How To Find Volunteer Opportunities
Having the desire to help people is simple enough, but actually finding ways to help in your area can be tricky. We know not everyone can sign up to become a foster parent or even a CASA worker; those are massive time and emotional investments. However, everyone can donate their time in some way. I’ll walk you through what I did to find out how I can help the foster children in my area.
The First Step
I went to Google and searched “foster care agencies near me”. This gave me a good idea of the different agencies and organizations that are around me locally that I was able to look into for service. Many of the websites I was finding had easily accessible donate buttons and information on how I could help.
Initially it may be a bit daunting sorting through search results, but after about ten minutes of looking I found two organizations that I felt I wanted to be a part of. I also found some really cool people at RISE Services working with those living with learning disabilities or specials needs, including foster children, adults, and everything in between, and noted that to come back to another time.
Do A Little Research
This is where you can look into the organizations you found. The first one I found, and that most people may find in their state, will be the state run foster website. Mine is Utah Foster Care. They clearly state who they are, what they are doing, and how you can help. Right away I know that my donations will go towards foster families in need, and I see very clearly how I can get involved.
They make it pretty easy, as you can see above. I know everyone isn’t looking to become a foster parent or adopt a child, but on the volunteer page you can see they offer many ways for people to help children in need. Collection drives, meet and greets, Family Time supervisors, or even watching some foster kids for a few hours while the foster parents get to have a night out. These are opportunities to invest yourself in helping others, and the time required is very minimal.
The volunteer form let me choose what I wanted to do, and I sent it in! It was that simple. Hopefully, soon I’ll be able to connect with some foster children and be a force for good in their lives, even if it’s only for a few hours.
On the non-state agency side of things, I also found an organization called Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, whose mission is to uplift struggling families and foster youth by providing necessary items that no child should have to go without. That sounded pretty good to me! They also had links to easily see how I could get involved with them.
The Little Lambs Foundation for Kids website, also very easy to get involved here.
Again, very clear information on this website, and it outlines programs and ways I can help. I also found that they offer a Teen Ambassador program, which will be a great way to help my daughter give back to the foster care program, which she came out of.
Commit Your Time
This is the hardest part for most people. We all have busy schedules, families, and various other responsibilities that take up seemingly all of our time. I know that if we commit to helping others, we will find time for it and everything else we have on our plates. Please get out in your communities and look for these sorts of opportunities to help. The children in the foster care system are suffering and just being there will mean the world to some of them. If you absolutely cannot commit any time, then consider committing a donation, monetary or otherwise, to any of the numerous organizations out there that are dedicated to help.
