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“I have volunteered in the past at my church and at my children’s classrooms. I have contributed money to poverty organizations, but never had this kind of personal involvement in hunger. I have always had compassion for hunger.”

Start Volunteering

by Apryl C

Stephanie Nelson of Atlanta, Georgia wanted to find a way of combining her couponing hobby with helping others who are in need. She found the answer in her local newspaper.
“Our local food bank issued an emergency appeal for food donations and it was the same week a local grocery store had double coupons. I had already made a trip for my family and realized that the items the food bank needed were items my family didn’t use.” Nelson said. She then loaded up on groceries to donate to the food pantry. A few weeks later, she taught a few girlfriends to do the same and know they teach others at their local church and in other neighborhoods, thus creating her mission, cutouthunger.org

“I have volunteered in the past at my church and at my children’s classrooms. I have contributed money to poverty organizations, but never had this kind of personal involvement in hunger. I have always had compassion for hunger.”

Nelson is not alone with her volunteer efforts. In a recent study conducted by Independent Sector, a national coalition of non-profit organizations, approximately 109 million America adults volunteer annually. The percentage of the adult population volunteering has increased significantly since 1995

“People volunteer for a variety of reasons: to help out, to make a different, meet people, to feel good about themselves. The reasons are endless,” said Jason Willett, Director of Communications of VolunteerMatch.org. VolunteerMatch.org is a service on the Internet that allows individuals to find volunteer opportunities in their area by entering their ZIP code.

Volunteers are local residents or individuals from surrounding communities. They represent all segments of society and range in age from teenagers to senior citizens. They are men, women, students, homemakers and retirees, as well as those who have full- or part-time jobs.

“Volunteering is a good way to meet people. It also makes you feel more a part of your community.” Shelly Hemig, volunteer, said. “As a mobile a society as we have become that sense of belonging can be hard to come by. Volunteering is one way to hasten the process, especially after moving to a new town. Plus, it just feels great to help people when you can.”

There are many volunteer opportunities available and finding the right one that matches your interest takes some time and research. Start by contacting your local United Way agency (www.unitedway.org), services clubs, or volunteer centers (www.pointsoflight.org/volunteerscenters) to locate what opportunities are available in your area. If your city or town does not have a volunteer center, contact the organization directly to inquire about volunteering.

“Volunteering is a commitment. It is so important that volunteers be reliable and responsible. If you commit to a certain date and time, do so,” advises Diedra Richards, founder of Christians Who Care.

Kathryn Lay and her husband have been volunteering with refugees and immigrants for 22 years.

“My husband developed a love for working with other cultures before we met,” said Lay. “I fell in love with the Chinese students that we spent time with in college, and it’s moved on from there.”

If you are looking for a more flexible schedule to volunteer, but short on time, consider volunteering online. Although you forfeit the face-to-face contact, there are benefits to cyber-volunteering. People can use their computers to volunteer editorial assistance, graphic design assistance, and computer programming skills from the comfort of work or home, points out Willet.

“CharityFocus gets all sorts of volunteers. Many who are in “new media”, graphic artist and designers, many who are interested in working with different non-profits,” said Yoo-Mi Lee, of CharityFocus. “Each month we get around 30-50 new volunteers who have signed up looking for opportunities. Perhaps people have begun to reevaluate their lives and have come to find comfort in serving others.”

Whether it’s volunteering for a hour a week or becoming involved through one-day initiatives, such as National Family Volunteer Day; every effort, regardless small or large, has a positive impact on your community and yourself.

“Just do something –anything to make someone else smile. Do it because you love it. Do it without expecting something in return. Start with what is comfortable to you. Before you know it, you’ll find that compassion is contagious.” advises Lee.

Before you plunge into an assignment, some key items to consider include what causes interest you the most, for example: • children • homelessness think about the time that you have to give to an organization • 1 hour per week: organize a study hour for young people, put together care boxes for the homeless • 5 hours a week: mentor a child, help teach someone to read what would you like to learn by volunteering • new skills, • new contacts.

“Volunteers should always maker sure that they are doing something that is personally rewarding and meaningful.” Willet points out. “It’s also important to make sure you don’t get in over your head. Gauge your schedule carefully before committing to a volunteer opportunity, give time that you can afford to give – and enjoy yourself.”

To cyber-volunteer, check out the following • Volunteermatch.org • www.servenet.org • www.charityfocus.org

Apryl C may be contacted at aprylcthomas@hotmail.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
Freelance writer who enjoys traveling, antiquing and of course, writing!