The month of April is National Volunteer Month, a time to give back through acts of service and celebrate the impact volunteerism has on communities. There is always a need for in-person volunteers, but not everyone has the time or resources to attend. Virtual volunteering has become extremely popular for these reasons and for the various opportunities it offers to a large group of people.
Volunteering virtually can have the same major impact as in-person does on those who participate. In fact, 96% of virtual volunteers report the activity enriches their sense of purpose, according to volunteerhub.com. While sorting at a food bank, collecting donations and cleaning up trash on the side of the road are necessary and helpful, the option to remotely donate a service gives people the opportunity to be generous with a different group of skill sets.
Online opportunities to help others are flexible and vary by role. Volunteers choose how much time they want to commit and complete tasks from any location with only a computer. Common virtual tasks include translating, tutoring, data entry, transcribing, photo editing, graphic design and more.
According to a study by VolunteerMatch, 66% of volunteers give time to improve their communities, and 83% do so to contribute to a cause. Prior to the virtual option, most volunteers either provided assistance within their community or participated in fundraiser activities hosted by large nonprofit organizations from around the world. Virtual volunteering enables people to support both local and global organizations through an internet connection.
Local and global opportunities to give your time and talents online can be found through a Google search or by visiting volunteermatch.org/virtual-volunteering.
This April, consider the impact you could make. MidSouth Fiber Internet encourages everyone to participate in National Volunteer Month to find your own sense of purpose while helping others.
