Twenty Ways for Teens to Help Others by Volunteering

Have you ever thought about volunteering your time to a local charity or community organization? There are many different reasons for you to start volunteering:

• To help others
• To learn about an activity or organization that interests you
• To beat boredom (if you find yourself sitting around the house feeling totally bored, volunteering in an activity you enjoy can be a great way to change things)
• To overcome a loss you have experienced (one of the best ways to help yourself in a time of loss is to help others)
• To gain perspective on life (there is no better way to understand your blessings than to help people in need)

Your reasons for volunteering are as individual as you are, but no matter what your reasons you can get a lot out of volunteering. You can learn about yourself, learn about others and meet a lot of interesting people by volunteering. You can help others as you help yourself.

One of the hardest parts of volunteering can be finding a volunteering opportunity that fits your personality. The following list will give you lots of different ideas and will show you many different possibilities. Look in your local area until you find a volunteer position that works for you.

1. Homeless Shelters
If you live in a city of any size, then there is at least one homeless shelter that helps homeless people with meals, beds and other services. Most homeless shelters welcome volunteers and have a variety of programs through which you can get involved. You might help prepare or distribute meals, work behind the scenes in the business office, help organize a food drive to stock the pantry, etc. Look in the phone book for a local homeless shelter if you are interested.

2. Food Banks

Food banks often work with homeless shelters, but they also serve poor people living in the community (especially around the holidays). Food banks collect food, manage their inventory and distribute food to those in need. The following links show you the different volunteer opportunities available at several food banks around the country: