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It depends on what you are interested in. Over the years I've worked at a rehab facility for injured birds, a wildlife refuge, a folk festival (which was a year-round weekly folk music performance), Renaissance fairs, and a cat shelter. My parents do Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross and they volunteer for some semi-pro golf tournament.
There is a lot of volunteer work out there. Parks, Museums, libraries, wildlife sanctuaries, churches and community services all need people of all kinds- even those who prefer not to do things they'd regularly associate with the charity.
For example I've been working at a cat shelter for the last couple years. We need people to:
foster cats and kittens
work on-site to clean cages, groom and socialize cats
follow up with volunteer applicants and adoption applicants
shuttle cats to and from vet visits, adoption days and cat shows
man booths at street fairs, cat shows and adoption events
Bake, bake and more baking for various events
take photos of cats and keep website up to date
set up tables for events, wrap gift baskets for tricky tray events
At the wildlife preserve we
Did yard work on a grand scale
Talked to refuge visitors about any wildlife or plants they had questions about
kept the public bathrooms clean (not a fun job)
Fixed tin roofs, built bridges, painted, fixed fencing etc.
some office work
So, no matter what kind of organization it is I guarantee they need people who are both task-oriented and people oriented. Even without skills or a desire to talk to people there will be a role you can fill. Good luck in your search. Volunteering is real work but it is very satisfying too.
Wow! Thanks for all of the ideas! Most animals creep me out, so animal shelters are out of the question. But most of the other ideas are food for thought.
Unless you really enjoy whatever you're doing, you'll quickly find that volunteering is just as much work as a regular job but with no pay or benefits.
I realize this. I don't expect to enjoy volunteering at all. I just want to be of service to my fellow human beings in some small way. I hate my paying job and work in general, but that has a lot to do with my incompetence to do things. I'm a terrible employee, but I do show up to work. If I can find a mindless volunteer opportunity that's impossible to screw up and can help out a great organization, that would be ideal. The good thing about volunteer work is that if I screw up, they can fire me and I won't be out anything.
I would suggest something mindless where you don't have to commit. You could find out when the local food bank needs people to unload the truck or fill the bags. Then just show up and offer to help. When they try to get you to commit to a certain day and time every week, etc., or do more stuff that you don't want to do, have your answer ready - "I'm not in a place where I can commit to anything right now, but I'll show up when I can." When they continue to pressure you, just repeat the same sentence every time. And if they want details, then say,"I don't want to talk about the details, but thanks for asking."
I have found that having a few of these pat answers ready really helps. Then you just smile and repeat them as many times as you need to.
Thanks! This is very helpful. Unloading a truck for a local food bank sounds right up my alley and is the kind of mindless volunteer work I'm looking for. Showing up when I can instead of having a set schedule would be necessary for me. My work schedule is sporadic and oftentimes with little notice given. Sometimes I work full-time and sometimes the weather is bad and I don't like to venture out, so the volunteer opportunity would have to be on my terms. It is free labor after all.
I realize this. I don't expect to enjoy volunteering at all. I just want to be of service to my fellow human beings in some small way. I hate my paying job and work in general, but that has a lot to do with my incompetence to do things. I'm a terrible employee, but I do show up to work. If I can find a mindless volunteer opportunity that's impossible to screw up and can help out a great organization, that would be ideal. The good thing about volunteer work is that if I screw up, they can fire me and I won't be out anything.
Wow! You are REALLY down on yourself. I think you have more going for you than you give yourself credit. Once you get outside of your own head, you'll come to realize you're not that much different than others, and that we're all imperfect flawed creatures. You'll also find out that you have LOTS of hidden talents and deserve to be happy/fulfilled. I encourage you to start with some affirmations about yourself.
I'm actually quite disappointed by that website. I entered a decent set of search parameters for this area, and it came back with only 7 opportunities, 6 of which were located hundreds of miles outside the distance specified in the search. None of the well-known volunteer organizations in this area are listed, and the one local volunteer organization listed doesn't appear to be endorsed by any of the charity watchdog lists (nor is VolunteerMatch). It almost smacks of click bait. Does anyone have any hardcore insight into this service, i.e., how legitimate it is, etc.?
Yeah, I didn't find what I was looking for on that website. I think it's legit though.
Wow! You are REALLY down on yourself. I think you have more going for you than you give yourself credit. Once you get outside of your own head, you'll come to realize you're not that much different than others, and that we're all imperfect flawed creatures. You'll also find out that you have LOTS of hidden talents and deserve to be happy/fulfilled. I encourage you to start with some affirmations about yourself.
You're right! I'm more of a glass half-empty kind of a guy. I do have a roof over my head, a job that's near impossible to get fired from, I'm physically healthy, and I've done everything I've wanted to do in life. My bucket list is completed and not a lot of people can say that. I've been very fortunate and I have a lot of freedom. I tend to dwell on my failures and shortcomings and there have been a plethora of those, BUT I'm still better off than many. I don't feel that I possess a lot of good qualities as a human being, but I, at least, try to be a good, law-abiding person.
I I feel that I would do best in a behind the scenes type of role. I was thinking about maybe working for a food pantry. I'm a food addict, so being around food would be right up my alley. I like the idea of physical labor as long as it doesn't involve any actual skill. I could never do Habitat for Humanity, for example, because I don't have the requisite hand-eye coordination to use a hammer, but I'm pretty strong and can lug boxes full of heavy items all day long.
Food pantry sounds like just the ticket
The one I volunteer at has opportunities for people who want to work by themselves as well as opportunities for those who want to interact with people, helping them bag up the items they select and so forth.
By the way, Habitat for Humanity has need of people to lug around heavy things. Just saying.
The one I volunteer at has opportunities for people who want to work by themselves as well as opportunities for those who want to interact with people, helping them bag up the items they select and so forth.
By the way, Habitat for Humanity has need of people to lug around heavy things. Just saying.
Good luck.
Thanks! I agree that a food pantry is right in my wheelhouse. I could definitely handle lugging heavy things for Habitat for Humanity, but I'm not very handy. I don't imagine I could just be there to lift things and never pick up a hammer. They would probably want somebody who could handle all aspects of the job. It would be weird to help lug the materials and then not help with the rest.
Thanks! I agree that a food pantry is right in my wheelhouse. I could definitely handle lugging heavy things for Habitat for Humanity, but I'm not very handy. I don't imagine I could just be there to lift things and never pick up a hammer. They would probably want somebody who could handle all aspects of the job. It would be weird to help lug the materials and then not help with the rest.
HAbitat for Humanity has opportunities for people doing skilled work, as well as people to do things like sweep floors, Cary items, retrieve tools, etc. they will also train people who want to learn skills.
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