Archives

Volunteering is an excellent way to broaden your horizons, help your community, meet new people and lift your spirits. Many local nonprofits desperately need help from volunteers to accomplish their everyday missions and to put on special events. But how do you find out where your time and talents can do the most good? If you’re looking for volunteering opportunities in the Erie area, there are two excellent places to start – besides this blog, of course.

First, GoErie.com hosts a list of opportunities that is updated periodically as organizations submit their needs to us. Reach it by clicking the blue button, labeled “Latest Volunteer Opportunities,” to the right of this post. Anyone wishing to submit their volunteer needs for inclusion in this database can send them to joan.benson-cacchione@timesnews.com or fiona.branton@timesnews.com.

The United Way of Erie County and the Nonprofit Partnership recently launched Get Connected, a Web-based platform that matches volunteers with one-time and ongoing needs in Erie County and beyond. The site, http://getconnected.unitedwayerie.org, allows users to search for volunteer opportunities a number of different ways. You can browse through a list of nonprofit agencies, big and small, with descriptions of the organizations’ missions and their volunteer needs, as well as links to their websites.

If you have a certain kind of expertise or interest area, you can search for opportunities by topic area. You can also search events and for opportunities available within a certain distance of your location. If you want, you can register to receive updates of volunteer opportunities fitting the criteria you specify.

So if you have time and energy to give — whether it’s a lot or a little — check out these resources for some great ideas on how to use them.

It’s getting a lot easier to volunteer in Erie County.

United Way of Erie County and The Nonprofit Partnership launched its new online volunteer database this morning at a news conference.

Get Connected, or getconnected.unitedwayerie.org, matches aspiring volunteers with local opportunities based on their skill set and availability. Users can also follow local nonprofits and receive alerts when new volunteer listings are posted.

“This is the biggest idea that Erie has yet to get connected to,” said Bob Wooler, executive director of The Nonprofit Partnership, during the news conference. “This is the convergence of need and services.”

Wooler said Get Connected services both youth and adults, highlighting event work, short-term engagements and long-term projects for highly skilled volunteers.

Maj. Les Walter, of the Salvation Army, said the website launch will be especially helpful as the holiday season approaches. The Salvation Army is experiencing what Walter called “volunteer burnout,” as many longtime volunteers have “retired.”

“We’re hoping through this effort, more volunteers step up,” said Walter, during the news conference. “Even if money is tight, you can still give a few hours of your time.”

United Way of Erie County President Bill Jackson said the nonprofit is also looking to expand Get Connected”s reach into local schools. It can be used as a resource to help students fulfill volunteer hours, said Jackson.

Karen Seggi, executive director of Second Harvest, said she plans to use Get Connected with her two children.

“I want (my children) to learn that philanthropy is important,” said Seggi.

To learn more or make a volunteer profile, visit getconnected.unitedwayerie.org.

Image is a screenshot of Get Connected