While most of us are happily employed or at least have a shelter over our heads, there are so many people who are not as fortunate. While living in Washington D.C. I have noticed more so than other cities the plight of the homeless or less fortunate. I know while I lived in Los Angeles and San Diego that such problems existed, but I never was really “aware” until I was awakened to it by a friend of mine over the summer. One of my personal projects this year is to get more involved with community service. In the past I was one of those people who would happily write a check to a charitable cause, but rarely got my hands “dirty.” Not this year…I have decided this month and next year to start a project of volunteerism to really give back to my community.

While I may be actively involved in Alpha Kappa Psi as a volunteer, I feel that is not enough. I need to really broaden my horizons and get more involved in my community and the well being of other, sometimes less fortunate people. This Friday I have volunteered to help out with a project with Build-a-Bear where I will be working from 8am – 10am helping coordinate the creation of 4,000+ bears and book care packages for the charity First Book. On Saturday I will be participating with the Alpha Kappa Psi Capital Area Alumni’s community service event with the Capital Area Food Bank from 1pm – 4pm where we will be helping sort food, create baskets, and various other “food warehouse” type work. I am super excited because this is kicking off my month of service, and my getting me pumped for volunteering more in 2010.

They say you should always donate “time, treasure, and talent,” and so many of us donate our treasure…but what a lot of these organizations really need are time and talent. I will keep posting about my experiences giving back to the community and help provide opportunities or point you in the direction of friends who have started Non Profits Organizations that need help.