Volunteerism and Civic Engagement

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Volunteers improve the lives of millions of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens by helping children learn to read, caring for seniors, rebuilding communities struck by disasters, helping veterans readjust to civilian life, and more. Persons of all ages and abilities can help make a difference in their own communities or even on a national or global level.

Volunteering can help you:

• Meet new people.
• Improve your health.
• Learn or develop skills.
• Teach your skills to others.
• Build self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Make important networking contacts.
• Enhance your résumé
• Gain work experience.
• Feel needed and valued
• Express gratitude for help you may have received in the past from an organization
• Communicate to others that you are ambitious, enthusiastic and care about the community
• Make a difference in someone’s life
• Improve the likelihood that a child will volunteer as an adult

You may be able to volunteer from home, by phone or from your computer.

• Find resources that can help you think about volunteer and civic engagement opportunities.