What kind of charity do you volunteer your time to? Do you do it for a reason or in memory of someone, if so what is that reason?

My partner and I volunteer for The Coalition to Unchain Dogs, although I’m sad to say that I don’t manage to go as often as she does (she volunteers almost every Sunday). It’s incredibly rewarding to see the instant change in the dogs’ demeanor’s as soon as they get off a chain.

We’ve also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and will probably start that up again now that the weather is nicer. It’s different from what I do every day, I sometimes get to learn a new skill, and it helps people.

We donate blood every six weeks. It’s so easy to make a life saving difference for someone, I don’t understand why practically everyone wouldn’t do it.

We always fund-raise for both of the local shelters, too.

There is an organization called The HandsOn Network, and they are the umbrella for local volunteer clearinghouses such as New York Cares and HandsOn Bay Area.

I am affiliated with New York Cares, and I do it because I wanted to give back to my neighbors. I do a lot of environmental, community gardening and fixing up projects. Occasionally, I’ll do something with little kids, like playing with them or reading them stories.

I work with non-profit groups that support off-leash dog parks. I have also done greyhound rescue work.

I’m a chairman on the board of my college’s chapter of the Non Profit Leadership Society.

We do a ton of charity stuff… everything from Mother’s Day breakfasts, to coat collection, to Habitat for Humanity, to Veteran’s benefit stuff, to hurricane relief. It’s pretty gnarly.

I devote all of my charity work toward our veterans. We have a veterans hospital in town, and a place called “Valor House” for displaced veterans. Joining the DAR got me started there, and it has since become my charity of choice.

I am on the board of a local charity. I do it because I want to, not in memory on someone.

Some of the charities I volunteer my time for are because I lost a dear dear friend who was also my boyfriend to cancer. He used to tell me of the times when getting chemo where there were these little kids there and he felt so so very bad for them having to go through the horrors of cancers at such a young age when they have not yet lived. We have this charity here called The Tomorrow Fund they help families of children who have cancer, they also have a clinic in the hospital here. I have volunteered many many hours of my time for this charity and raised $$ as well to help them. I also do the Relay for Life, Support the Daffidol Days for American Cancer Society, walk for Lukiema Lymphoma Society. We had this golf tournament to benefit St Judes that I helped on each year.

There are others that I do just because they are good, like Walk for Hunger, and volunteering time at my local food bank.

These are a few of the charities I have volunteered my time for and will continue to.

I normally do my charity work for a local group called Caritas. I do so because I know that there are others less fortunate than I am, that there are others in need – that the small things I do to contribute really help out.

I’d love to do Habitat For Humanity since I’ve known quite a few family and friends who’ve done it and it seems like such a great experience for all involved. My work schedule runs from 60–70+ hrs so I do nothing at present.

The only charity that I work for is me, seven days a week, week in ,week out…. I donate what I can when I can give it mainly to cancer for kids…..

I volunteer my time for The American Cancer Society, The Queer Commons, various food and clothing drives.

I’m sitting at the reception desk at the RedCross. I volunteer there three days a week. I also volunteer at the Ohio chapter of the Brain Injury Association once a week. Because of my Traumatic Brain Injury I am on Social Security Disability. To get SSD (I need it for health insurance) I can’t hold a job. I need to volunteer so that I have something to do to occupy my time and my mind. I volunteered before my injury, but not nearly as often as I do now because I was in college.

@GracieT So inspiring, do you find being with others helps you. My daughters bio-mom is mentally delayed and I have been trying to help her because she becomes so depressed staying home all the time on SSD but she doesn’t want to get out either which I think some of it is the depression talking

I donate a few seconds every day to help end world hunger at Thehungersite.com and helping to publicize it online.

It’s a charity the is totally free. The advertisers donate money which goes to Mercy Corp and Feeding America to provide food. I have read that the organization that puts the hunger site online is a for-profit organization, but they are considered legitimate because they do donate to the charities listed.

I also visit Freerice.com several hours a week. Both of these internet sites are free and provide money to help end hunger. I don’t have to leave the house, or even move from my confy recliner to help, and it does not cost me one cent.

I volunteer at my library’s literacy center. I keep the place open one afternoon each week, and I teach English to a group of immigrants. The literacy center teaches literacy, of course, but also math and ESL.

I am a potter involved with an event that benefits a soup kitchen.I have also worked for the Humane Society.

I keep a database for a local battered women’s shelter. I used to work in the shelter, but due to illnesses, I couldn’t be there on a regular basis. This was my answer to continuing to help. I’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity for the past 10 years, either in building or helping with administration issues – keeping costs lower.

I volunteer to sit with children during chemo treatments. Sometimes, when a child is with a single parent, it just doesn’t work, it’s a hardship on the parent.

I try to help these guys as much as I can: http://www.lp.org/

Other than that, it’s pretty much just strictly veterans’ causes.

I organize a scavenger hunt food drive every November with the Scouts and we go door to door looking for “needed” items for the local shelter and excess canned goods and such is given to Salvation Army. A major feel good for everyone involved.

This year will be my 4th annual “River Clean Up” project where I pooled the scouts with local organizations and high schoolers and we scour 3–4 miles of shoreline every fall and clean up about 1–2 tons of cans bottles, tires, foam containers, plastic water bottles and you name it junk.

Donate Blood bi-monthly
School Board member for a private school
Conservation Commission board member
First Robotics Team assistant coach for local HS
AD & coach for private school
Bike-a-thons
Network and Web design for non-profits
Homeless Shelter meal prep & server at Holidays

Does sponsoring a child count? I did sponsor this sweet lovely girl from South America for maybe 4 years now before I had to give it up when they raised the monthly minimum. Just could not afford it. That just blows.

My two dogs and I do search and rescue to find lost people and human remains. My older dog is certified to do both and the younger one (in the photo) is in training. The next task is to train the older one to do water work (the dog is in a boat to help locate where a drowning victim is located). I have been involved in SAR for about 10 years now (since one of my dearest friend’s daughter was murdered in Canada and dogs helped find her remains). The young dog I had at the time (a lab) had a real aptitude for SAR and evaluated well, so it made sense. Now my older dog (a chocolate labradoodle) is my main dog and I am only planning to train my shepherd for human remains (that is what most of our call-outs involve, unfortunately).

I used to do much more volunteering in HIV/AIDS, but since that has also been my day job for the past 20 some-odd years, I need a break from it on my own time.

Kiva.org

Help that fosters self help.

All of my “jobs” are unpaid/uncompensated. I volunteer at our local schools (I am on 2 different boards there as well), humane society, historical society about 25 hours a month. (also on 2 different boards there). I sometimes help with projects at our American Legion, and some nearby churches. I am on my communities Arbor board and help with tree planting and care. I help out weekly at our local food pantry and public library.