Voracious Volunteers

Young people have an innate desire to help others and it is a characteristic that shows up early in life and in common ways. Whether it is trying to help in the kitchen, at school or simply sharing, helping seems to be hardwired in us at an early age. Use this Project Heart Beats to find ways to connect young people to volunteering opportunities in their communities.

Time is one of the most precious things a person can give — This activity from the Project Heart Beats series focuses entirely on Time: researching the nonprofits in your community, figuring out where your hours could make the biggest difference, and making a plan to actually show up.

The challenge is to find an organization whose cause speaks to your heart, discover what they really need beyond a check, and commit your time to making it happen. Walk dogs at the shelter. Sort food at the food bank. Help a neighbor. Start small, start local, and start now. Research shows that every hour of volunteering creates about $30 of value for a nonprofit — and it turns out, giving your time is good for your own health and happiness too. Everyone wins.