A 16-year-old about to drop out of school, a young mother overwhelmed by bills, a puppy in need of training: Every community has its challenges. Fortunately, there's probably an organization you can join to do something about it. "Lately more and more people are volunteering," says Sheryl Kayne, author of Volunteer Vacations Across America. "I think we got tired of just being observers," she adds. And, over the past decade, many nonprofits have started steering clear of the type of volunteering your grandmother did (think candy-striping) in favor of inventive, out-of-the-box projects like the options listed below. Find one that piques your interest and get ready to give back.
1. Get Out and About with a Puppy
The New England–based Guiding Eyes for the Blind places an eight-week-old puppy, usually a Labrador or German shepherd, in a volunteer's home for over a year, after which the canine formally trains to be a guide dog for a blind person. Weekly hour-long classes teach puppy raisers what to do, such as introducing puppies to new sights. "It brings people out of their shells," says Guiding Eyes marketing manager Michelle Brier, adding that because the dogs are eventually paired with a blind companion, it makes saying goodbye much easier. "You learn how to believe in something bigger than yourself," she says.
2. Cook Up a Storm
"We use culinary skills to do good," says Culinary Corps founder Christine Carroll. For a recent project, 12 cooks flew to New Orleans for a week to whip up meals for Habitat for Humanity crews, among other undertakings. Although the organization generally requires professional kitchen experience or a culinary degree, "there's a bit of wiggle room," says Carroll; non-cooks who want to contribute could help plan an upcoming trip. "It's really incredible to see cooks blossom as chef-citizens," she says.
3. Talk to United States Troops
Give an Hour provides free counseling to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of the organization's mission is to give veterans who don't wish to seek help from the military a place to turn. Weakening the stigma of mental-health issues is another goal. Those who aren't licensed professionals—social workers, substance-abuse counselors, marriage therapists and so on—can lend a hand in a variety of other ways, including graphic design, marketing and volunteer management.
4. Climb Mountains or Backpack with Urban Youth
Overcoming wilderness obstacles—rushing rivers, steep hills—builds confidence and helps under-resourced kids better handle inner-city obstacles. Which is why Big City Mountaineerspairs adults with disadvantaged youths on weeklong backpacking and canoeing trips. If you don't live in the regions where the organization primarily operates (Northwest, West and Midwest), check out Summit for Someone, a program that makes walk-a-thons look restful; participants fundraise for Big City Mountaineers by soliciting sponsorship for major climbing trips.
5. Teach Yoga, Gardening and More to Middle-Schoolers
Reducing dropout rates by getting kids excited about learning is a major goal of Citizen Schools. Subjects covered in the 90-minute, 10-week after-school, volunteer-taught classes have included journalism, yoga and architecture, with a focus on being "very interactive," says Stacey Gilbert, Director of Media Relations; volunteers are encouraged to teach what they're passionate about. "People are always amazed at what the kids learn in such a short period of time," she says. Not near a school linked to the program? Gilbert encourages helping out by contacting policymakers about education reform (see website for details).
6. Grant a Wish to a Senior Citizen
Volunteers for the Twilight Wish Foundationgrant wishes by donating items (like a home computer requested by a grandmother who wanted to e-mail her grandkids) or by contributing their time. Some wishes—like one from a retired postman who wanted to go over his old route one last time—require planning instead of money, and volunteers tend to choose items or actions that most speak to them.
7. Sponsor a Low-Income Family
The Box Project joins struggling families in depressed regions of rural America with individuals or groups. The idea is not just to provide financial support (volunteers send about $50 worth of food, clothing and medical supplies monthly), but emotional support as well; most participants develop long-term relationships over many years, cemented through letters. In addition, the organization encourages volunteers to learn about where the family they help lives, so they can impact public services and local policy.
8. Take Care of the Planet
Each year, the National Environmental Education Foundation coordinates hundreds of events around the country in which volunteers improve public parks and wildlife refuges by removing trash, planting trees and doing other earth-friendly activities as part of Public Lands Day. This September, the focus is on water; volunteers will test water quality, clean up shorelines and much more. Know of a public area near you in need of beautification? There's still time to register it on the site.
9. Lend an Ear to Someone in Distress
Contact is a crisis hotline staffed by people who've attended weekly training sessions over a two-month period. "We listen to people's problems and allow them to vent without telling them what they should do or judging them," says long-time volunteer Linda Longo. Volunteers take calls about everything from suicidal thoughts to substance abuse and have access to a database of referral resources. And, perhaps because the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week hotline offers flexible shifts, it's popular with moms who have older children.
10. Find the Perfect Opportunity Online
Hundreds of local organizations offer community service opportunities around the United States and, increasingly, websites are popping up to help volunteers-to-be find the right project. A few good ones: Volunteer Match and Idealist will help you discover local ways to help out—just type in your zip code or what you're interested in. Compassionate Travelhelps you identify where you can go to work with animals in distress, and One Year for Cancerpairs volunteers with a plethora of places dedicated to fighting the disease.
