With spring well underway and summer ahead, many of us are looking to get out of the house and enjoy the season. For those who have time, volunteering is a fantastic option to get more involved with your community, make friends and explore new interests. Below are a few places you can volunteer in your area:
Animal Shelters
Humane societies and animal shelters are almost always looking for help in some form. Whether it’s hands-on or more passive involvement, any help is surely appreciated.
You can easily search for local humane societies and shelters in your area online. Once you find one that you’d like to help, give them a call to see if they’re accepting new volunteers. If they are, great! Sign yourself up for a minimal commitment role to start so as to not overwhelm yourself.
If they are not currently accepting helpers, offer to provide homemade treats and handmade toys. This is a great use of time and a super fun project. Oftentimes, shelters will send treat and toy-makers photos of the animals enjoying the fruits of your labor, which is an adorable added benefit.
Meals on Wheels/Neighborly
This organization is always looking for new recruits to help those in need in their local community. From delivering hot meals to those in need to simply visiting and talking with those who need company, Neighborly is a great stepping stone into the world of volunteerism.
By visiting www.neighborly.com or www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/americaletsdolunch, you can sign up to help your community in any way you’d like. Opportunities such as driving or cooking meals, transporting those unable to drive themselves or even becoming an Adult Day Care entertainer are all available to those who wish to volunteer in these ways.
Beach Cleanup Days
With how single-use plastics are mass-manufactured and distributed today, beaches tend to have those materials wash up and litter shores. Many communities have locally organized beach cleanup crews that organize annual cleanup days.
Visit keepfloridabeautiful.org/affiliates to find a cleanup crew in your area. Many crews have spring and summer annual cleanup dates to help combat the impact of tourist season.
Alternatively, if you prefer not to have a hands-on approach, you can also donate to these organizations. Various supplies are always in need, too, so call your local chapter and ask what you can do to help.
Festival Volunteering
As we get into festival season, many celebration events need volunteers. From music festivals and specific musical artists to even volunteering at the Tampa Bay Rays stadium throughout the season, there are several opportunities for you to explore by doing an internet search for festivals in your area.
To learn more about volunteering opportunities throughout the state, visit www.volunteerflorida.org or www.volunteermatch.org and tailor your search to your area and interests.
Have a great month, and we’ll see you in May!
