During a recent Thrive Circle conversation on Instagram I mentioned a couple of ideas for volunteering remotely during the pandemic in an effort to live authentically. Today I'm sharing more ideas for ways to give back even as we remain physically distant.
Donate a workshop to a not-for-profit organization. I recently donated a coaching workshop to a local organization that serves women experiencing homelessness. This was a cool opportunity because I have a background in working to end homelessness and I was able to apply my professional skills to serve others.
Plan a fundraising event. If you know of a small business or not-for-profit organization that needs support you can design an event to raise awareness and money. Virtual events like a party, game night, or 5K run can be fun ways to gather support and have fun with your community.
Serve the community with a local organization. While I'm not comfortable serving in person at the moment, I've continued serving my church by scheduling volunteers for some of our teams that participate in our weekly service. In addition to churches, you may be able to find virtual service opportunities with food banks and public foundations.
Here are a few organizations that I personally like for volunteering remotely:
Be My Eyes uses a mobile application so that sighted volunteers can support blind or visually impaired individuals by way of video calls. It's easy to sign up and quick to offer support with everyday tasks like reading the cooking instructions on a package of food or finding something that's been dropped on the floor. I once got to help someone navigate a grocery store that had recently been remodeled. It's super easy to connect and be of help, but don't worry if you're not always available, the app calls multiple volunteers at once and quickly connects the user with the first available volunteer.
VocaliD uses a human voice bank to create unique synthetic voices for those who use a computerized device to communicate. This opportunity excites me because it gives more people a chance to have a voice that sounds like them, or at least sounds the way they want to sound. As a black woman, I like to think of the possibility that my voice can be shared to empower other women of color.
LibriVox volunteers make public domain books into audiobooks. I'm interested in voice work and education so this is another good fit for me as a volunteer.
To help you stick with volunteering and stay motivated, find something that aligns with your skills and values. Visit a website that can match you with an organization according to your specific interests. Check out volunteermatch.org or vomo.org for a good fit.
How are you giving back to your community this year?
Upcoming Workshop
Join me and the Image Consultants of C&C Style Me for a coaching workshop about Living Authentically on Saturday, February 27 at 10 AM CST.
We'll coach you through identifying your priorities and aligning your life and image with who you authentically are. Your $30 registration fee includes access to the live workshop via Zoom, a coaching session with me, and an image consultation with C&C Style Me. Just for registering, you also get 10% off any of our services that you book by March 31, 2021.
NOTE: A recorded workshop will be available for seven days after the event in case you cannot attend the live session.