For America: Set a Monthly Volunteer Quota: Expect Much of Yourself-Personal Finance

For America: Set a Monthly Volunteer Quota: Expect Much of Yourself

Expect Much of Yourself

It is a sad truth that millions of people in America need help. For each needy person, though, there are many people who have stable, secure lives. Imagine the potential of our nation if, for every person in need, one or more volunteers came forward to help.

We could keep kids who live in rough neighborhoods off the streets; we could ensure that no elderly people find themselves alone in the world; we could make sure that in a nation with so much, no child goes to bed hungry; we could prepare more students for jobs or college; and we could help struggling families face life with confidence and integrity.

Contributing a few hours a month to volunteering is a mandate we should all follow. The trouble is, most of us are busy -- very busy. That means that if we don't schedule time and make arrangements for volunteering in advance, it probably won't happen. The answer: set a monthly quota -- just 1 to 4 hours -- and plan to fulfill it. This small investment in your community could literally change the course of someone's life for the better.

Better yet, make volunteering a regular family activity. Use the opportunity to teach your children about charity, about giving, and about the responsibility all of us have for each other. It is said that of those to whom much is given, much is expected. We can argue about the politics of the day (and we should!), but in America, we receive much more than most other people on the planet. Our Homes; our education; our abundant food, water, and natural resources -- we are given much. So expect much of yourselves.

Visit These Sites to Get Started

Offer up your professional skills, your hard labor, or your kindness -- it doesn't matter. Whether you coach basketball after work, or read to children on your lunch hour, or spend an occasional evening keeping seniors company, any time spent and any contribution offered is worthwhile. Just be sure that however you choose to serve, you commit to it fully.

DoSomething.org is a great site for young people to find out how they can volunteer. Devoted entirely to youth volunteerism, Do Something has great ideas and opportunities that can really inspire the younger set.

At VolunteerMatch.org, you can enter your zip code or interests and find a volunteer opportunity that best fits your lifestyle.With a database of thousands of opportunities, it's a great place to get started or to look for out-of-the-box ideas that could work for you.

At HelpYourCommunity.org, you can find tips on how you can help children in need in your own community. Look at the list of "101 Things You Can Do" to be a positive influence on kids and think about how you might make a difference.

Many workplaces now offer volunteer partnerships. See if yours is linked to any groups; you may discover that taking an hour off a week from work to volunteer at a soup kitchen is allowed or even encouraged. Many workplaces also donate money to the organization you volunteer with if you submit proof of regular activity.

If you attend a church, synagogue, mosque, or other house of worship, there's bound to be a raft of volunteer opportunities available there. Many of the most devoted volunteers in the country come from spiritual centers.

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