeks. Volunteering at the hospital serves many positive purposes, even if that means simply putting a smile on someone’s face. 

Fairhope hosts its annual Arts and Crafts Festival downtown every year in the third week of March. The event showcases art, food and entertainment in the community. This festival provides a chance for smaller artists to put their work out in hopes of growing their businesses. 

According to the Arts and Crafts website, during this three-day event, the population swells from 25,000 to 300,000 as the downtown streets come alive with creativity. Every year there is an art mural contest for all local schools; the mural represents the theme for that year and the winner is chosen by judges. Patrons look forward to the hand-squeezed lemonade stands on every corner.

Baldwin County locals and visitors know the beauty of the local beaches. To help maintain this standard, every year since 1987, many gather together to clean up all of Alabama’s coastal beaches at an event known as Coastal Clean Up. There have been 11,000 volunteers since the first clean-up.

The event takes place every September and lasts from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Helping to keep local beaches clean is more than just for human purposes, it’s for marine life also. Mobile Bay is home to hundreds of species of animals, and keeping their homes clean is important to the ecosystem. 

Pickleball has been a recent top hit. Creating bonds, staying active and meeting new people in Baldwin County can be seen on local pickleball courts, open to the public. Pickleball can be a fun, family-friendly sport that everyone can enjoy. 

Contributing to a community builds strength and unity within its population. No wonder Baldwin County continues to grow rapidly. People inherently seek the need to feel valued and important, thus the opportunities available in the area draw people near and far to be a part of something larger than themselves to make a difference resulting in a strong community.