Nonprofits will always welcome volunteers to stuff envelopes and ladle soup—but they'd also love your expertise, professional or personal. "Whether you're a social media whiz or speak Cantonese, there's a place for you," says Basil Sadiq, marketing associate at VolunteerMatch, an organization that connects volunteers with nonprofits. With the advanced search function at VolunteerMatch.org, you can search by city, country, cause (animals, homelessness, the environment), and skill (everything from public speaking to automotive repair). If you're a painter, you might find a senior center looking for an art teacher; an ultrasound technician might discover an understaffed clinic. And carpenters, you may be needed to install grab bars and other fixtures to aid the disabled, so buckle on that tool belt and get out there.

Remote Possibilities

Now even volunteers can telecommute.

With virtual volunteering, you can help anywhere, anytime. Go to VolunteerMatch.org to check out opportunities and spend your next lunch break calling sponsors, writing grants, or making toys for shelter cats. (Those catnip whales aren't going to knit themselves!)

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