Acts of Service

MLK day is meant to be a day of service. A day when you can honor and serve your community. But, we can’t let that only be for one day. Although there are challenges that come with volunteering in the midst of a pandemic, there are still ample opportunities that need to be taken advantage of.

Volunteering time is not only of massive benefit to the organizations and people being served but it is also good for the soul of the volunteer. We can fill our cups by helping others, we can meet like-minded people, we can be uplifted by working together.

You may have seen our MLK day post featuring a link to the AmeriCorps page where they provide a search engine for finding volunteer opportunities in your community and beyond. This is an excellent place to begin your search!

Here, you can find some other opportunities to volunteer, while remaining safe in the current times.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters

Having reliable mentors for children is more important than ever. Children have been more isolated throughout this pandemic, many missing out on the face-to-face, in-person connections that come from schools and extracurricular activities. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of VT has made their program virtual and are looking for volunteers to meet with their young participants, while Big Brothers, Big Sisters of NH has worked out ways and found activities to allow for socially-distanced meetups for their volunteers and young people. These are opportunities to really make a difference in a child’s life through prolonged connection and mentoring.

Food Banks

While so much of the world has paused, slowed down, or altogether stopped for the time being, people and families facing hunger have not. In fact, more people are in need of food assistance with so many out of work. Food banks are an essential resource in our communities and they rely on people donating food and time. Volunteering looks different with individuals doing work alone that would traditionally have been done in larger groups, but it is more needed than ever. Vermont Foodbanks is working with the volunteers in new and creative ways. Reach out to your local food bank to see how you can help. 

Be My Eyes App

Be My Eyes is an app that connects blind or low-vision people with sighted volunteers to assist with visual tasks. Simply download the app and take occasional time to help a blind or low-vision person with a small task and make their day a little bit easier.

Meals on Wheels

Supporting elderly members of our community who are more at risk in the pandemic is crucial. Small tasks like getting groceries have become more stressful for everyone, particularly this community. Meals on Wheels is more in need of volunteers than ever and, in VT, have made appropriate modifications to their program to protect volunteers and clients. Check with your local branch to see how you can support this work.

You can do so much to support and honor your community. Is there an issue that resonates with you? Find an organization that is working to solve that problem and get involved. While many places are holding off on typical volunteer opportunities, many are finding creative ways to stay safe or are relying on volunteers to phone bank or write to congress members. There are a plethora of ways to get involved and use your time and energy to work towards a better world.