They say that in order to feel good, you should do good, and what could be better than signing up to a charitable cause to do some voluntary work? You get that inner glow of satisfaction, the knowledge that you’re helping others and, increasingly it appears, the ability to impress others and use it as a dating strategy... Yes, from walking rescue dogs at animal shelters to planting trees in community parks, as well as the aforementioned doing good, it, well, looks good too. Who wouldn’t swoon at the sight of a man comforting a helpless puppy, or helping those less fortunate at a food bank?
DatingNews wanted to find out how many men are turning to volunteer work not out of pure philanthropy, but to boost their romantic appeal and score a date. With that in mind, they surveyed 3,004 respondents and found out that in New York, 23% admit to being ‘philanthropy players’, and only joining a charitable cause to boost their dating profile. The state where men have done it the most is Hawaii, where half confessed to the supposedly selfless strategy, while only 4% of Nevadans have done similarly.
In terms of which causes New York men felt were the best in terms of making them look good on a dating website, the top one would be volunteering at animal shelters, perhaps banking on the fact that many would-be partners would melt at the thought of a cute kitten or puppy being looked after by a caring man. The second most popular cause was helping at food banks and soup kitchens; after all, helping one’s fellow human beings is pretty powerful. Wildlife causes and sanctuary volunteering made number three on the list.
Additional findings from the DatingNews survey found that 16% of men admit to exaggerating their volunteer work on a dating profile; perhaps because they know that 45% of singles would be more likely to swipe right on someone who has a volunteer-related photo in their dating profile! A significant 81% would be more likely to commit to someone if they shared a passion for giving back, however, be warned: 68% consider it a red flag if they found out their date exaggerated their volunteer work on their dating profile.
The survey also asked what the best way to ‘casually’ slip volunteer work into a date conversation would be. Forty-three percent would be a bit mysterious, saying ‘I just got back from something really cool, actually...’, in the hope it would lead to some questions, rather than coming right out and saying it. Over a third (34%) were a bit more blatant, saying they’d say something obvious like, ‘Oh, I can’t stay out too late — I have an early volunteer shift tomorrow.’ A slightly smug 14% would say: ‘It’s funny, the kids at the shelter totally think I’m their favorite,’; while 9% would humblebrag: ‘Ugh, my arms are so sore from planting trees all weekend.’
Overall, the response to a ‘volunteer date’ being suggested, instead of typical dinner or drinks, was very positive. Nearly half (49%) would think that's awesome and way more fun than a regular date, while a third (33%) would go along with it, but would rather keep their dates quite chill. 5% would be into it if they could wear something cute and not get dirty. For 13%, however, it would be a hard pass, as they’d just want to eat and vibe.
“In the world of dating, it can be quite hard to attract people’s attention,” acknowledges Amber Brooks, senior editor at DatingNews, “so adding an extra element to your dating profile, particularly one that shows you’re a good person, can be a positive advantage. In the end, everyone benefits — the people, animals or habitat you’re helping, and your love life!”