Find unique and rewarding volunteer opportunities during COVID-19

Sometimes it feels like COVID-19 has taken so much away from our lives: going to work, school, and restaurants, among other things. Volunteering is also an area that most people have put on hold during the pandemic. But whether you’ve an avid volunteer or someone who just likes to give back to their community, there are still plenty of ways to get involved, even in the midst of a pandemic. Here is a list of some great organizations that you can volunteer for virtually, usually on your own schedule, to really make an impact. 

Volunteer Match

Volunteer Match is a well-known and heavily utilized database that matches volunteers with organizations they might be interested in helping. Creating an account is free, and you can even contact organizations through their website. While Volunteer Match has many postings for in-person volunteer opportunities, using their searchable database you can narrow your options to only organizations looking for virtual volunteers (you can also filter by your own interests, such as working in education, animal care, healthcare, and many more!).

The postings on Volunteer Match tell you about the organization, but also the kind of volunteers they need, so you get plenty of information about what specific role you would be filling. Volunteer Match is definitely one of the quickest ways to find a volunteer opportunity that matches both your interests as well as your schedule and other needs. 

Knit-a-square

If you’re a seasoned knitter or want to get into knitting, Knit-a-square is a fantastic organization to volunteer for. Knit-a-square is a nonprofit based in South Africa that takes knitted squares mailed to them from volunteers all over the world, then sews them together to make blankets for orphans in South Africa. They publish pictures of when they make and deliver the blankets to orphanages, so if you keep an eye out, you’ll even be able to see your squares keeping a young child warm. There are certain instructions for how you should knit and package your squares, but all the instructions are very easy to follow and complete, even if you’ve never knitted before. Learn more about this organization on their Facebook page here. 

Career Village

Career Village is a great way to volunteer that takes very little time but can make an impact on someone’s life. The basic premise of this organization is to give career advice to kids. On Career Village, kids can submit question about various career paths, and the website will notify you if there’s a question you might be able to answer. It’s a great way to help kids make more informed decisions about their futures, and all it takes is answering a few simple questions every now and then. 

Smithsonian Digital Volunteers

For those history buffs out there, volunteering as a Smithsonian Digital Volunteer can be extremely rewarding. As a Smithsonian Digital Volunteer, you’ll be joining a team of 41,590 people that work to make historical documents more accessible by transcribing and reviewing field notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, manuscripts, and more! All you need to do is read scanned pages of documents, type them out, and submit them, or you can proofread a transcription from another volunteer.

One interesting project currently in the making is Project PHaEDRA, which involves transcribing notes on stars and galaxies taken by women at Harvard College Observatory. You can even choose which projects to work on and for how long, as well as search for projects that particularly interest you. The Smithsonian Digital Volunteers have projects in subjects such as “Archives of American Art,” “National Anthropological Archives,” and the “National Museum of African American History and Culture.” No matter who you are, the Smithsonian is sure to have a project that will pique your interest.  

There’s numerous ways to get involved with organizations that speak to causes you truly care about, and there’s no greater feeling than helping a good cause. Whether you’re a history buff or a knitter, there’s something out there, something that you can impact and benefit. Or you can use databases like Volunteer Match to find something that perfectly suits you. Either way, there is no time like the present, even during COVID, to start giving back. 

— Avery Tamura