Don't get me wrong. I love the satisfaction that comes from helping someone. Sticking With It Events like National Volunteer Week, which is observed April 19- 25, may motivate thousands of people to give their time. But it's that selfishness that keeps people coming back, says Gordon Raley, executive director for the National Assembly, an umbrella group of 54 charities. In fact, his group has found that if people don't pick a volunteer project they enjoy, they rarely stick with it.
Volunteers can help everywhere as long as they're open to giving.
That urge to give has actually become part of my relocation routine. Since leaving home for college, I've lived in four cities. First I unpack, figure out my work schedule and make a few friends. Then, I find an elderly person I can visit. It's rarely difficult.