You want to be part of a global movement calling for social justice. You’d like attitudes to change, laws passed, true equality to become a reality.
But.
There’s only so much time to go around. You work 10 hours a day, add the consulting gig on the side, and the startup you and your former college roommates are trying to get off the ground. Who has time for anything else, let alone volunteering in an office or in the field?!
Guess what? You can do A LOT for charities while sitting at Starbucks. Ten minutes here, 20 minutes there, and voila! You’re making the world a better place. Here’s how…
A discerning eye
Are you a Photoshop expert? Know how to edit video clips? Enjoy storytelling and the visuals that go with making a story come to life? Then every charity out there needs you.
Donors today want to hear and, more importantly, see the impact their donations are making on a charity’s constituents. Pictures and video help demonstrate impact and bring a charity’s activities to life. You already possess killer graphic skills – why not put them to good use and create visuals a charity can use in both online and offline promotional materials?
Writing is your passion
Nonprofits are constantly writing – a monthly e-newsletter, donor reports, press releases, blog posts, web content, brochures and everything in between. Charities are always looking for talented writers who can tell a good story, get the important points in front of the reader, and initiate a call to action that will resonate.
Does that sound like you? Guess what? You’re hired! The pay might not be much but it’s enormously satisfying knowing your writing contribution helped recruit more volunteers and raised much needed funds. And hey, you’ll have some new pieces to add to your portfolio.
I tweet. Therefore you are.
You tweet. You snap. You post. You insta. We know you don’t ello.
Your social media skills, your ability to use the web to research, and your familiarity with the online world could be of great value to a charity in your hometown or thousands of miles away.
There’s critical legislation pending and a charity needs someone to help organize a protest in front of town hall? You can help spread the message quickly and mobilize people to join in all from your phone in a matter of minutes.
If the cause is really close to your heart, use your social media presence to intro friends. Serve as a charity’s online advocate and ambassador and help bring eyeballs to the charity’s website. Let people know why the mission is important and what they can do to help. People share, people repost, people retweet. You need to get that chain reaction started.
Data plan for good
You’ve always been very persuasive when you talk, whether in a public forum or on the phone. Why not donate a few minutes of your monthly data plan? Speak to potential donors and persuade them to donate. Contact and convince people to volunteer in the field. Call your local city councillors and explain why they should vote against the latest proposed ordinance. One phone call, two minutes time, and you’re an agent of change.
Change doesn’t happen overnight or by itself. It takes a dedicated team of both paid employees and volunteers. But not everything has to be done in the office, so before you start another 10-hour day of staring at the computer screen, have a seat, drink your favourite morning beverage, and take on any of the above tasks to help your preferred charity.
Israel Schachter co-founded Charity Bids and serves as its CEO. Charity Bids helps nonprofits impress donors, increase revenues and build mission awareness by providing them with no-risk charity auction items of exclusive and priceless trips and experiences. In his “spare” time, Israel has raised over $30 million as a volunteer fundraiser.
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