Volunteering

Diane_BN

I've been thinking about signing up to do some kind of volunteer work but I'm not sure what I want to do or who I want to volunteer for. Has anyone here done any volunteer work that they particularly enjoyed and would recommend to others? TIA! :-)

beachykeen1723

Give Kids the World is a great organization!

jessiejay10

I've really enjoyed working with Habitat for Humanity in the past.  We also participate in the Relay for Life events each year, but that won't come up again for awhile I don't think. 

I've been slacking in the volunteer department the past several months, so this is a great reminder that I need to step it up!

Diane_BN

Jessiejay -- Does Habitat provide a lot of training or offer opportunities for people who aren't "handy." My husband has expressed interest in them before but I'm super-clueless about tools and stuff so I'm afraid I'd be more trouble than help in the job site! LOL

Sara_18

I've done Habitat before and they definitely can train you for easy to do jobs. Even non-handy people can really make a difference. 

 

I enjoyed Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic when I lived in Miami. They have a location in Palm Beach County - that might be too far.

 

 

jessiejay10

That's right - they definitely provide training but they also have a lot of non-handy jobs (and that's what I end up doing, ha).  Painting, planting, cleaning, sanding, etc.  If I can do it, I'm sure you can

062307Bride

I would love to do something with the Special Olympics someday (I'm a special ed. teacher) - there's a location here in clermont near the hospital on Citrus Tower.

soccerbride22

My older girls and I volunteer at Give Kids the World.  We absolutely love it!  I was concerned that working with children that are facing life threatening illnesses would be depressing, but it's actually quite the opposite.  They are so happy to forget about their situation and just be a kid having fun that we inevitably get caught up in their enthusiasm and excitement.  And the families are so thankful for the volunteers.  It has been so rewarding!!

KAandJJ

I've volunteered for habitat before, and I enjoyed it although I'm not going to lie I am not the "manual labor" type of person, so I think I would enjoy doing something like Give Kids the World or with another organization. I volunteered for XL 106.7 for the Operation Princess Project, and it was beyond rewarding helping a teenager that would probably not been able to go to prom if it wasn't for the princess project!

 
We should try to organize a nestie gtg that focuses on volunteering somewhere for a few hours.... and not only nesties, but our spouses, and even children too!

missboontz

Meals on Wheels and the Adult Literacy League are a couple of the causes I have been involved in. You can also find great one-time volunteer opportunities at www.handsonorlando.com if you want to try out several types of experiences before you commit exclusively to one cause/organization.

Emmerjill21

beachykeen1723:

Give Kids the World is a great organization!

This most definitely!  They have tons of choices for Volunteers and it is so much fun!

mannyandnery

I volunteer at a pregnancy center every week and I've found it to be very rewarding :-)

I haven't volunteered at bigger well known places.

Diane_BN

Thank you, ladies for all the great ideas. I also love the idea of a volunteering GTG. United Way's Days of Caring in September might be a good time to do that, unless we organize something even sooner. Thanks!