Volunteering is an opportunity to change lives, including your own. If you're feeling
frustrated or overwhelmed by the news of a disaster, volunteering to help can be a
great way to cope. If you'd like to support a cause but can't afford to donate money,
you can donate your time instead.
Helping others in need is such an important part of the American way of life that
many high schools require their students to spend a certain number of hours volunteering
in order to graduate.
So how do you go about it?
Find What's Right for You
Unlike school, with volunteering you get to pick what really interests you and
who (or what) is most deserving of your time. Need some ideas to get you started?
Here are just a few:
Help kids learn and grow. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister,
camp counselor, or volunteer for an after-school sports program. Special Olympics
games and events are great ways to get to know special-needs kids.
Give back over the holidays. Serve Thanksgiving dinner to the
homeless, volunteer at your local food bank, or distribute toys to kids. Your
church, temple, mosque, or other place of worship also may be able to use your help.
Play with pets at a local animal shelter. Most shelters depend
on volunteers to keep the cats and dogs happy and well exercised. (And when you're
walking rescued dogs, you get a workout too.)
Volunteer for a political campaign. If you're interested in politics,
it's a great way to find out how things work on the inside. Even if you can't vote,
you can still work to get your candidate elected — whether it's the
president of the United States or your town mayor.
Help the environment. Join a conservation group and help out with river
preservation. Take part in a local park cleanup day. You don't have to be an
outdoorsy type — if you can't picture yourself hauling trees up a hill, you
could help out in a park office or education center.
Support a health-related cause. Lots of us are close to people
who have a medical problem (like cancer, HIV, or diabetes, for example). It can feel
good to donate your time to an organization that raises money for research, delivers
meals, or offers other help to people with an illness.
If you have more than one thing you love, find a way to combine the two. For example,
if you love kids and are great at arts and crafts, visit your local children's hospital
and offer to lead art activities for young patients.
Find What Fits Your Schedule
Once you've found something that inspires you, decide how much time you want to
spend. Local organizations (like hospitals or shelters) often like volunteers
to give them a set amount of time every week or two.
But what if school, sports, or other commitments prevent you from devoting time
every week? Many large organizations (especially those related to the environment
or finding cures for diseases) have day-long activities. These include walkathons,
bike rides, cleanup days, or building homes for those in need.
You can also spend a week, month, or even a whole summer volunteering through a
structured internship or "alternative spring break" program. The advantage of these
is you get to immerse yourself in the activities and feel a real sense of achievement
when you see the results. Because you spend a lot of time together, most people
who work on long-term volunteer projects form close friendships. Sometimes
you get to travel, and the organization may pay your travel and living
costs.