Does anyone here do any volunteer work? If so, what do you do and how'd you get into it?

Painting over grafitti.


Saw an ad in the local paper.

I just did a day over at Toys for Tots...helping the marines sort and gather toys for homeless shelters, etc...

i volunteer at the local art center
graphic designing of postcards,
gallery sitting,
and im part of the exhibit committee that decides what gets displayed
...
i did this to kick my resume up a notch
unfortunately
the committee is made up of some older folks
and the art that gets in is never exciting

i found out about this from another committee member

and
i deliver meals to elderly people
like
meals on wheels but we don't call it that
...
there's a group of people at my work that decided to do this
...
its good in two ways because i get to leave work for an hour
and feel good about myself and shit

I did voluntary work for the blind for two years (1996-97, 1998-1999) after flunking out of college.

I really enjoyed it but a winter of walking through puddled streets in shoes with holes in them made me realise that, as much as I liked it, I couldn't survive on travelling expenses.

Reluctantly I had to go and get a real job.

Try a local church in the area. Don't worry there's alot of things you can do that don't involve being told you're going to hell. Specifically, there should be alot of programs that service the poor and would probably love your help.

i volunteer at the rape crisis center, helping to staff the crisis line on nights and weekends. i got into it because it's a great organization, i'm a good listener, and i figured if i can't do something meaningful or important to me career-wise at the moment, then i might as well try elsewhere.

Christians don't scare me.

I was talking about volunteer work yesterday with my therapist and he suggested hospitals or nursing homes. I guess it's as simple as calling a nursing home and saying, "I'd like to volunteer", but I worry about becoming emotionally attached to an elderly person. I'd love to hold crack babies or preemies.

I need a drug which makes me emotionally unattached to anything.

i've had three elderlies kick the bucket on my meal route
it's kind of tough
but i guess you have to look at it as making their last days a little brighter
by acting like you give a shit about the weather or whatever crap they are into

You could try group homes set up for little female juvies or foster kids. You'd have to go through fingerprinting and such, but I am sure they would love help as well.

Might be tough if it's hard-wired.

haha you volunteer to be the man.

i dont like helping people, but my wife mentors a teenage girl

Testosterone riddled anabolic steriods do it every time.

man, you are all heart

In high school we were required to do hours of community service per semester in order to graduate. I think it was around 150/yr or something. I haven't volunteered much as of late just because I work 2 jobs, so its tough to even fit in time for the wifey, let alone some volunteer work. I throughly enjoyed it though in hs and college when I volunteered on a fairly monthly basis.

I'd look for soup kitchens or community centers in your area and walk in. Look at Big Brothers Big Sisters too. Maybe nursing homes as well? Most places if you walk in and say that yr interested can point you in the direction.

Really? Where can I get some? Won't that make my balls shrink? I'd like to avoid that.

I took that sensitivity quiz that Sketch linked to and yep, I'm a "highly sensitive person". Great.

I know a girl who volunteers for the National Runaway Switchboard (I didn't even know kids ran away anymore) so I've sent her an email for more info. Maybe if I do something over the phone, I won't be so much of a crybaby.

Haq, you hurt my feelings.

I've volunteered design services fora local Therapeutic Riding organization: Therapeutic Riding is a growing and widely-accepted treatment for rehabilitating a range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Conditions served include: cerebral palsy, spina bifida, neuromuscular disorders, post-traumatic brain injury, autism, ADHD, and cognitive disorders. Riders experience increased self-confidence and improvement in strength, balance, coordination, attention span, language and social skills.

I've also donated work/time for a Child Safety Day, Meals on Wheels, an annual National Parkinson's Foundation fundraiser and my high school's sports boosters.

I'm not trying to belittle anyone's chosen cause, but I like to keep an eye out for the littler guys, like Therapeutic Riding, esp. compared to the giants like United Way and Red Cross. I'm always wary of professional do-gooders.

I don't do much anymore, except the occassional political volunteering. My work with Roller Derby is pretty much volunteer, since I could basically sit in my office and ignore them while they are here practicing or setting up, but I actually want them to do well.

Awesome. Therapeutic Riding is my volunteer activity of choice. I've been helping out for about two years and it's about the most rewarding thing I've ever done. The only problem is that I have to get up at 8 on a Saturday to help out and I'm ususally a bit under the weather then. I am convinced however that the Good Lord Jeebus takes away my hangovers for the two hours that I'm there so that I can help out. After I finish, he gives it back.

Here's the website for the organization I volunteer with:

http://cedarcreek.missouri.org/

P.S. Most of the pictures on the site are ones that I took.

My 13 year old cousin in Poland is enrolled in a horse riding program. When he was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck a few times and he has brain damage because of it. He also swims with dolphins. It hasn't taught him to become independent or anything like that, but he's much calmer and much happier these days.

I used to volunteer a lot before I got married. Not sure why things changed so drastically.

I do electrical work for beer for my friends. Does that count?

Considering you're probably saving them hundreds of dollars.... no. sorry.



(j/k. that's awesome. a lot of people hate doing work for their friends. most often occurs with computer folks, though.)