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Volunteer Signup Sheets | Kindergarten Parents

Volunteer Spotlight | Julie Kerr, Homeroom Mom, Pittsburgh, PA

Many parents want to help out in their child's classroom, but shy away from being in charge, because they fear that coordinating other parents will be a logistical nightmare. Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Julie Kerr, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to coordinate parents who want to be involved in helping out in her daughter's kindergarten class. 

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Tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader.  

I am the sole room parent for my daughter's Full-Day Kindergarten class.

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate your parent volunteers?

I use it to contact them for help in planning, setting up, participating in, and cleaning up for any party or activity relating to the class/troop.  I also use it to request materials for projects, gifts for teacher/leaders, and to fill in time slots for volunteer activities.  Whether I need to ask for something on a specific date, a range of dates, a recurring calendar item, or just help in general, VolunteerSpot has met my needs and exceeded my expectations.

 What other activities are you involved in as a volunteer or volunteer leader? 

 I am a volunteer leader with my daughter's American Heritage Girls troop.

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers out there?

 If you spend a little bit of time preparing before you send out your "invitations," other parents are much more likely to sign up to help.  If your activity seems disorganized and last-minute, they are less likely to want to be involved.  VolunteerSpot helps you to be as organized as possible.  Putting in some time and effort in the planning stages will certainly make the rest of the event run smoothly;  before, during and after.  Others will be impressed and want to know how you "pulled it off!"

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

I wanted a tool that was going to help me be organized and effective, while saving valuable time.  I wanted to volunteer with my daughter's school class, but I didn't want to be usurped by countless hours of work on my own.  I created a "pretend" event and tested out the service just sending messages to myself.  I was amazed at how easy it was, and I loved the fact that it was free and I didn't have to register for anything.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about volunteer management? 

You can use VolunteerSpot even if you don't have a specific idea.  Ask other parents for ideas via the service by creating the time slots, then let them decide how to fill the slots on their own!  Make them responsible for their individual time slot in the event and then just let yourself be the overseer of the whole event!  And don't forget to make a slot for clean-up!

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We salute Julie and all the other parents out there making a difference in our children's schools. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Volunteering - GOOD and Good For You!

Health Benefits to Volunteering

Turns out your selfless act of kindness may not be so selfless, and that's ok! Recent decades  of research are forming wonderfully alarming conclusions that volunteering and helping others has incredible health benefits.

The warm, fuzzy feeling you get when volunteering and helping others actually has it's own physiological origin comprising a chemical makeup which includes endorphins - natural opiates that help relieve stress, reduce pain, and in the long-term, strengthen your very own immune system.

Not only that, but, ScienceDaily.com reported in early June that older adults who volunteered sharply reduced their risk of hypertenstion.

"New research from Carnegie Mellon University shows that older adults who volunteer for at least 200 hours per year decrease their risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure, by 40 percent. The study, published by the American Psychological Association's Psychology and Aging journal, suggests that volunteer work may be an effective non-pharmaceutical option to help prevent the condition."

The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research has also established a strong relationship between volunteering and health. They write that volunteers have "lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer."

Doing GOOD in your community is an act which seeks no reward, however, our bodies and minds certainly seem to be in tune to it's positive impact on the 'person' as a whole. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Try volunteering as a way to keep the doctor at bay!

Where to start? Check out fun service ideas and inspiration for helping others!

Get Started Volunteering
10 Summer Volunteer Ideas for Families
29 Random Acts of Kindness
Volunteer Your Family Hobby
Online Volunteer Opportunities

Creative Game for Kids

Promoting Active Kids with Creative Games

We are LOVING our Kids Play blogger series where Moms all across the country are talking about the games they played as kids and what their family's now love to play.

Heather Johnson of FamilyVolley.com is giving the lowdown on a kid favorite,' "Fill the Cup" - check out an excerpt of her Family Fun Friday post and read the entire piece HERE.

It has been a while since we have had a Family Fun Friday. But with school out, it is time for some fun and some new ideas, Don't you think? 

In honor of the crazy hot temperatures that are hitting here in Utah today, (they say it will hit 99 degrees. Yikes!) This game is going to help your family get active, and get outside and cool off. And, laugh a lot in the process. It is normal when kids get out of school, to find them in front of technology a lot. Tame the technology and encourage your kids to play outside for at least 60 minutes a day. This game, and the water fight that will most likely follow, will keep them entertained for at least an hour. 

This game would be perfect for children's birthday parties too. Another tip, I like to get my mirrors, pitchers, and cups at the dollar store. That way you can get as many as you need, without breaking the bank.

Here is what you need. 

Clear Plastic Cups
Small Handheld Mirrors (1 mirror for every two people)
Blindfolds
Pitchers (Or fairly large cups)
Water Supply

How to Play...

Divide your family into teams of 2.

Each team is given a plastic cup, mirror, and pitcher or cup of water. If you go with the cup, you will want it to be pretty big. 

Have one teammate sit down on the ground, and with one hand, hold the empty cup on their head. With the other hand, they will hold the mirror in front of them.

The second teammate stands, blindfolded, above their partner who is sitting on the groud and holds the pitcher (or large cup) full of water. 

Here is where things get good. 

Find out how the rest of the game goes HERE!

Volunteer Recruitment

4 Questions to Ask When Recruiting Volunteers

Volunteer recruitment can seem a daunting task but few efforts garner greater reward. Schools, nonprofits and community groups rely largely on volunteers to get important work done, live out their mission and grow their community. If your group is having a hard time recruiting and coordinating volunteers, ask yourself these 4 questions:  

1. Where are my potential volunteers? Volunteer managers have the ultimate tool at their tip of their fingers for finding volunteers - social media! In this digital age, it is vital to be online in your potential volunteer's social communities. If your organization or community group has not yet dipped your toes in the social pool, get online and do some digging. Search for similar organization's to yours and find out where their largest social media presence is - are they on twitter? Facebook? Google+?

Where their social communities boom, so may yours. Set up a facebook page or twitter account, start following groups in your community, national organizations that share your cause, and local news outlets and bloggers. Network with them via tweets and post to help spread the word and start putting the call out for volunteers. Make sure to include your social handles in all your marketing channels, from flyers to eNewsletters. 

2. Can I simplify the signup process? When it's convenient to get involved, volunteers feel more welcomed and less stressed about joining your group's cause. Reply all emails, last minute phone calls and meetings they just can't fit into their busy schedule are all huge volunteer turn offs.

Turn instead to free online sign up sheets and volunteer calendars - VolunteerSpot's free and easy scheduling tools saves volunteer coordinators tons of time (and stress) and allows volunteers to sign up to help from their computer or smartphone. Automated reminders help everyone keep their commitments and makes sure your events are a real success.

4. What about my current volunteers? Often the desparate search for new or more volunteers can leave current volunteers feeling neglected. Volunteer appreciation has a direct impact on volunteer recruitment. When current volunteers are recognized for their efforts, they are more likely to spread the good word about your organization and bring others on to help. They will also be willing to assist in recruitment by sharing their stories and experience in commitment to your cause.

5. Do I have feedback for volunteers? The real question is, do you know the impact of your organization or group on your local community? If your group is seeking to make a difference, it is pertinent to measure your work, set and celebrate goals and milestones, and share this information with potential volunteers. For example, if your group has packed 1000 food backpacks for community children, shout this out! Potential volunteers want to hear how your group is making an impact before they decide to get involved. Explore and share new goals for each season and put out the call for volunteers to help you meet these goals and do real GOOD!

 

Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Common Core Teacher Tools

Common Core Activities  for the Classroom

“These (Common Core State) standards will help teachers, students, and parents know what is needed for students to succeed in college and careers, and will enable states, school districts, and teachers to more effectively collaborate to accelerate learning and close achievement gaps nationwide.”

- Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

Personalized learning, a strong curriculum and continual assesment proves the Common Core's success in the classroom, and according to a recent online survey, 65% of teachers feel they are unprepared to teach the Common Core. With workbooks, activity sheets, task cards and thinking mats, Carson Dellosa Publishing continues to be a reliable resource and tool for teacher to help their students excel in the classroom.

1. Engage Students Every Day! With Common Core 4 Today Workbooks available in math and language arts, for K-Grade 5 – Download a FREE 2 week sample today! Your choice of subjects and grades.

Click here for your free samples --> http://vols.pt/CDBlogger

2. Organize and Display! With Common Core State Standards Kits K-5, Grades 6-8 available in August.

3. Apply Critical Thinking Skills! With Common Core Task Cards and Thinking Mats for K-Grade 5 (product images attached)

Find these and other teacher-designed, teacher-tested Common Core products from our valued sponsor at carsondellosa.com or a retailer near you! 

Kids Play

Rewarding Children's Creativity & Imagination

As we continue to share the inspiring, sometimes nostalgic, often heartfelt and thought-provoking posts from our Kids Play bogger series, we are reminded what a great season Summer proves to be for letting kids minds run wild and their imaginations bloom.

Help reward their creativity by encouraging them to enter the
NFL Play60 Invention Contest! They could win $5000!

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Meg Rosker of LetChildrenPlay.com is promoting creative play and a world where kids forgo the newest app and use their brains and fresh air to learn and grow. She writes,

I have come across some great neighborhood games in recent years. I remember one that involved a Frisbee being tossed into a trashcan and another involving wood blocks that had to be strategically knocked down from a challenging distance. On the school playground children in the neighborhood play Zombie tag and they are mad for kickball.  In fact I have never seen a game bring so many children of different ages and abilities together like kickball does on our playground. My husband grew up playing stick ball, a game that was invented as the result of impoverished children not being about to afford a real baseball bat.  From the plague of poverty this game was birthed and still exists today.  In fact my husband is teaching our sons to play.

Of course there are a plethora of games kids come up with each summer involving football or training exercises in preparation for the fall season.  Whatever the case may be this is a chance for children to take ownership and be rewarded for their imagination, a truly unique child quality that wanes for many of us as we age.

So this summer consider getting back to the basics of enjoying some simple childhood fun.  Grab a ball or a rope or a stick and start messin’ around.  See what you and your family may invent.  Who knows, you just may win $5,000.

Read Meg's Entire Post HERE!

 

Check out what bloggers across the country are sharing about how their family stays active!

Meg Rosker of LetChildrenPlay.com

Connie Roberts of BrainFoggles.com

Sue Lipman of SlowFamilyOnline.com

Adam Gertsacov of DadaPalooza.com

Michelle Price of HonestyandTruly.com

Carissa Rogers of GoodnCrazy.com

Shara Weiss of MommyPerks.com

Volunteer Management Software | United Muslim Foundation

Volunteer Spotlight | Masuma Virji, UMF Co-Founder & Director

United Muslim Foundation (UMF) serves to Promote Unity, Education and Community Service. Their philosophy is to network with other charitable organizations and with Muslims of every sect, culture and race who seek to contribute to society. UMF extends solidarity to learning centers, groups and individuals who wish to work United to promote greater Islamic awareness and sensitivity, and create and encourage involvement in Community Service efforts.

 

Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Masuma Verji, UMF Director, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to coordinate volunteers for the many community service events organized by the UMF. 

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Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs. 

 United Muslim Foundation (UMF) is a registered non-profit, 501(c)(3) and a recognized public charity based in the USA. UMF serves to Promote Unity, Education and Community Service.  We host charity and unity festivals, organize events to feed and clothe the needy, conduct presentations on Islam at churches and universities, run programs for youth and provide teen counseling services.

Explain how you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate these volunteers.

Volunteerspot has been a wonderful asset for UMF. We've created a volunteerspot calendar for each one of our operations which we market in e-newsletters and on Facebook and have put them up prominently on our website as well.

We have a VolunteerSpot calendar for UMF Hungerteam, which organizes:

- Monthly soup kitchen events  

- Twice a week  End of Day Doughnation deliveries

- Joins in annual gleanings for the hungry

- Other events and collections to help the needy and for disaster relief.

 UMF Outreach:

- A calendar for intra and interfaith events, church and university presentations and information booths on Islam.

UMF Guides:

- A calendar of youth educational events and fun activities our Guides and their parents can sign up for.

 What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?

Unlike Facebook events which don't give an accurate count of attendees who truly intend to help out at an event, VolunteerSpot asks those who may be interested  in volunteering for their email address, allows them to select what items you'd like them to bring and sends them an automatic reminder for you. It even lets you know if anyone who has signed up for an event decides to drop out and makes it easy for event organizers to prepare accordingly. 

 Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

 I found out about VolunteerSpot when I was doing an online search for an easier and online way to get volunteers to sign up for events. I love how VolunteerSpot makes sign up sheets available on the iPad so volunteers can sign up directly on the calendar and one doesn't have to worry about the sign up sheets getting lost. It also makes it easy for volunteers to sign up online and know exactly what time and where they are to report and what to bring and it's nice that they always get a reminder so they don't forget about their commitment.  I  love the fact that you can request donations and that users can donate online through VolunteerSpot if they choose. 

 Anything else you’d like our readers to know?

 At UMF we encourage everyone, young and old, to try to give back to the community in any small way you can. When we look back at all we have accomplished through the hundreds of volunteers who have served with us over the last 10 years, we feel truly blessed to see the great impact the cumulation of our actions has made. And now, thanks to VolunteerSpot storing e-mail addresses for each calendar, logging hours volunteered, and making it easy to send emails to target groups, we can use it easily to thank each of our volunteers who have contributed to our operations, for making a big difference in the world.

To learn more, visit http://unitedmuslimfoundation.org

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We salute Masuma Verji and all the other volunteer community leaders out there making a difference in our world. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Summer Service Ideas

Volunteer Ideas | Get Started!

Where your passion for helping others meets a real need in your community, you will inspired into service. The summer months provide a respite from the chilly winter and spring that gave us good reason to stay indoors; getting outside into the sun and our vibrant communities opens our minds once more to where and how we turn living into making a difference. Get started volunteering with these 4 ideas:

1. Discern your passion: Opportunities to help abound, however, you are your best self as a volunteer when you are doing something you love while making a difference. If food insecurity pulls at your heart strings, contact your local foodbank. If animals make you coo, volunteer at a local animal shelter or hospital. 

2. Find an opportunity online: Put down the phone and hop online to search for volunteer opportunities - tons of free websites offer easy ways to search for volunteer opportunities by location, interest and time. Check our our faves HERE.

3. Start your own service project: Is there a need calling to you in your neighborhood that is not being addressed? Tackle it yourself and coordinate a service project with friends and family where you run the show. Perhaps it's cleaning up your local park, fixing up an elderly neighbors garden/walkway, painting the community center, you name it. Use free online signup sheets to quickly coordinate your volunteer group - easy online scheduling and no reply-all emails!

4. Step Outside of the Box: Volunteering is often best done with others. Challenge yourself to meet new people and make new friends by volunteering at group-oriented projects. Chances are your town or city has festivals, performances, shows, parades or other large events that require lots of volunteers. Search online or contact your local Chamber of Commerce for more information on opportunities to get involved.

 

Five Tips for Boosting Your Performing Arts Organization Volunteer Program

Build Your Audience by Building Your Volunteer Program

In 2011, over 64 million people volunteered for an organization at least once. Volunteers are critical partners within organizations and within the community. Performing Arts Centers, Community Theaters, and Concert Halls all depend on volunteers to help keep things running smoothly. From ushering to helping out at concessions, volunteers play a key role in making the theater-going experience richer for patrons.

Here’s five tips for creating and maintaining a robust volunteer program in your performing arts organization.

1.   Expand the roles of your volunteers

Volunteering can be so much more than just ushering and taking tickets.  Most volunteers have valuable life and work experience to contribute, and sometimes all it takes is giving them the opportunity to shine. Think about other ways volunteers can help aside from the typical roles of usher, ticker-taker, or event staff. Offering more robust opportunities can keep volunteers interested and help them feel more valued, increasing the chance that they will stay on for years to come.

Supervising, evaluating and even promoting volunteers will keep them committed to your organization.

 2.   Emphasize customer service

Volunteers are the backbone of many performing arts organizations. Ensuring volunteers understand their impact on customer service can play a huge role in exceeding customer expectations.

 A thorough training program that emphasizes customer service helps volunteers feel confident when dealing with patrons. Formal classes, on-the-job-training, online information, handbooks, safety training, and mentoring programs can all contribute to a positive experience for both the volunteer and the customer!

 Host a new volunteers coffee event. Pair new volunteers with more experienced ones, to help them learn the ropes. Plan social events to help volunteers feel part of the community. Make sure volunteers know whom to contact if they have questions.

 While volunteers may only put in two hours a week or work one performance a month, they help organizations exceed expected levels of customer service. Surprising a customer by exceeding their expectations is a great to make sure that the first time ticket buyer comes back again and again.

 3. Utilize social media to recruit and engage volunteers

Twitter, Facebook, Google Groups and other social media can help spread a wide net for finding and keeping volunteers who are interested in helping. 

  Once on board, keep the lines of communication open with volunteers by posting information on social media about upcoming performances, social events, and training opportunities. Post photos of volunteers in action, share stories of positive customer comments, and share volunteering tips. Keep your theater’s social media engine active to help volunteers stay connected with the organization.

 Volunteering has many benefits. It’s a great way to meet new people, learn a new skill, be part of the community, boost career options, and explore new interests. Creating a robust volunteer program within your organization is vital to its long-term health.

 4. Empower volunteers through free online signup sheets

Volunteers are influencers within your community and have active lives. Keeping track of their various commitments can be a challenge. Provide volunteers with the option to choose the dates, times, and specific tasks they are interested in through online volunteer management software to increase the likelihood that they will sign up. And, because they receive automatic email reminders, they are more likely to show up.

  Online tools also make it easier for volunteer organizers to set up and keep track of the volunteer schedule, generate reports, and send messages to volunteers. This data also provides valuable information when recognizing volunteers at the end of the year.

 Influencers are a vital part of performing arts organizations. Through volunteers, performing arts organizations are able spread their name and gain support in new social circles through a multitude of platforms.

 5. Show appreciation

Volunteers strengthen the quality of your organization, and its important to show how much you appreciate the time and energy they put into making each and every performance and event a special one for patrons.

 Appreciation can come in many forms, including:

1. Written Affirmations: Emails, letters, cards
2. Tangible benefits: theater discounts, invitations to special events, free parking, free or discounted tickets to local events
3. Public Recognition: press release, article in the local paper, mention in the newsletter, recognition luncheon or dinner
4. Plaque on the wall, Volunteer of the month
5. Online or actual photo wall
6. Community service awards

 Volunteers connect with arts organizations and each other in powerful and positive ways. By recognizing volunteers, they are more likely to remain loyal to the theater by deepening their connection and commitment to the arts.

A well-run volunteer program helps make the experience a positive one for all involved.  Using a free online volunteer management system like VolunteerSpot saves tons of time, is easy to use, and makes the job of volunteer coordinator super easy! Visit VolunteerSpot.com today and give it a try. 

NEW FEATURE! Lock Your Signup

Online Signups | Volunteer Management Solutions

Organizers and volunteer coordinators, you gave us your feedback and we listened! Now your online signups can be locked and reopened by YOU, at your convenience. We are continually adding new features and updates to make signing up and coordinating volunteers a breeze - we are thrilled to offer this new feature to organizers - try it out today!

If you want to:

Allow volunteers to sign up only at specified times

Lock your signup requiring volunteers to contact you directly with changes

Prevent volunteers from signing up after a specified time

'Close' your signup without having to delete it

 

Here's how:

VolunteerSpot organizers can disable signups and prevent participants from making changes or canceling their spots in three easy steps:

1) Login and open your activity in the MyActivities Tab

2) In the Status Calendar, click on the status clipboard of any planned day

3) Choose “Disable Signups” in the popup menu and repeat for each day you wish to lock.

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Best Practice:

To foster positive communication, it’s a best practice to alert participants that you are disabling the sign up calendar and ask them to contact you directly with changes or additions to their schedules. You may do so using the “Send Message” feature – choosing to alert everyone, or only sending the message to those signed up on a particular day. Click here to learn how.

When you’re ready to unlock the day, choose “Enable Signups” on the popup menu for each day you wish to unlock.

Volunteer Schedule | Charter School

Volunteer Spotlight | Whitney Brandt, Parent & Community Relations, Cornerstone Charter Academy, Belle Isle, Florida

The mission of Cornerstone Charter school is to provide a college preparatory educational environment with a curricular emphasis on biotechnology and life sciences that furthers the philosophy of respect and high expectations for all, enabling students to become confident, self-directed, and responsible life-long learners.

Today, our spotlight shines on Whitney Brandt, Community relations coordinator for Cornerstone Academy in Belle Isle, Florida, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to organize over 1,200 volunteers. 

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Tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader.

I am the Volunteer Coordinator for a K-12 Charter School in Belle Isle, Florida. We have approximately 1,200 approved volunteers, as each family is required to complete at least 30 volunteer hours of approved volunteer activities.

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate your parent volunteers?

Each week, I send out a Volunteer Update via email; it includes reminders of various volunteer and school requirements, as well as links to all of the ongoing, current, and upcoming volunteer opportunities.  For instance, Lunch Duty, Car Line & Jeans Day Wristband Sales (we have a uniform requirement and the students have the option of jeans on Fridays for $1) are weekly events.

Occasionally, we'll have a "Teach In" opportunity where I need additional parents to come in and serve as crowd control in the auditorium. I also use Volunteerspot to staff our Used Uniform Store, and Teacher Workroom, which are trained activities only sent out to specific groups of people. My favorite events to schedule via volunteerspot each year are Ducktoberfest (our annual fall festival) and the Silent Auction/Pancake Breakfast, for which we have dozens of different shifts throughout the day, and multiple people in each shift...allowing for a one-time setup for me, and then volunteers can sign up and cancel and replace one another as needed.

What other activities are you involved in as a volunteer or volunteer leader?

So far, I only coordinate all of the volunteers within my job requirement, but I am starting to get involved with some community volunteer projects. I also encouraged my Boosters Club, and the Homeroom parents within my school to use their own Volunteerspot account to organize concession stand and in-class volunteers, and they have had a very successful time of it so far.

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers out there?

Delegate! Delegate! Delegate! You cannot do it all yourself, and if you try, people will always expect it of you. Find a few right-hand people with whom you work well and get them to help recruit, delegate, and keep you from getting too overworked and burnt out.

 Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

A parent suggested it to me after the first year I was in my job, running around dealing with reply-all emails, last minute cancellations, and too much scrambling to rearrange hundreds of volunteers each week. Volunteerspot gives me a wonderful way to plan,  expect, and handle cancellations, etc. while allowing me to focus on the other aspects of my job so that I don't waste time constantly telling people that certain activities are full.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your school, event, or volunteering?

 We're a community school that is hinged on Parental Involvement. Volunteerspot has become an integral part of helping to communicate all of the available opportunities to our parents. I don't know how we ever did without it!

For more information, visit  www.cornerstonecharter.com

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We salute Whitney and all the other volunteer leaders out there making a difference. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

BRAND NEW! Mobile Volunteer Signups are here!

Signing Up to Help is Even Easier on the Go!

We've done it again! VolunteerSpot has revamped the way volunteers sign up, making it even easier and faster from their smartphones and mobile devices. New users are raving, "Signing up to volunteer was so easy, what a great site!" and "Who knew signing up to help would be so simple on my phone, awesome!"

The mobile signup and volunteer calendar automatically displays whenever a volunteer clicks the signup link provided by their organizer online or via email. Through an intuitive, streamlined interface, volunteers can fill a spot and confirm their commitments in just a few taps on their device.

VolunteerSpot's Mobile SignUp lets volunteers:

     - Signup on the go right on their smartphone
     - Leave an interactive comment/note on the signup
     - Sync commitments to personal online calendars
     - Fill in extra information required by organizers
     - Access a full menu of all volunteer activity invitations
     - Quickly access event location and organizer info

VolunteerSpot's free online sign up sheets and volunteer scheduling software make it easy for groups to do GOOD - from schools, to community organizations, nonprofits, faith groups, teams you name it!

 

Get started today!

Shopping for Good | Cause Shopping

Our Favorite Ways to Make a Difference by Shopping

Cause shopping and social good shopping are taking the world by storm! Why not turn your regular routine of shopping online into another way to do GOOD and give back? Check out some of our favorite cause shopping platforms:

SocialVest: This free browser app lets you "Purchase on Purpose" - earn money for the causes you care about simply by shopping online. They allocate a percentage of your online shopping total so you can contribute it to your favorite nonprofit when you choose.

Shop & Share: The latest revolution in "compassionate commerce," Shop & Share links purchasers to daily deals and highlighted affiliates who donate to featured charities each month.

SocialGoodNetwork: Shop your favorite retailers on SGN's shopping site and make a difference - their hand-picked store(s) donate to causes you care about when you buy from them online.

OneCause.com: OneCause (home of SchoolPop & OurKidzWin too!) lets you click, shop, contribute! Simply visit their page, check out their featured retailers (or choose a school) and see the exact percentage of your purchase which will be donated. They also have great seasonal shopping guides and ideas.

Groupon Grassroots: This cause-oriented branch of the daily offer website most of us have come to know is offereing nonprofits and community groups ways to raise money from supporters of their campaigns. From building playgrounds and gardens to promoting social justice theatre and camps for less fortunate kids, GG is a great shopping alternative.

iGive.com: This cause shopping platform lets you choose from among their 'mall' of more than 5,300 organizations or suggest one of your own. Every time you view a page, refer a friend, or buy something through their site, you donate money toward your cause.

Where do you 'cause shop'? Leave a comment!