What Should I Volunteer For?

There's nothing you love more than caring for and spending time with animals. So why not help out at your local shelter? You get to bathe and feed the dogs, take them out for a walk, and yes, clean up poop. But it's for a great cause! You may even take a new buddy home with you.

This is where the homeless go to get free food. Food banks, pantries, or soup kitchens, as they're sometimes called, do a great service in their communities. They help give people some much needed food, and you can help out by making it, serving it, or even offering to pitch in with the costs.

Most, if not all, local hospitals have volunteer programs that you can join. Some of the volunteers do menial tasks for nurses, while others run the customer service desk at the E.R. or the front, main entrance to the hospital.

At a national park, you can take in the views, call for help when a hiker needs aid, pick up litter, and check out the local wildlife. There's plenty of exercise involved, including clearing the hiking paths, or walking around the park to make sure things are in order.

Habitat for Humanity is more of an organization, rather than a specific location. When volunteering, you're signing up to help build or improve an existing building. These buildings eventually get used by social workers, food pantries, or other causes that help those in need. Volunteers learn essential carpentry skills and get to work with their hands all day.