Start Volunteering in Four Easy Steps
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?
Anything that’s new is a little scary. It might be more fun to volunteer with a friend, especially if you’re new to the area or this is your first time volunteering with an organization.
4. How do you want to give back?
There are a bunch of traditional hands-on ways to volunteer, from serving in a soup kitchen to folding clothes. But you might want to donate your skills instead. Nonprofits always need handyman help, graphic or web design or help from a great accountant. Sharing your skills pro bono will save your favorite nonprofit a lot of money, allowing them to put more funds into their mission.
The big thing to keep in mind is that the amount of time you give isn’t the most important thing. A lot or a little - whatever you have to spare is important and helpful to our community. The most important thing is to just get started. When you do, we think (scratch that - we know) you'll find that get back more than you give!
Note: Check out our interview on Charlotte Today where we talked about these 4 steps and some other great benefits of volunteering. If you're ready to dive in, just click here.