By Natalie Olivo
The turn of the century has brought many different innovations, but one thing that’s changed is volunteering. Yes, volunteering changed from 2020 to 2021. In the midst of a pandemic, everyone’s lives turned upside down and so did volunteering. It isn’t easy to assist the community when cities are under lockdown orders. Several very clever philanthropists created these five virtual volunteering platforms using the virtual challenge as fuel for innovation and human connection.
Photo: Dylan Ferreira on Unsplash
Hire Heroes
Veterans often have a hard time reentering the workplace and civilian life. Hire Heroes allows some leeway between military life and civilian life. When volunteers sign up, they schedule Zoom calls to teach veterans life skills needed in the workplace. Volunteers can conduct mock interviews and help them build their resumes to succeed in the professional world. If you love to teach, check out Hire Heroes and sign up to volunteer. A hero out there needs your skills and help today.
Upchieve
Did you ever need a tutor or someone who could counsel you about achieving your goals in high school? Upchieve is a tutoring and mentoring program that connects volunteers with struggling students from low-income families to find their way through the high school maze. Not everyone has access to private tutors or counselors and this is a great way to get involved.
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Translators without Borders
If you know more than one language, this philanthropic group is for you. Translators without Borders bring multilingual people together to translate important medical documents for serious ailments in foreign countries. This organization mainly focuses on medical documents that doctors from the U.S. need to translate for patients who otherwise would not have access to medical care. If you have extra time and know more than one language, volunteer with Translators without Borders.
Tarjimly
Another great virtual translation platform is Tarjimly. Volunteers provide instant translations for those who have been displaced from their homeland. This site helps refugees gain footing in an otherwise challenging environment. Again, knowing many languages is helpful, and if you could help someone get back on their feet by translating important documents, then that is time well spent.
Adopt a Nursing Home
During this pandemic, it has been tough for the elderly to socialize. Most senior citizens are feeling lonely and long for companionship. Adopt a Nursing Home asks volunteers to write an old fashion letter. Yup, snail mail is making a comeback! It is a much more personalized way to share a connection with someone who needs a friend. Become a pen pal today with a senior citizen; you may learn something valuable and make a new friend.
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