Volunteer project?

Question

i'm a 15 year old and i want to realllllly give back to the community. i need to finish my gold award for girlscouts. most people knit hats for the elder but i want to do something that will change peoples life. ideas!!!!! BIG IDEAS!

Answer 1

I have changed the lives of little children by teaching them to read and to love books. Perhaps you can hold a fundraiser/book drive to provide a book to every first grader in your community. You could have a read-a-thon where an older student is paired with the first grader to listen to the first grader read, or help them sound out words they can't read.

Blessings to you!

Answer 2

Hi.

I've always loved personal, face-to-face interaction volunteer work....and I've seen for myself that the personal time you share with people is what really changes their life. The fact that you shared with them a really precious part of your life, something that you can never get back, is what makes them feel they matter and that they are special. No matter what activity it is you plan to do, prioritize the building of relationships with the people you are doing it for.

Here's what I've been doing for years, I hope you'll find something here.

Visit an orphanage regularly.

Build a home for and with the homeless.

Teach classes to needy children.

Build your own foundation for the empowerment and benefit of a sector of society you want to help the most. In this way, you not only help the people who need it (the needy/widows/abandoned), you also provide an avenue for people like you to live out their desire and passion of volunteering.

Answer 3

It's great that you are so excited about helping make a difference in someone's life.  We need lots more young people like you in our country!   I hope sharing my experience as a volunteer for 20 years and working as the director of a nonprofit for the past eight and a half years will help you.

I would like you to first read what you said in your question about "most people knit hats for the elder but you want to do something that will change people's lives."   The truth is that changing people's lives usually starts in very simple ways.  

Knitted hats given freely to elderly who have no heat in their homes, or who live alone in a nursing home and have no family or friends ever visit, or are homeless and living in shelters at night, DOES change people's lives.

Most nonprofits start with one person helping one person.  One organization I have worked with for six years started when the mother's daughter was shot during a crime, leaving her permanently paralized and in a wheel chair.  They quickly discovered there was no help, no direction, no expert and no money for disabled crime victims in our community, none in Texas, and really nothing for disabled crime victims in the entire country.  

After getting her daughter the help she needed she started a nonprofit organization to help one disabled crime victim, then another, serving rape victims, highway patrol officers and police shot in the line of duty, children run over by cars, and many others.  

Even large organizations like Red Cross,  Muscular Dystrophy Association and Alchoholics Anonymous started with one person doing one thing for one person in need.

You too can make a BIG difference from a little idea.  In fact, with with a small act of kindness you can and will change people's lives.  Charity is about selflessly giving with no expectation of anything in return, not even recognition of having done something BIG.  You will receive something in return and will never forget it!

Good luck and my best,  Teresa

Answer 4

- adopt a highway

- go to a nursing home on mothers day and give all the old ladies flowers

- go to a nursing home one day with a group of people and play checkers with the old men and paint the old ladies' nails

- make/buy dinners for people less fortunate around you

hope something along those lines helps!

Answer 5

Look online for organizations in your area. Thank you for having such a big heart!!!