Figure out why and how people volunteer–who they work with, who they claim to be helping and whether they succeed or not. At the same time, find out how to be a good volunteer, choose the right organizations and tasks, and make the most of donated time.
I’ve temporarily relocated from New York City to New Orleans, the locus of need, attention and aid in the US (though not necessarily the most truly in need US city), to volunteer building and rebuilding houses and serving the city’s homeless population. This blog is about what I learn through my experience and after endlessly pestering every volunteer coordinator, project manager, house captain, non profit staffer, homeowner, homeless person, and fellow volunteer I can find about how, or even if, I can help.
