Discover Volunteer Opportunities at United Way

The first volunteer opportunity I identified for myself through the Internet was found at the United Way website. It is a great resource of local opportunities.

Go to http://national.unitedway.org/myuw to search for your local United Way organization. Many of the local United Way organizations have a website where you can identify volunteer opportunities close to you. The website for my local United Way lists several opportunities in my community.

In addition to the websites of the local organizations, United Way also has a website at http://www.volunteersolutions.org where they match volunteers with non-profit organizations that share a cause and are in the same general location.

http://national.unitedway.org (America)
http://www.uwint.org (International)

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Great Volunteer Opportunities For People of All Ages

By Jane Worthington

Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to your community. There are amazing organizations throughout the United States that would not function without the help of thousands of volunteers. Everyone should do some volunteering at some point in his or her lives because it is extremely rewarding. One of the best ways to pull ourselves out of a difficult time in our lives is to help others. It is also a great idea if you want to meet a new group of people, stave off boredom, or want to learn about a certain type of industry or field. Volunteer opportunities are not in short supply so whether you are interested in medicine or education, you are sure to find something that you will enjoy. Here are some popular volunteering opportunities that you can find throughout the nation:

1) The American Red Cross. This health organization does everything from taking medical equipment and supplies to disaster areas to providing one sick child with blood. If you are interested in becoming a doctor or a nurse or already have medical experience, this organization could really use you and you could learn helpful information in the process.

2) Habitat for Humanity. This organization builds homes for individuals who cannot afford to do it themselves. Professional contractors and builders donate their time and materials but it is the scores of volunteers who help nail the house together. If you do not mind manual labor and getting dirty, then this is the perfect job for you.

3) Volunteer as a tutor at the local high school or library. Several schools and public libraries have programs in place to help children practice reading. Check today to see if your library has a literacy program!

4) Animal shelters. If you love animals, shelters are always looking for volunteers to help feed the animals, walk the dogs, and help keep the facilities clean. Be careful though because you might end up wanting to adopt all the animals!

5) Environmental organizations. Whether you are interested in planting a tree on earth day or you want to organize a protest about oil spills, joining an environmental activist group is a great way to get involved.

Whether you are interested in helping organize and donate medical equipment and supplies or you want to help build new homes for less fortunate families, there are several ways for you to get involved in your community. Start volunteering today!

If you would like more information about medical equipment and supplies or EKG machines, please visit the Medical Machines Online website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Worthington

http://EzineArticles.com/?Great-Volunteer-Opportunities-For-People-of-All-Ages&id=1680096

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities Through Friends and Family

Many volunteer opportunities aren't submitted to volunteer matching websites or advertised in print. How do they expect to fill these needs? They depend on word of mouth. This means they depend on members of the organization to invite others they know or meet to participate in the activity.

Many people aren’t comfortable telling everyone they know about every volunteer opportunity they are aware of. They are even less comfortable telling strangers they meet.

Who do they usually tell? They tell friends, neighbors and coworkers who have previously expressed an interest in helping.

Let others know that you are interested in volunteering. Tell them about the skills and experiences you can contribute. Inform them of skills you want to develop through your volunteer experience. Be sure they know the causes you are passionate about and desire to support. Ask them if they know of opportunities that might be of interest. Ask them to be on alert for opportunities that might interest you.

There are a couple of advantages when you discover your ideal volunteer opportunity through people you know:

• They know you and can help you find an opportunity that will provide you a great experience. Sometimes others know us and what we can contribute better than we know ourselves.

• It is likely you will be able to volunteer with someone you alreadyknow. This can especially help if you are new to volunteering and are nervous about getting involved.

Networking with others is critical in many areas of life. It is no different when identifying a volunteer opportunity perfect for you.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities at Idealist.org

At idealist.org, not only can you find potential volunteer opportunities but you can also be a part of a volunteer community.

Go to http://www.idealist.org and click on Find. You will then be able to discover the volunteer opportunities that are available to you. You will also be able to find and connect with other volunteers who share your interests.

Another feature at idealist.org is the ability to have emails sent to you when a new listing is added to their website that you might be interested in. I continually use this very useful feature for myself and others I help. Click on Email alerts at the top of the webpage and follow the instructions.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities In Your Phone Book

Your phone book is a great place to look for nonprofit organizations that are passionate about the same things you are. You should start by looking in the yellow pages. This phone book section lists businesses by category.

Categories can vary between phone books. Depending on the cause you want to support, consider looking in these categories (or similar):

• Charitable organizations
• Charities
• Community organizations/information
• Social and human services organizations
• Schools
• Associations
• Religious organizations
• Churches

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities For National Volunteer Week

Celebrate National Volunteer Week this year from April 27 to May 3, 2008. It is a week dedicated to thanking volunteers and promoting volunteerism. It is a service of the Points of Light & Hands On Network and sponsored by Target.

There are many benefits to experience as a volunteer. Go to http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/ to learn more about the event and discover a volunteer opportunity you can get involved with.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities At PointsOfLight.org

The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network supports millions of volunteers who are helping to solve serious social problems in thousands of communities. The organization encourages people from all walks of life to volunteer.

This is great website. When looking for a volunteer opportunity on their website, focus your attention in two areas.

The first area is Directory of Centers at http://www.pointsoflight.org/centers/find_center.cfm.

This area allows you to find a Volunteer Center near you that you can contact regarding opportunities in your community. Most of the Volunteer Centers listed have their own website with valuable volunteer opportunity information online.

The second area is Programs at http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs. This area lists several National and International volunteer program that you might be interested in supporting. Most of them are specialized based on the need or the type of volunteer. For example, there is a program currently listed to help disabled people. There is also a program listed for volunteers over the age of 50.

While you are exploring the volunteer opportunities, also browse the volunteer resources and awards discussed throughout the website.


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Discover Volunteer Opportunities In Your Local Newspaper

Local newspapers are a great source of information regarding volunteer opportunities.

Where are they listed?

You might find some referenced in the articles, in the editorial section, and the advertisements. However, the most likely place to find the potential volunteer opportunities you are looking for is in the community calendar of your favorite newspaper.

The purpose of the community calendar is to list community events that are coming soon in your area. Some of these events can be meetings and activities of nonprofit organizations.

If you don’t have a subscription of the local newspaper delivered to your home or office, don’t worry. Most libraries have the newspaper available to read at no cost. In addition, many of the newspapers have websites. You can find many newspaper websites at http://www.newspapers.com. The community calendar is frequently on the newspaper website.

You don’t have to go far to find the volunteer opportunity for you. Take advantage of the information in your local newspaper to lead you to a great volunteer opportunity.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities From Your Family And Friends

Who knows you well? Who shares many of your interests?

It is your family and friends.

If you are searching for a great volunteer opportunity, don't forget to tell your family and friends.

One of them may already be volunteering in a way that might interest you (he or she does share some of your same interests). Volunteering with others you know can make volunteering even more fun. It also can provide an additional motivation to stick with it.

Your family and friends can also provide you a network to help find your volunteer opportunity. They can ask people they know. They can help identify nonprofit organizations that need help. They can keep their eyes and ears open to volunteer opportunities that match your desires. All you need to do is let them know what kind of volunteer opportunity you are interested in and that you would like their help.

Don't forget your family and friends when you are ready to volunteer.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities At Your Local Schools

Our children and youth of today are our leaders for the future. They need proper teaching, mentoring and encouragement to bring out their full potential.

Contact your local schools and discover the volunteer opportunities that are available to you. Also, consider the following ways to help and then start thinking of other unique ways you can contribute:

• Donate clothing. If you have children in your house, now would be a great time to find clothes that no longer fit. Donate them to a family in need or local charity. If your kids attend a school that wears uniforms, consider providing the uniforms to the school where they can put them to the best use.


• Be a Tutor. My son is learning things at his age that I was not taught until later years. This is great for those that are able to grasp the concepts. However, there are some that need additional help outside the classroom. Consider being a volunteer tutor.


• Be a Teacher's Aide. Teachers have a significant responsibility. I am thankful for those that teach. They should not have to do it alone. Ask a school or teacher what you can do. It might be helping to organize a room. It might be to support the school library. It might even be to help plan a school event. There are many ways you can contribute your time and be a tremendous help.


• Donate School Supplies. The cost of school supplies can be a major burden on some families. Consider donating money for school supplies or purchasing school supplies that will help one or more of these wonderful families.


• Adopt a College Student. Many college students do not live at home. They do not have the benefit of their own family near them everyday. For most, it is the first time they are away from home and their friends for a significant amount of time. Why don't you "adopt" a college student. Invite him or her to a home-cooked meal from time to time. Provide them a space they can get away from the campus.
  

The number of ways you can help students during the school year is unlimited. Seriously think about one or more ways you can make a difference in a young person's life this year. The benefits you receive from volunteering just might surprise you.

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities Through VolunteerMatch

VolunteerMatch is dedicated to helping everyone find a great place to volunteer with nonprofit organizations. It doesn’t get any easier to find an opportunity. Go to http://www.volunteermatch.org/, type in your zip code and click on the Search button. You can narrow or expand your search by specifying criteria like the type of charity you are interested in and the distance from your zip code you want the search to cover.

When you find one or more volunteer opportunities that you are interested in, VolunteerMatch provides you the ability to submit a resume to the nonprofit organization as well as provides you the contact information needed to follow up regarding your interest.

VolunteerMatch offers detailed instructions on their website just in case you run into any difficulties or have a question.

Don’t stop at searching for volunteer opportunities. Browse the Volunteer area of their website. You will find some terrific information on the topic of volunteering. Discover the benefits of volunteering.



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Discover Volunteer Opportunities at Work

Companies are are waking up to the fact that supporting nonprofit organizations through employee volunteering can help their bottom line as well as help the community. Your company may be one of those.

Ask your employer whether they have a list of volunteer opportunities they support or resources for you to use to find a match for yourself. Also find out if they offer incentives to employees for volunteering. The incentives might be allowing flexible leave or even paid time to volunteer (although if you get paid for the time it shouldn't be called volunteering).

"As more employees see volunteer work as a way to learn new skills or move their careers forward, volunteering has become a sort of corporate benefit. Companies are increasingly offering time off for volunteer projects, volunteer work on company time or company-organized efforts."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g4aOK0HuId1Q6oWOGzIM5h9Rtf_QD8UKB4L80

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities In Online Forums

As you are participating on online forums and other social networking websites, watch for bannners and links related to charities and events. Contact the nonprofit organizations you find and contact themto learn about volunteer opportunities that are available.

A volunteer opportunity could be as simple as spending time promoting the charity. The How To Find Volunteer Opportunities blog is currently promoting an event for a nonprofit organization. This opportunity was found through online discussions. Other blogs supporting the same event are:

• Diet Without Starving
• Dog Health Issues
• Online Auctions Nook

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Discover Volunteer Opportunities At Community Service Fairs

A great way to discover many local volunteer opportunities is to attend a community service fair. Many communities hold this event once or twice a year. These fairs are typically located at a local community center, school or mall. Nonprofit organizations set up displays and have staff available to educate you about their organization and available volunteer opportunities.

In a news article about an upcoming volunteer fair, this is what was said about the community benefits of volunteering:

"Building better communities starts with volunteers. At the Marketplace, you can find out why donating your time is a great way to build a stronger and more caring community, and a fine way to gain hands-on experience."
http://ottawastart.com/story/7290.php

Consider attending a community service fair in your area to discover the many volunteer opportunities available to you.

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