
Here are the tips I provided:
- Identify charities that match your charitable interests: Determine what it is you want to accomplish – such as help those hurt by the economic impact of the spill, clean up the damaged marshlands, assist with injured animals-- and identify charities that work to achieve those goals.
- Vet the charities: Confirm that each is a real nonprofit and, if at all possible, confirm that it has done this time of disaster work before. Examine the accomplishments of each group until you are left with a list of exceptional charities for whom you'd be proud to work.
- Quantify and qualify what you can offer:
- How much time can you realistically give?
- What days of the week and time of day are you available to volunteer?
- What unique talents do you possess that would help with this particular disaster?
- What tasks are you unable or not willing to do?
- What do I hope to gain from the experience? (Do you want to develop a new skill set that would be transferable to the workplace? Do you want to meet new people with similar interests? Do you just want the gratifying feeling of helping?)
- Make a commitment: Volunteers that show up late, cancel at the last minute and produce limited results encumber the charity, costing it money and preventing it from meeting its goals.
- Deduct the related expenses: The value of the time you spend volunteering is not deductible, but out-of-pocket expenses incurred while volunteering (for a qualified organization) may be deductible. For example, you can deduct mileage incurred while volunteering at a rate of $0.14 /mile.
For more specific volunteer options related to the oil spill check out the Louisiana Serve Commission’s website. You can also call them at 2-1-1 (local) or 800-755-5175 (out of state) to learn more.
As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today. Donate now >>
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