by Patti Beckert

Created on: June 23, 2009   Last Updated: August 13, 2009

"Too often we under-estimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around," - Dr. "Leo" Buscaglia

The Austin community is blessed with scores of caring individuals willing to step up to the plate and lend their hands and their voices to the causes closest to their hearts. But there are never enough to fill the voids of so many in need. Consider the following websites as a general starting place for your search to find a fit for your unique talents:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/. Uses internet technology to bring causes and volunteers together. You can type in Austin, TX and pull up all volunteer opportunities in that area, and you can even search for virtual volunteering opportunities, a nice feature for those who would love to volunteer but cannot do so outside the home.

http://dogood.statesman.com/featured/causes. Known as the Good2Gether Do Good Channel, this site enables you to search the causes you want to help and gives you the information you need to get started.

When one thinks of volunteerism, it conjures up thoughts of the bell ringers on the street corners for the Salvation Army, or the kind seniors who greet you when you enter the local hospital, or the volunteers who tirelessly offer their time with a hot plate of food for the homeless. Yes, these are all noble causes, but volunteers do more than assist the sick and homeless, they spend their time making their communities better places in which they and their neighbors can live. Here is just a sampling of volunteer opportunities one may not have considered while searching for a cause in need to help out (the descriptions provided for each organization have been taken from their individual web pages)

Literacy Causes

BookSpring - 2006 Greenbrook Parkway, Austin, TX - Contact: Junie Parish, (512) 472-1791 - BookSpring, in affiliation with Reading Is Fundamental and Reach Out and Read, instills children with a love of reading and promotes books as a means to success.

Communities in Schools of Central Texas - 3000 South IH-35, Suite 200, Austin, TX - Contact: Alicia Rainwater, (512) 462-1771 - Communities in Schools of Central Texas exists to help young people learn, stay in school, and prepare for a successful life by providing school-based social services and links to community resources.

Homeless and Street Kids

STANDUP FOR KIDS - Austin, TX - phone: (512) 300-4439

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