Help Others from Home: Volunteer Opportunities While Social Distancing

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of others. It can also help you learn more about yourself and your interests—potentially even guiding you to a future career!  It may seem difficult to be able to volunteer while you’re social distancing, however, there are plenty of ways for you to volunteer from home.

Here are some ideas on how you can help others while you’re at home:
 

• Learn how to make face masks on YouTube: Thousands of people around the world are making face masks from home to help stop the spread of the virus. You can learn how to make them and donate them to a charity, send to friends and family, or sell among your community to raise money for a cause you’re interested in.
• Promote pets on social media to help them find homes: DoSomething.org recommends following different shelters on Facebook and Instagram and sharing their page to encourage adoptions and giving these animals a safe and happy new home.
• Support local businesses and restaurants: Many small businesses are staying open during this time, and you can support them by purchasing take out (make sure to do curbside pickup or contactless delivery), buying a gift card, or donating to their GoFundMe page if they have one. You can visit their social media pages for more information.
• Reach out to a friend or peer in need: Checking in on a friend or providing a support group or safe space to talk about challenges and feelings during these times is a great way to help those around you. You can FaceTime or create a Zoom or Google Hangouts™ video group as a way to feel connected to one another.
• Donate a pizza to feed frontline workers and nominate a hospital or care center: Slice Out Hunger helps feed frontline workers and works with local pizzerias. Visit their website to donate or send pizza relief to frontline workers in your area.
• Become a senior pen pal: Many elderly people are unable to be in contact with their friends and families as they are at the highest risk. You can check in on your elderly neighbors and community members and see how you can help, like giving them a call once a week or becoming a pen pal. Contact your local senior community center to get started.
• Buy or donate Girl Scout cookies: Who doesn’t like a good Thin Mint or Tagalong cookie? You can send cookies to someone who needs a pick-me-up during this time or donate to the Girl Scouts of America, which helps young girls all over the country.
• Donate to food banks: Feeding America launched their COVID-19 Response Fund to support those who cannot afford food during this crisis, along with food banks across the country. Reach out to your local food bank to find out what they need and how you can help.

As you can see there are plenty of creative ways to volunteer from a distance. We encourage you to give back to your community in any way that you can. Giving back is a great way to help others, feel better, and doesn’t have to require a lot of time or money to do so.