Giving back to your community is one of the most rewarding things you can do, not only for those around you, but for your own heart and happiness. With these digital tools, you can easily find ways to stay connected, involved, and inspired.
VolunteerMatch: volunteermatch.org
VolunteerMatch is not new. The nonprofit has been around since 1998, connecting people with nonprofits that are looking for help. The website makes it easy to enter your location and interests, then quickly find opportunities in everything from education to animal care. Most importantly, you can choose exactly how involved you want to be. The site has opportunities to volunteer for one-time events as well as ongoing projects, giving you control over your time commitments and letting you make a real impact in your community on your own terms.
Create the Good: createthegood.aarp.org
Create the Good is AARP’s own volunteer hub, designed to connect people to both local and virtual service opportunities. The site not only lets you search for volunteer opportunities, but also allows you to set up a profile and receive notifications when new opportunities arise in your area. Unlike VolunteerMatch, Create the Good is designed explicitly with retired people in mind. The site is easy for anyone to navigate, and the volunteer opportunities span a wide range of comfort and energy levels so that you can determine how involved you want to get. As a bonus, Create the Good also sends out a monthly newsletter that provides inspiration and resources for those looking to get involved and contribute to their communities.
Big & Mini: bigandmini.org
Big & Mini is a unique program that pairs adults over age 50 (“Bigs”) with younger people (“Minis”) for casual video chats to create friendships and learn from each other. The technology allows those with less mobility to find connection with others and to share the wisdom and perspective that can only come from a life full of unique experiences. It is easy to get started on the site, and it’s simple to navigate, which makes it an excellent way to build confidence with technology as well. Those who sign up are eager to hear your life stories and to share their own, making it an ideal space to build friendship and community.
Meetup: meetup.com
While Meetup is not only for volunteer activities, it deserves to be included here because the app and website serves a similar purpose: connecting people through shared interests and activities. While there are groups for volunteering and community service, the app can also help you find groups for walking, crafts, activism, and anything else you can think of. It helps people stay active and find their tribe well into retirement, making friends along the way. One great feature of Meetup is the ability to create your own Meetup group to rally others around a cause, making it easy to find people who care about the same things you do.
By Vanessa Hutchison | Graphic courtesy of Meetup
P.S. You may also enjoy Good Nights with Good Tech
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