The social services spirit of our nation - the humanity-driven and good neighbor sector keeping America clothed, healthy, and fed - is supplemented almost exclusively by volunteers. Without volunteers, hospitals could not operate, schools would close, and families would go hungry. It may astound you to learn that The Chronicle of Philanthropy cites that 26% of Americans volunteer, though given the backbone of services volunteers support, only a figure of 100% would make America the kind of place where poverty, neglect, and a lack of funding are passing issues instead of our current permanent realities. The same article also outlines an unfortunate occurrence: the problem of retaining good volunteers.
If you’re interested in volunteering your time or talents to a non-profit organization, good for you! Your efforts are absolutely needed! Now do your homework so that your new role is appropriate and comfortable for you.
First, the obvious: assess your schedule so you can decide how many hours you can commit. The final figure is up to you – a few hours each week, each month, or even each year. This will help you determine which organization could best use your time.
Next, use your availability to narrow down a type of organization or go forth with a particular organization. National organizations like United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross have volunteer coordinators to answer your questions and find a good spot for you, and can make-do with less time from you. For those pressed for time, consider working the annual events these organizations hold. You’ll probably need to do more of the legwork and commit more hours with exclusively local organizations – churches, food pantries, hospitals, schools, homeless shelters, and grassroots efforts for community issues - but it’s often the local organizations that are both hurting the most and can make the most direct difference to your community. If there isn’t a volunteer coordinator at your interested organization, ask for the contact information for a current volunteer so you’ll know what would be expected of you.
During this process, you’ll want to keep your talents in mind and how to best use them. Can you tutor or mentor a child? Are you comfortable working on fundraising campaigns? Are you assertive enough to register participants and answer questions during events? Does manual labor bother you? Are you willing to drive? Will you be bored to tears doing data entry? How are your cooking skills? Each organization will have different needs. Help the organization find the best use for your abilities to ensure mutual happiness and a solid relationship.
A growing and interesting trend to consider is a “volunteer vacation”. Instead of merely visiting a new destination at home or abroad, you can leave it better than you found it. Common volunteer vacation itineraries include building or repairing homes, teaching children, helping with harvest, cleaning up beaches and forests, planting trees, or helping the local wildlife population. These trips create lifelong memories and make a lasting impact on those you serve. Sites like Global Volunteers can get you on the right path for such opportunities.
Finally, don’t overlook the possibility of volunteering for an individual. Big organizations are able to usher in large underserved populations under their services umbrella, but many people fall in the cracks because they don’t meet all the requirements for offered services, or simply don’t know what’s available to them. Initiating contact with a shut-in, mentally or physically disabled person, or other vulnerable person needn’t be difficult. Ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they’re aware of someone who is struggling, or even post a query on Craigslist. You might be saving a life.
Happy volunteering!
