Anyone can Volunteer
Volunteering: What's holding you back?According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "about 65.4 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2004 and September 2005." They further reported that "the proportion of the population who volunteered was 28.8 percent, the same as in each of the prior 2 years."
If you are one of the large percent who are not volunteering at the current time and you really would like to, find out how to get around those roadblocks you may have set up for yourself.
This isn't about making you feel bad about any excuse you have for not volunteering. Instead, this is an invitation to challenge yourself to find a task you can take on. Yes, it may involve a bit of sacrifice in time or energy, but then community service is about sacrifice about giving of yourself in a way that makes the world, and particularly your community, a better place to live.
What's your excuse?
So, you think you have no particular skills to offer any agency? All non-profits can use someone with plant skills to give their plant collection tender, loving care. A little water, a bit of fertilizer and periodic dusting.
No car to get you to where you want to volunteer? Is there a nearby bus stop? Does the non-profit agency provide bus tokens or transportation reimbursement for volunteers?
Unable to leave home or have limited amounts of time? Consider a telephone Reassure program such as the one in Steuben County NY. A five-minute phone call five mornings each week provides a friendly and familiar voice to someone living alone and feeling isolated from the community because of their homebound status.
Are you part of a busy family and it's already difficult to find time when you can all be together? Consider one of these volunteer opportunities that would welcome you as a family unit:o One or two Saturday mornings each month walk dogs at the local animal shelter; the smaller members of your family can pet the cats.o Work together on a Habitat for Humanity house.o Unite for a week of volunteering at a camp for handicapped children.o Serve a weekly meal at a soup kitchen or sort food at a food bank.
Detours to success...
Red Cross blood drivesNeedles and blood freak you out!Your physical health precludes giving blood.Always a long wait even with an appointment.Alternatives...* Work from home or the Red Cross office calling previous donors and setting up appointments for them.* Call all your friends and acquaintances and ask them to consider donating blood. Have information times, dates, and locations ready for them.* Hand out cookies and juice to donors.
Animal sheltersYou're allergic to animal hair.Alternatives...* Donate your used blankets for animal bedding. Better yet, collect from family, friends and neighbors.* Buy a bag or case of pet food and deliver it to the shelter.* Organize a bake sale or other fund-raiser for the shelter.
LibraryUnable to volunteer on a regular (weekly) basis.Don't know anything about books other than to read them.Alternatives...* Donate some of your books to their used book sale.* Handle the cash register for a few hours at a book sale (quarterly, semi-annually, annually).* Haul the library's paper, cardboard, plastic, etc. to a recycling station.
Finally, if you're not inclined to get involved with a non-profit agency and would prefer to do some independent community service, consider one of the following opportunities:
- Carry a plastic bag on your walks and pick up trash you come across.* Donate new stuffed animals to the local police or ambulance for children in accidents.* Prepare to help someone by taking a Red Cross First Aid or CPR course.* Send Valentine's Cards to a veterans' hospital.* Buy food certificates, such as those sold at fast food restaurants, and hand them out to the homeless.
Instead of thinking of reasons to not volunteer, try out one of the ideas listed here. Maybe reading these lists will inspire you and you'll come up with your own ideas. There is a volunteering opportunity for everyone. What's yours?
