by May Monten

Created on: January 30, 2009

There are many organizations in San Francisco that would love to have you as a volunteer. Whatever your interests and schedule, there is plenty that you can do. Whether you want to feed the homeless, be an usher at a film festival, clean up the parks, work behind the scenes in an office, spend time with the sick, help out in the schools, or something else, there are people who need your help.

There are several ways to find volunteer opportunities. You can contact organizations directly, or you can go through volunteer-placement organizations, or you can browse volunteer-wanted listings, or you can join groups that combine volunteering with socializing.

Any non-profit organization whose events you enjoy is likely to have a volunteer program. The museums, the many film festivals, Stern Grove and other annual festivals, City Walks, the zoo, the parks, and many more all rely on volunteers. If there is a particular place you enjoy going, or an event you enjoy attending, chances are you can become more deeply involved by becoming a volunteer. The larger organizations will have formal volunteer programs that include training. Contact them directly by phone or via their websites.

Are you over 55? RSVP San Francisco connects people who are 55 and over with volunteer opportunities. They work with over 100 different non-profit groups, and have over 1500 volunteer positions. You can find a lot more information on their website.

There are many sites that have listings of volunteer opportunities, which are great to browse though if you're not yet sure exactly what you want to do. Some good sites are the Volunteer Center, the Bay Area Volunteer Information Center, and Craig's List.

Finally, if you would like to combine volunteering with socializing, and are interested in one-time events rather than long-term commitments, check out One Brick. They make volunteering easy. You just check their event calendar, and RSVP online when you find an event you want to attend. Hands On Bay Area is a similar group that lets you browse and sign up for projects online.

Volunteering is a great way to become more deeply involved in your community and to get the warm glow that comes from helping others. You can also make new friends, and sharpen your skills or learn new ones. Some organizations even have special perks for their volunteers - free tickets for the film festivals and for theater ushers, picnic-table seating at Stern Grove, etc. Depending on what you do, you might even get some exercise! With all the organizations that make it so easy to volunteer, there's no time like the present to get involved.

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