Combining their passion for technology with a mission to do good, they are harnessing the Internet to help nonprofit organizations recruit volunteers. As one of only a few such matchmaking services, VolunteerMatch enables nonprofits to list one-time and ongoing opportunities in its database. A potential volunteer can search by zip code, date or type of activity to receive a list of available openings, such as gardening projects, meal services and tutoring. Cities with 30 or more participating organizations, like New York and Seattle, have their own community web pages.
Volunteers make initial contact by E-mail, then it is up to the organizations to screen applicants.
Since I had some free time, I did a search and found a local library looking for people to read to children. I contacted them and went that night. King says that the service makes it easy for her to find short-term openings, increasing her volunteerism from once a year to five or six times a year. According to Independent Sector, most American nonprofits rely on volunteers. Recruitment through traditional means, such as newsletters and advertising, takes considerable resources.