Volunteering doesn’t need to be overwhelming, scary or difficult. You just need to start. Answer these four questions and you'll be ready to go.

1. Who would you like to help?

There are hundreds of nonprofits in Charlotte helping a variety of people and causes. First, decide “who” you'd like to help. You can focus on kids, animals, the environment, seniors, the military, or any group or cause that’s meaningful to you. Pick the “who” first and that will help narrow your search.

2. How much time do you have?

Can you spare an hour a week, or an hour a year? Think about the time commitment you’d like to make, but remember you can start small and grow your commitment from there. 

3. Do you want to volunteer with a friend or on your own?

We had fun with this post about Let Me Run, and it looks like you did too! Here's the Readers' Favorite from February:

“For everyone of us that succeeds, it’s because there’s somebody there to show you the way.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

If you’re the parent of a boy, or there’s a boy in your life you absolutely adore, then Ashley Armistead’s words will ring true. Let Me Run

“How many times have you heard, ‘Boys will be boys,’ or ‘Too much testosterone in the room? I was always shocked by these comments, as I know that my boys far surpass me in their caring actions, integrity, and self-control.” After becoming a mom of two boys, “I became more aware of societal expectations of boys and of men.”

“Urban Poverty’s Depth,” a recent op-ed piece by Gene Nichol in The Charlotte Observer takes a close look at the levels of poverty in our home town. What you discover might surprise you: over the last dozen years Charlotte has experienced the nation’s sixth steepest increase in concentrated poverty. Spend a little time learning about the issues here. If you’d like to be a part of the solution, here are 5 ways to step in now to help.

Farmer Foodshare - work a donation station shift at the Atherton Market

Salvation Army - volunteer as a mentor with the Boys & Girls Club