Looking for Ways to Help Others? Volunteers in the On-line Age

We watch the unemployment statistics and foreclosures rise while we watch the stock market drop. We hear of floods and fires in the news. Perhaps we have what we need and our heart is going out to those who are being hit hard during these uncertain times. During the last election, the motto, "Yes, We Can" and a philosophy of hope grabbed many people--some for the first time. Individuals started looking around for ways they could become involved and help others in need. But, as many found out, finding volunteer opportunities in your immediate area is not always clear-cut. Some churches do neighborhood outreach but what if you're not affiliated with a particular church? How can you find needs that you may be able to fill?

As I was looking for opportunities in my own community, I came across a website that may help you locate that perfect volunteer opportunity you've been looking for. The website is called Volunteer Solutions and is sponsored by an organization and website called Truist. Truist has a motto of "Altruism, connected" and is the combined efforts of The United eWay and Create Hope. This combination was created to do just what made the grass-roots planning and organization of the Obama campaign so effective---provide an easy on-line means of communication between the ground forces available and the current need at the time.

When you go to Truist, you will see two blue boxes on the page: one marked "Contribute" and the other marked "Connect".

Clicking the box marked "Contribute" allows you to donate to four different areas: United Way of America (UWA), Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), World Vision, or The Mobile Giving Foundation. Though most of us are familiar with the work of the United Way, we may not be so familiar with the others. CAF assists charities in managing their donations and how they are collected. World Vision works in 100 countries, including the US, extending aid regardless of of religion, gender, race or ethnic background. The Mobile Giving Foundation donates mobile phones to nonprofit organization for the efforts at fund-raising.

For those who wish to volunteer their time, clicking the other blue box, marked "Connect" will take you to the "Volunteer Solutions" site. Whether you are a non-profit group who wishes to advertise a volunteer position, or a volunteer looking for your perfect match, this is the site you will find very helpful.

Since I wanted to find volunteer opportunities near me, I clicked the Connect box and then entered my zip code in the text area under "Volunteer Opportunities" and clicked the Find button. This pulled up a screen telling me that 127 agencies with volunteer needs were within 10 miles of my zipcode. These ranged from receptionist work at a local help center, landscape work at a local senior home, visitor assistant helping residents with letters, and a variety of others. You can change this parameter to 1 mile, 5 miles, 25 miles or more than 25 miles if you need to broaden or narrow your search.

Another nice option on this screen is the ability to filter based on specific social groups, time duration, national incentives (like Katrina, for example), age groups, and even your own particular interests.

Once you locate a volunteer opportunity you may be interested in, clicking on the description will give you more details about the job, including hours, who sponsors it, who or what your job will entail and any special requirements. If you decide you wish to volunteer, there is an email link for you to contact the individual who listed the ad.

If you are looking around your area for ways to help and feel a bit stumped at the prospect, I urge you to give Volunteer Solutions a try. You may just find that perfect opportunity to share your time with others who really need the helping hand.