Giving back to the community makes yourself and others feel great. Thanks to the internet, volunteer opportunities have never been easier to find. Whether you want to help animals, the environment, or people in need, volunteer websites can match you with specific opportunities.
Ready to lend a helping hand? Check out these sites to find volunteer opportunities near you or abroad.
1. VolunteerMatch
VolunteerMatch has matched millions of people with wonderful volunteer opportunities. When you type your location in the search bar, VolunteerMatch lists all the work possibilities near you.
You can sort several possibilities by cause—animals, children, seniors, women, and the arts are just some of the filters you can use to find the right volunteer work for you.
Since we live in an age where smartphone apps can help someone, VolunteerMatch also allows you to check out virtual opportunities. This lets you do volunteer work from the comfort of your home. Once you find work that you want, sign up to the site and let the organization know that you want to help.
2. Engage
Engage (formerly All for Good) uses your location to find opportunities near you. Enter the kind of volunteer work you want to do in the Keywords field, and then input your location. But if you're not looking for a specific type of opportunity, omit any keywords, enter your location, and hit Search.
Engage provides you with thousands of results for you to choose from. The site also lets you filter the results by remote projects, issue area, and skills required.
3. JustServe
JustServe makes signing up for volunteer work a breeze. Once you find an opportunity, sign up for an account on the website and show up at the event when the day comes.
Type in the location of your choice to view opportunities. Then, filter the events by age group, volunteer skills, and your own interests. JustServe not only displays one-time events, but it'll show you ongoing opportunities as well.
4. United Way
If you ever volunteered, you've probably heard of United Way. This nonprofit organization specializes in giving back to the community, especially in education, healthcare, and fundraising.
United Way connects you with a wide range of opportunities that involve supporting children, gardening, construction, therapy, disaster services, and even working at a food bank. The huge variety of work makes it simple to use your preexisting skills to help your community.
When you search for opportunities, you'll find that United Way in your area sponsors most events. To get involved in volunteer work overseas, make sure to contact your local United Way.
5. Do Something
Do Something empowers young people to get involved in their community and fight for social change. The entire organization helped register over 100,000 new voters in 2018 and even cleaned up a total of 3.7 million cigarette butts. Do Something's movements directly affect the community and make an immediate difference.
You don't have to live in a specific area to get involved in its events. Most movements ask you to do your part to help the cause and guide you on how to do so. For example, some events might ask you to clean up litter around you, while others instruct you to collect food for the needy.
6. Habitat for Humanity
Do you have a knack for construction or have an interest in learning about interior design? In either case, you should definitely check out the opportunities at Habitat for Humanity. This organization specializes in building houses for underprivileged people across the United States and around the world.
When you search for opportunities, Habitat for Humanity lists its offices in your area. From here, you can select the branch closest to you and sign up for any current or future activities. On the other hand, you can also search for global opportunities, enabling you to build shelters around the world.
To volunteer at Habitat for Humanity, you don't have to know anything about construction to get involved. It encourages women, children, and veterans to join in as well.
7. GivePulse
GivePulse offers a whole database of volunteer opportunities. Type in your location, and scroll through a list of valuable volunteer work. As you spend your time helping others, it can become an educational experience for both you and the people in need. For example, work as a volunteer yoga instructor or become a caregiver for children with special needs.
If you need to keep track of your volunteer hours, GivePulse can help you with that too. GivePulse shows the amount of time you've worked, verifies your hours, and even calculates your volunteer statistics.
8. AARP Create the Good
AARP is one of the United States' biggest nonprofit associations. It aids Americans age 50 or older by helping them feel more comfortable and confident during the aging process.
AARP allows you to volunteer with people from all walks of life. Become a senior companion, tutor young children, or even assist veterans. As you uncover the secrets of generosity, you'll get addicted to the satisfaction of volunteering your time.
9. Feeding America
Connect with your local food bank through Feeding America. Since most food banks actually rely on volunteers to do most of the work, this organization can really use your help. By spending a small amount of time sorting through and stocking food, you can help the hungry families in your city.
10. American Red Cross
The American Red Cross specializes in providing emergency services and disaster relief to those affected by medical conditions or natural disasters. When you sign up for the Red Cross, you can choose from a variety of roles.
Opt to take a short quiz that places you in a specific position or choose to browse through opportunities by category. While some roles have to do with finances, education, and IT, other roles allow you to help people face-to-face.
Find the Most Fulfilling Volunteer Opportunities
Nothing beats the amazing feeling that comes along with volunteering. By taking a couple of hours out of your day, you can help improve your community or your environment. In the end, volunteering is always worth it.