It’s nice to know a child somewhere, who may not own any books, now has a few to read -- just because a bunch of people gave up a little time to help out. 

Volunteering was part of growing up in my family, whether regular stops at the soup kitchen or annual mission trips with the church youth group (and these weren’t cushy trips to exotic places/foreign countries). We painted in the hot sun for 8+ hours a day. We hammered nails and built houses. We sweat. And as a teen, I worked for two summers as a camp counselor (a 24/7 job) and for three summers at a retreat center, waitressing, cleaning and working with kids (technically volunteer because our weekly stipend started at $30). I was not making big money, but I was making an impact and learned the value of giving back.

Volunteering is a great way to give –- give your unique talents, your time, your energy, your love to help someone else. Skilled volunteerism (offering your business skills like graphic design or accounting) is important, but so is manual labor. If you sit in an office all day in front of a computer, it’s incredibly rewarding to get up, get out there and get your hands dirty doing something. Whether stuffing book bags or sweeping floors, you’re sweating for someone else. 

So grab your kids, coworkers and neighbors. If you need ideas, take the pledge to become one of the million new volunteer readers, tutors and mentors United Way is recruiting, visit Volunteer Solutions, Volunteer Match  or another organization to find local opportunities, or ask your church or school. Everyone can do something, and we need everyone to get it all done.

(Photos (c) United Way Worldwide)