I want to volunteer my time on a regular basis to a worthy cause. Right now, all I do is serve as moderator for Freecycle. I'd like to do something with animals, but I know that I can't work in a shelter because I'd be bringing all of them home and become a crazy cat-hoarding lady.

I work full time, so it has to be something I could do in the evenings or weekends. I'm an atheist, so I wouldn't do any religion-based thing. It can't be anything too physical because I just had leg surgery. Any suggestions?

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Call around your area I found out that lots of organizations will accept help even in the evenings. I would still check with a animal shelter - the one i work with was asking for people to work the front counter to help save money.

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Laura
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Our local shelter runs a low-cost vaccination clinic on certain weeknights and weekends. It is done in a parking lot (usually) away from the shelter. They always have volunteers to help and it would keep you away from the shelter itself and the temptation to bring every one home, but still let you help out with animals.

Good ideas. Thank you both. I'll have to see if my local shelters have things I can do without falling in love with all the homeless animals!

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Meals on Wheels for night, weekend, or special deliveries. There is also some entity that provides food/meals to AIDs patients who can't get around well anymore, some big org, just can't remember the name.
Shelters could also use you to make fund raising calls from home (perhaps?), or to collate/stuff/affix labels to mailings. I worked for local gov't and I loved the volunteer I had for years that did that sort of stuff for a newsletter I had to get out., she was worth her weight in gold even though we only saw her 1-2 days/mo, at the most.
Find a scout or teen with some kind of community service requirement to fulfil and see if you can team up to have a food and/or supplies (or even spay/neuter clinic?) fundraiser for your favorite shelter. You wouldn't need to see all those irresistable faces very often ;-)

Good ideas and nice of you to give of yourself and your time.

If you have a food bank nearby, sometimes they need help sorting donations....and putting together and delivering holiday meal packages.

Serving a dinner meal at a "soup kitchen" might also fit your schedule.

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I'm on the board for the local abuse shelter. We are always looking for volunteers.

Too bad you cannot work in a animal shelter they are in need of so much help I work there between 4-6 hours week and so does my younger daughter, they cannot get enough of help. There is always so much work to be done with cleaning, feeding, walking, or just plain playing and helping some animals come out of their shells. I understand the feelings of wanting to take any single pet home believe me its sooooo hard because I am just a huge animal lover but its tough love and I know in the end I have done real good to help these animals. The cleaning is not always the best part but when I get to take them out of their cages and hold them and play with them well there are no words for those moments either way there are so many places to volunteer and its a lovely idea and God will reward you 100 times back . God Bless you for even thinking about it wish there more people. Peace. Catherine

What types of things do the volunteers do?

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

I wish I could too. When I was a teenager, I worked at a vet clinic for free (I was thinking of becoming a veterinarian). I loved working there. I didn't even mind cleaning the cages. But there, I knew the animals were getting helped and going to good homes. At a shelter, I think I couldn't stand to befriend an animal and then find out it was being "euthanized."

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Jujubee2 could you perhaps find a no kill shelter thats the one that I work out for I also could not work at one where they would put animals down. I realize its a sad fact they simply do not have the funds to keep the animals alive and more they do not have enough people who are willing to be foster parents to some of the pets until a suitable home can be found . Of course the best outcome would be for the animals to be placed in a caring home. I do realize that there are ferrel cats who sadly cannot no matter how much love be placed back into a home and in a sense the most humane thing to do is to be put to sleep. The same goes for pitbulls and rotties who come from dog fighting who again have so many issues sadly are only good for homes with a strong male adult but not with small children and their fate too is to be put down in the most humane way. I also used to help out in the Aids Ward in memory of my brother Sonny who passed away from Aids I did that for sometime, however it became too sad and I was always crying and thinking of my brother in all their faces. Sadly so many of them their families neglected them and for the most part most hardly had any visitors. I would however someday be able to go back to that for all that need to someone to visit them, to chat with them to keep them company, to lend a ear to say I understand. OKay I wish you well in whatever you choose again God will bless you 10 folds overs . Peace. Catherine

Sounds like ACORN may need some people to work for free since they're losing their federal funding.

Wowitsdark did I miss something here what does Acorn have to do with Volunteer Work??? can you kindly explain tia. Peace. Catherine

1) They are on political alignment with the OP.

2) They are an organization of 'community organizers', which makes me think they surely need volunteers... particularly now, since their funding just got flushed away.

ACORN: About

I volunteer for our local Sheriff's Dept. They are always looking for volunteers and there is a large variety of opportunities.

Work the front desk of your local station or sub-station
Assist with clerical duties
Work at food give aways for the needy
Work at community events
Role Playing
Work in the courthouse
Toy giveaway at Christmas
Help with traffic control during catastrophic events (some of our volunteers assisted with the big fires)

Huh - I never knew the police dept took volunteers! Thanks for the suggestion. What do other people do for volunteer work? I'm liking all the suggestions so far, but I'd love to hear more.

Thanks.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

I've tried Volunteer match several times - but am not interested in most things as they are too far or in bad neighborhoods. I do volunteer at The Red Cross dor blood drives - I took a class to be certified for doing the blood packs and you have to be recertified each year. I prefer doing registration or passing out juice and cookies. Only thing for me is that they also only have 6 hr.shifts - so if you work too, this can be a long time period for one day. another thing is most of our community colleges have mandatory volunteerism hours they have to put in. I sometimes have a hard time signing up for blood drives near me as the college kids grab the spots and they sign up in pairs and always want registration and juice duties so they can do homework together. Since the started the mandatory community service programs I have found it less enjoyable to try to do the blood drives regularly. It used to be fun talking to the other volunteers. Now on volunteer match all they show local is Hospice care helpers and having spent time looking after a relative in hospice I am not so sure I would like that. I am still looking for other volunteer opportunities. animal care is out as I cannot stand the smells.

definately check with your church if you have one - they always want volunteers.

You could organize or work at a pet benefit drive for blankets, foods, meds, toys, money, etc. Here, the humane shelter has a thrift store, maybe there's one in your area you could work at?

Blood centers, as someone stated, are a worthy option, as well as hospice, schools, nursiing homes. Do you have a friendly pet? Call a nursing home or hospice to see if you can bring your pet tto visit their residents.

Seek out veteran organizations to see if you can assist with registration at a function, help set up, clean up, etc. When the moving wall comes, they need a lot of people, as well as help at their transitional homes.

Offer to bake cookies for a children's home. The one here has a "cookie man". He bakes cookies every single day for the kids, what a commitment he has made They also look for cooks to prepare a home cooked meal for the children.

There are a multitude of worthy organizations / places / ways to do something that isn't financial, or minimal financially.

dl

First of all, there's a pretty intense training session (40 hours). Some volunteers man the phone for crisis calls. Some supervise the house. I'm sure the duties vary from place to place. You could call your local shelter and inquire.

There is a webite that the Obama administration launched that gives lots of information on volunteer jobs that may interest some.

Welcome to Serve.gov

Thanks. I just tried it out - lots of listings!

__________________
If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Thrift stores are always looking for people to help organize their donations. Also, a friend of mine volunteers for the United Way and loves it.