We all know how hard it can be to do anything when the winter weather hits. Rain, snow, and sleet make it hard to get out of bed, let alone out of the house. We don’t blame you for wanting to spend the whole day curled up with a good book!
That said, there are fantastic opportunities for winter volunteering, and most organizations need volunteers more than ever during all the crappy weather! Read on to learn about a few popular ways to volunteer in the winter.
Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering not only teaches you how to build connections, develop important skills, and gain experience for future jobs, but it also allows you to find purpose in serving your community! Depending on the work you’re doing, you might gain physical strength, learn how to better communicate verbally or in writing, strengthen your organizational skills, or become a logistics pro.
What’s more, studies prove that volunteering benefits how you feel! In our post, “How Volunteering Improves Mental Health & Wellbeing,” we discussed how important volunteering can be in combating isolation, so it only makes sense that you’d feel better when you’re connecting with folks from your community in order to serve a common cause.
If you’re a student, volunteering is an accomplishment too! You can display your volunteer work on your resumé, use anecdotes in interviews, share character references, and benefit from the connections you’ve built. If you saw our post, “How and Why Volunteering Helps With Your College Applications,” you already know that volunteer work is a great way to show your passion for a certain cause! There’s nothing employers love more than hiring someone who’s going to love what they do.
We hope you’re convinced that volunteering does more than serve your community – it benefits you, too. With that, let’s dig into the most popular ways to volunteer during the winter season.
Top 5 Ways to Volunteer in the Winter
When it comes to volunteering in the winter, it might sound miserable. Don’t worry, there are plenty of opportunities for fulfilling volunteer work, many of which don’t involve trudging through the snow.
Offer Your Skills Online
Are you a graphic designer by trade, or a hobbyist? Inexplicably great with computers? Reach out to local organizations and offer your digital skills. You could design posters, social media posts, or write captions for the organization’s social media pages. Play to your strengths and help the community from your own living room!
Host a (Virtual) Event To Fundraise
One of the most fun ways to volunteer is by throwing a party – are we wrong? Even during COVID times, you can host online events or small gatherings to fundraise for your favorite cause. Not only do you get to have fun with friends during a miserable season, but your favorite charity will get money to support their work, too!
Help Out Your Neighbors
Whether you live in a neighborhood with a bunch of families or a lot of seniors, you can find volunteer work right next door. Offer to babysit for the couple that just had a baby, so they can go out and have a nice quiet dinner. Ask your elderly neighbors if you can shovel the snow off their driveways and front steps. Volunteering doesn’t have to be anything big; it can be as simple as offering a helping hand to someone in need!
Make Hats & Socks to Donate
Winter weather is manageable when you live in a house with good heating, but for the folks in your community who live on the streets, winter can be deadly. If you knit or crochet, why not spend those dark winter days making hats, socks, sweaters or mittens to donate? This might just be the most relaxing volunteer activity out there.
Spend Wisely / Donate to Charity
Sometimes, volunteering can be as easy as spending your money wisely! There are countless companies that donate partial proceeds to local charities. Choose a store that has a charity donation drive going on, and put some money into the pot. In Manhattan, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s donate to HIV/AIDS awareness and women’s issues. Target, Walmart, Office Depot and Nike are located all over the country, so whether you’re in the Bronx, Brooklyn or all the way over in Palo Alto, you can do good by shopping at these stores. Even if you’re farther out in Jersey City, Hoboken, New Jersey or Evansville, Illinois, you can order from Amazon or eBay, or shop at Costco and make an impact!
No matter who you are or what you do, you can make an impact this winter. Volunteering during these snowy months doesn’t need to mean trudging through the bad weather – it can look like shopping mindfully or knitting on your couch. Want more ideas? Head to www.givingbackeasily.com to sign up as a group and help your community.
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