Need Volunteering Ideas ~ places to volunteer, etc.

[Joni S.]

I want to do some volunteer work except ~ I've had MS for 29 years and therefore, have no immune system so I cannot do any work around sick people.  To date, that is the only venue I've seen for volunteering.  Could anyone share more ideas for volunteering?  I need ideas that will still help others but will not subject me to ones that are sick with contagious sicknesses.  I've got quite enough with MS, Fibro, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Chronic Pain, CFS, etc.  God, that sounds horrible, doesn't it?!  It's not all that bad but my Primary Care Physician has tested my blood and has determined that I definitely have an immune system defficiency.  I just don't want to get sick...  That too makes me sound horrible.....  I'm really not horrible.........

 

Hugs and Luvs,

 

Joni

 

[Mary Johnson]

Animal shelters LOVE volunteers - bringing in newspapers, collars, leashes, toys, food, towels, bleach, walking dogs, playing with cats, finding homes, working adoptions at pet stores, etc.

A great place to see what's available in your area is VolunteerMatch.org and check CharityNavigator.org to see how they're rated.

Do you sew or knit / crochet? Two 29gifts groups make blankets for children's hospitals (blankets4babies) and blankets and teddy bears for domestic abuse shelters (Sewing Hope). Please check them out and consider joining us!

Volunteer food and time at local food pantries and soup kitchens.

Check with local churches about volunteer activities they sponsor.

Volunteer with PostPals in the UK, who send emails, cards, letters, gifts to terminally ill children in the UK. Send me a message for more info on other PostPals activities. I'm a bit preoccupied for the next few months, but want to join or start a similar group for the US.

Become a crisis counselor and counsel others from home by phone.

Good luck and best wishes!

Mary

[Joni S.]

Mary!!!!!

You are just amazing, sweetheart!! I should have known you would be right on top of this! As much as I love animals, I never thought of the humane society. DUH! Thank you SO much for your input on this. You posess a plethora of information, don't you?! Thank you, Thank you, thank you!!

BIG Hugs!

Joni

[Carylina]

Glad you're thinking of volunteering. Some places have the option of you doing computer work from home. Could you be at a shelter and walk some dogs??? What about companies like Green Peace, Habitat for Humanity etc or small local organizations. Perhaps there's something you can do from home for local schools??? Offer to do some free gardening for neighbors, broom their yards etc, cook them a meal once a week?? Love c

[Jacquelyn Claeys]

Hi Joni,
I haven't been on the site for awhile - my daughter gets married in 2 weeks, so have been working the "wedding job". Having fun with it, though, trying to stay calm and focused. Ha!
I appreciated your call for volunteering ideas. I am a 59 yr. old woman with MS who would like some ideas for volunteering. I have mobility issues, but feel I can still help in some way.
Another venue, (if you like kids) is at any school. Most schools like help in the classroom, maybe reading to or listening to students read for a certain amount of time. OR they need a bit of help in the office or in the gym or out on the playground. Lots of private schools have very little money, so volunteers are needed in the library, etc. Public schools, too.
Thanks for the other ideas for me, as I can't get around a playground much anymore!

[Joni S.]

Hi Jacquelyn! I'm a 52 year old woman who has had MS for 29 years! Fortunately I've been blessed enough that I don't have many issues from MS except so easily getting sick. Isn't that truly blessed?! I hadn't thought about schools but again, we're coming into flu season and a school classroom is like a petrie dish of bacteria during flu season, isn't it?! I think I'll avoid schools but I feel sure, after Mary's list, that I can find something. I did want to start a thread with volunteering ideas though. Something will be placed there (if not already) that will be totally perfect for me and someone I will help!

Good luck with the wedding!! Keep that "good stress" level down!

Hugs,

Joni

[Deb~ Community Manager]

Thanks, Joni~