If you know P&G, you know we’re all about giving back to our community. When working on some internal efforts this year, we surveyed team members about their volunteering and realized a lot of people have had difficulty volunteering since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
To help our team members feel like there was still a place for them to give back regardless of how comfortable they are leaving their homes, we compiled a list of virtual volunteer opportunities. Whether you love to help seniors, kids or even birds, this list has something for you.
1. Make a craft to brighten a long-term women’s shelter.
Enchanted Makeovers is an organization that empowers women and children who live in shelters by transforming their spaces. If you’re crafty, try your hand at making a pillowcase, handmade doll or cape for a child in need.
2. Record bird sightings to benefit science and conservation.
This opportunity was inspired by our favorite bird lover, Malorie. If you love sending pictures of birds to your friends too, take it one step further and use those bird pictures for science. With eBird, a project by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, your bird sightings can help inform research worldwide.
3. Empower someone who is struggling at work.
If you’ve ever been in a frustrating or uncomfortable situation at work, you know that talking to someone can be the best way forward. Through Empower Work, you can be that sounding board for someone. After going through a 30-hour training session, volunteers are equipped with skills to help people who text the hotline through the challenges they’re facing related to toxic workplace environments, stress and anxiety, job transitions, unethical behavior and more.
4. Help a person who is blind see.
You don’t have to be a world-renowned scientist to give the gift of sight to a person who is blind or has low vision. Be My Eyes connects people needing sighted support with volunteers around the world through video. When someone requests help, the app notifies hundreds of volunteers who can pick up the phone and provide assistance over video chat.
5. Sift through materials for human rights violations.
Amnesty International’s Amnesty Decoders program is an innovative platform for volunteers around the world to use their computers or phones to help researchers sift through pictures, information and documents. Past opportunities included analyzing digital abuse against women on Twitter and finding evidence of bombing in Sudan.
6. Brighten a deployed service member’s day.
Soldier’s Angels offers many ways to support service members. Volunteers can write letters, send care packages or support families of those abroad. If you love baking, you can even send your baked goods to those overseas.
7. Make a toy for a shelter animal.
For those of us who have a soft spot for our furry friends, The Anti-Cruelty Society has a perfect opportunity. You can choose from many projects, from cat wands to dog puzzle toys to a no-sew pet bed and more.
8. Help students decide on a career.
CareerVillage is an online community where students can ask questions and get personalized life advice from professionals. Simply create a profile on the website and start answering questions about your industry, professional development, higher education and more.
9. Listen to those in crisis.
You don’t have to be a mental health professional to volunteer with the Crisis Text Line. Volunteers need to complete the application, consent to a background check and go through 30 hours of training to ensure that they are equipped to respond to any situation. Two out of every three crisis situations happen between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Eastern time, so if you’re a night owl or early bird, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
10. Transcribe documents for the Smithsonian.
If you’ve always loved history, help make it more accessible by joining the team of volunteers who transcribe documents for the Smithsonian. Volunteers transcribe notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, currency proof sheets, photo albums, manuscripts, biodiversity specimen labels and historic audio recordings.
Virtual volunteering is an excellent way to make a difference in the world, even if you may not have the time to go out into the community yourself. Whether it’s through virtual mentorship, digital advocacy or writing a letter to someone who needs support, there is a virtual volunteering opportunity out there for everyone. How will you change the world from the comfort of your couch?
