Volunteer organization allows people to put their talents to good use
Here’s some good news for people that want to get out and do good: Whether you can spare 10 hours a week or one hour a month, a specialized online service makes it easier than ever to support the arts, the environment, and community, and feel better about helping others at the same time.
VolunteerMatch, a nonprofit web site at
, is devoted to helping community service organizations in need connect with enthusiastic volunteers. Nearly 25,000 organizations have received more than 1 million volunteer referrals through the site.
Any nonprofit or tax-exempt organization in the United States can list an unlimited number of volunteer opportunities on VolunteerMatch for free.
To access these opportunities, interested volunteers simply enter the ZIP code on the VolunteerMatch home page to receive a localized, up-to-date list. Those interested in volunteering also can search by interest, keyword, and even for opportunities open to families, groups, seniors and children.
For example, the 5-year-old organization recently achieved its one-millionth volunteer referral. Sophia Wu, an eighth-grader from Southern California, used Volun-teerMatch to sign up as a volunteer for her local chapter of the American Cancer Society for a school assignment promoting public service.
“I found VolunteerMatch and thought it was very helpful,” Sophia, a pupil at Canyon Hills Junior High School in Chino Hills, Calilf., stated in a news release.
“It’s a much easier way to find a place to volunteer,” she added.
A Delaware woman, Kathleen Murray, decided to get involved on a national scale. By experiencing the personal reward and fulfillment that comes with volunteering in more than a dozen cities, she hopes to inspire others to volunteer as a way to change the world for the better.
Murray used VolunteerMatch to sign up for and get involved in volunteer opportunities at a number of community service organizations throughout the country.
“VolunteerMatch is a terrific resource” Kathleen Mur-ray stated in the release. “For anyone interested in volunteering, VolunteerMatch really simplifies the process of finding and getting involved in meaningful volunteer opportunities anywhere in the U.S. At the same time, it makes it much easier for community service organizations to recruit the volunteers they need.”
To volunteer or obtain more information more, visit
.