The time has run out for families to put in an application for the South Florida EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER although I am sure thousands were sent in and we want our family to keep coming to the attention of the producers through your words in your emails... Please only email once, THANK YOU for your emails. If you run into an old friend, co-worker etc..of ours or someone willing to get to know us through the blog and they want to nominate(vote) for us have them email Lindsay Spaulding at her email castingsouthflorida@gmail.com Let Lindsay know how my community can help support their show if our family is chosen. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
The ABC show supports community involvement as part of their show mission..go to:
www.abettercommunity.com
Tips To Help You Get Started Volunteering
Research the causes or issues important to you. Look for a group that works with issues about which you feel strongly. There is no end to the creative avenues for volunteering, just as there is no end to the need for volunteers.
Consider the skills you have to offer. If you enjoy outdoor work, have a knack for teaching, or just enjoy interacting with people, you may want to look for volunteer work that would incorporate these aspects of your personality. This sort of position allows you to jump right into the work without having to take training to prepare for the assignment.
Would you like to learn something new? Perhaps you would like to learn a new skill or gain exposure to a new situation. Many nonprofits seek out people who are willing to learn. Realize beforehand, however, that such work might require a time commitment for training before the actual volunteer assignment begins.
Don't over-commit your schedule. Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit into your hectic life, so that you don't frustrate your family, exhaust yourself, shortchange the organization you're trying to help or neglect your job. Better to start out slowly than to commit yourself to a schedule you can't or don't want to fulfill.
Nonprofits may have questions, too. While most nonprofits are eager to find volunteer help, they have to be careful when accepting the services you offer. If you contact an organization with an offer to volunteer your time, you may be asked to come in for an interview, fill out a volunteer application, or describe your qualifications and your background. Consider volunteering as a family. Think about looking for a volunteer opportunity suitable for parents and children to do together, or for a husband and wife to take on as a team.
Virtual volunteering? If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organizations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work over the computer. This might take the form of giving free legal advice, typing a college term paper for a person with a disability, or simply keeping in contact with a shut-in who has e-mail.
I never thought of that! Many community groups are looking for volunteers, and some may not have occurred to you. Here are some volunteer opportunities that may not have crossed your mind:
- Museums, Art Galleries, and Monuments
- Prisons, Neighborhood Parks, Youth Organizations, Sports Teams, and after-school programs, Shelters for Battered Women and Children
- Historical Restorations, Battlefields and National Parks
- 1-800-Volunteer.org, a service of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, provides listings of local and virtual volunteering as well as contact information for Volunteer Centers across the nation.
Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering! Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with your enthusiastic spirit, which in itself is a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!
All tips are courtesy of ABC's national partner the Points of Light Network & Volunteer Center National Network.
Click to see some organizations ABC has partnered with that may be of interest.
