Give Back & Serve Others Doing What You Love
Volunteering is great for your health, a stellar way to engage with friends and family, and key to making a difference in your community - it's not always easy though. Unless an opportunity presents itself and you are specifically asked to help, volunteering may not come naturally. Why not volunteer your hobby instead? You're bound to love it and find a whole new satisfaction in helping others in ways you're really good at:
1. Love books? Find out if your local library has volunteer opportunities to help sort and stack books or work the desk. Or search online for nearby literacy groups that need readers and mentors to support their members.
2. Adore the outdoors? Then you know which community parks, rivers or neighborhood green spaces could use some cleaning and sprucing up. Gather a group and make it happen!
3. Enjoy time with children? Donate gently used toys to a local women and children's shelter, offer to read to the children, or sign up to help in your own kid's classroom.
4. Like to cook? Throw on your apron and whip up a meal for a new mom in your neighborhood or an elderly neighbor. Or bake goodies and drop them as a thank you gift by your local fire or police station.
5. Fond of animals? Head over to your community's animal shelter or animal rescue program to walk and groom animals; or search for an ASPCA branch in your region to find which volunteer needs they may have.
6. Got an hour? Donate blood! You're saving lives and it's fairly quick and painless. Find a Red Cross blood drive near you, click here
7. Take photos? Lots of charity events need volunteer photographers who can capture the special moments at their fundraisers and volunteer activities, offer your services to a local nonprofit.
8. Creative gift giver? Find new and loving ways to thank the volunteers involved in the groups in your life - youth leaders, coaches, room moms, you name it. Colorful certificates, small tokens, surprise lattes, the options are endless!
9. Yoga lover? Offer to clean the studio for free after your regular session or do simple yoga instruction for a women's group in your faith or school parent community.
10. You a fashionaista? Head to your local re-store and volunteer to help take in and sort new clothes and donations; get creative dressing windows and manicans too!
