Most charities need more than just a check; they need your time, too. Volunteers are valued because they bring something more to the table: a sense of enthusiasm, optimism and support that can never be quantified.
In fact, those of you under age 30 now are more likely to say you have a “very important obligation” to volunteer. The embrace of volunteering is striking because young people’s commitment to other civic duties — such as voting, serving on a jury and staying informed — has dropped sharply from their parents’ generation and is lower than that of Americans overall.
You have grown up amid nudges from a volunteering infrastructure that has grown exponentially since your parents’ day, when the message typically came through churches or scouting.
GiveYoung.org prides itself on its partnership with charities that need both donations and volunteers. Our foundation strives to provide young people with a well-rounded giving experience so they can be fully involved in a cause. It’s not always easy to donate monetarily, but it can mean just as much to take a Saturday afternoon to pack food or serve lunch to people in need. That’s what real giving is about.
Check out our Cause Finder to get you started helping an organization you love.