A New Experience

When I was younger, I would volunteer with my family. When I grew older, I wanted to continue to volunteer, but it wasn’t always easy to find an activity that was both fun and made me feel as though I had made a real impact. This changed when I became involved with Habitat for Humanity through my church.

I began in 8^th grade, mostly going because my friends were going. We headed down in South Carolina for a nine day trip in the summer and I became hooked. Helping people and physically seeing the progress we were making on a daily basis was incredible. I had never felt so appreciated in my life.

I continued on to make two more trips to South Carolina, another to Michigan, and many within Virginia and West Virginia. It is easy to get involved as Habitat reaches people all over the U.S. and worldwide.

If you’re in college, check to see if there is an active Habitat club within your school. The best part is, you do not have to travel far to make a difference. No experience is needed! Habitat has an active chapter within Boston and several projects around the Boston area.

Check out http://www.habitat.org/ to get more information on what Habitat does, or
http://www.habitatboston.org/ to find some upcoming projects in this area.

If you don't have time to volunteer...

Just as the rest of the world is becoming immersed within the golden age of the internet, charities and many nonprofits are doing so as well. In fact, most don’t have a choice. Non-profits are organized similarly to the majority of for-profit businesses and therefore, they must adapt to the new age to survive.

So, how does this affect you? Well, just as everything is becoming easier, most charities now allow you to donate directly online. While most people just assume this to be true, and probably expect it, many people still do not think of this right away.

Take advantage of this simple transaction, as donating to a charity has become as easy as ever. Take a few minutes to search the internet for a cause you feel passionate about, or a specific charity or nonprofit which you have always believed in but done nothing about.

Whether it’s a one time payment, or a monthly donation, there are many alternatives offered that can fit your needs. If you don't have time to volunteer right now, donate instead.

Who knew you could make a real difference without ever leaving your house!


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Photo Courtesy of http://www.genderworkchicago.org

A Gift to Remember

Years ago my grandmother gave me a rather odd birthday present. Instead of opening a big box and getting a new shirt or even better, money, I got handed a large envelope. Inside was a picture of a water buffalo and several other pages filled with pictures and long descriptions.

Just imagine what was going through my mind.

She explained that she had donated money in my name toward the purchase of a water buffalo for a family far away that needed it badly. I smiled of course, and said thank you, but I had no idea how great that present really was.

Today, I am thankful for that gift. There have been many times that I do not really know what to get someone for their birthday, and the present most likely ends up unused and a waste of money. This was one of the best uses of money I could have asked for. Of course, it can be hard to resist buying someone a new sweater or that DVD that they wanted, but in the long run, this type of present means the most.

My suggestion to you now, is to search around. Look for charities and non-profits which conveniently offer this type of service online, and take advantage of it! My grandmother donated money through an organization called the Heifer Project, and I am sure that there are many other organizations which offer this very same opportunity to make such a big difference.

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Our Intern at OYFP Boston

Let me introduce you, Boston, to our intern Danielle. She will be with On Your Feet Project for the summer helping us continue our mission to educate peeps on taking time to give back to the community around you. So... let's get to know our intern a little better.

Krystle: "I am so glad to have you as our intern this summer, but why did you choose to intern with OYFP?"

Danielle: "It seemed like a young interesting group of people who like to have fun and involve other young people with volunteer opportunities."

Krystle: "We certainly do provide many fun opportunities to learn about the community around you. What are you expecting to learn and/or experience at OYFP"?

Danielle: "I want to learn how to network to see what type of non-profits are available in Boston. I am also looking forward to experiencing more volunteer opportunities to take back with me to college in the fall."

Krystle: "I predict by the time you are done with the internship at OYFP you will be a Volunteer Star in the Boston area. Our readers will soon learn of some of your volunteer adventures, but first, why do you think volunteering is so important?"

Danielle: "As a college student, I often see the focus of other students being what am I going to do with my life, how am I going to make money to pay the bills? Volunteering helps you realize that money isn't everything. It feels great to help out others who are less fortunate."

Krystle: "Do a lot of students at your school volunteer?"

Danielle: "Many think they don't have enough time to get involved because they have to study or write a paper, but because I got involved some of my friends started volunteering too. I grew up volunteering with my family and it had a big effect on why I volunteer now. Some of my fellow students may not have grown up with volunteering, so they might not be used to it".

Krystle: "Giving back was always apart of my family as well and I think you're right that it definitely can influence someone's choice to volunteer later on in life. Who inspired you the most to get involved with the community?"

Danielle: "My mom definitely. She's a big reason why I volunteer in college and why I am interning at OYFP. She probably doesn't know it though."

Krystle: "After she reads this post she will. Thanks for taking time to give us your perspective of volunteering and I look forward to reading your posts."

You can catch our intern in action at tomorrow's Volunteer Day with Christopher's Haven. See you there!

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