For Moms: New Ways to Approach Volunteering

At a volunteer fair with my friend Garry

By popular request (ok, maybe two or three people), I'm going to write about volunteering once you have a child. It seems simple enough to continue giving a few hours of your time to an important cause, but once you have a cute little human who needs you 24/7, inconsistent sleep schedules, and environments where children may not be welcome, you may need to reevaluate your approach to volunteering. I will write about how you can stay involved in the community once you have kids in this post and write another one about volunteering with your children when they are a little older. Hope you find them helpful!

So you have a child and you want to volunteer, but where do you start? First off, come up with your game plan by answering these questions:

• How often do you want to volunteer? Weekly? Monthly? Special events only? 
• How many hours are you able to commit to in that time frame? 
• How long of a commitment can you make? A few months? Indefinitely?
• When do you want to volunteer? Weekdays? Weekends? Mornings? Evenings?
• Do you have someone to watch your child if needed?
• Do you have a preferred location? Do you have the resources to help from home?
• What do you really really really want to help with?

Out of all of these questions, the most important is the last one. When you have a child or any other obligation that gives you limited free time (a part-time job in the evenings, going back to school, etc.), it's so important to make sure that you are spending your time in ways that are meaningful and rewarding in some way.

Once you have an idea of how you'd like to volunteer and your availability, you can start searching for opportunities. For me, the easiest ways to stay involved include administrative work that I can do from home, increasing my participation in events and activities coordinated by my MOMS Club, and serving on the Board of Directors for a few organizations. Each of these has offered me the opportunity to do work from home on my own schedule and to give back in ways that are fun and meaningful. I'll focus on finding those types of opportunities and a few others below.

At-home administrative work:

You're probably thinking that this doesn't sound very exciting and wondering how rewarding it can be to type pages and pages of random information. However, I've had a lot of luck finding this type of volunteer work and it's much more varied than it sounds. One particularly memorable experience was typing up Christmas wish-lists for a non-profit organization so that they could be distributed anonymously to community members. You can also help an organization keep up with it's website, Amazon wish-list, or social media pages. Some organizations also need help with online research projects or planning special events. All of these tasks can easily be done from home, but are invaluable to the organization.

There are a few ways to find opportunities that match your interests. If you already know the organization you'd like to help, a visit to their website is the best place to start. They will likely have a list of their volunteer needs and information on the application process (forms, background check, etc.). If you aren't sure where you'd like to volunteer, there are several online clearinghouses available including:

• Volunteer Arlington 
• Volunteer Alexandria
• Volunteer Fairfax 
• Idealist 
• Volunteer Match 

Each of these sites and many others allow you to search by keyword, location, and more. If you are having trouble finding opportunities within your search parameters, try searching more broadly or tweaking your keywords. Once you find an opportunity you are interested in pursuing, the site will provide contact information so that you can follow up and express interest. Be open from the start about your availability, especially if you have strong preferences about volunteering from home or need a unique schedule. 

MOMS Clubs or other parenting groups:

Helping out a parents group that you are involved in is an awesome way to volunteer because you are likely to be helping out with other people who have kids your age. It's a great way to build your bond with other parents and meet new people. I oversee the playgroups for my MOMS Club, which involves a lot of emails, coordinating with our County's facilities department for room reservations, creating and managing forms, and other tasks that can be done from the comfort of my couch. It's a position I enjoy because it involves connecting moms and babies with each other and gives me a little extra push to take Emily to playgroups. You can also help plan special events like holiday parties or welcome events for newcomers. Finally, your club is likely to have its own volunteer events, which are bound to be kid-friendly! Activities that have been popular with our MOMS Club include making holiday cards for troops, diaper drives, and caroling at a nursing home.

Serving on a Board of Directors:

If you are looking to keep up your skills and build resume-worthy experience, serving on an organization's Board of Directors is a good option. The time commitment varies and you will likely have to attend monthly meetings, but much of the committee work can be done on your own time. Last November, I finished up a three year term as Chairperson of the Arlington County Fair, Inc., the all-volunteer non-profit organization that plans and implements the annual Arlington County Fair, and I'm now serving as Treasurer. The experience has been so multi-faceted (contracts, sponsors, work orders, volunteer management, public relations, etc.) that it is probably my single biggest learning experience outside of school. I'm also Treasurer for my condo association board and enjoy this role because you get a better feel for the day-to-day operations of the community and how everything adds up over time. I've also been able to work with our investment manager on the strategy and long-term plan for investing literally millions of dollars -- something I don't have the opportunity to do with my personal finances!

To find more information about joining a board, a good starting point is the organization's website. The information might be listed in the get involved, about us, or contact section. If you cannot find information already on the website, try reaching out to a current board member (the chairperson or recruitment committee chairperson are likely to be able to help). Some board openings are also listed in online databases, such as Volunteer Arlington's Board Match.

Modifying your existing volunteer role:

If you are already helping an organization, continuing your involvement with different parameters may require a simple conversation with the organization's volunteer coordinator about your new availability and how you can continue to contribute. For example, if you were serving meals at a homeless shelter in the evenings, you might be able to serve breakfast in the morning before your spouse leaves for work. Or, if you were helping with an after-school program for children in the arts, you could help plan a special community event or the organization's annual fundraiser instead. Even better, if you have a history with the organization and the environment is appropriate for young children, they might be more open to the idea of you bringing your baby with you. You never know until you ask!

Creating your own opportunities:

This is the easiest one because you have complete control! You can organize a park cleaning, a toiletry drive (or a coat drive, a bra drive, a diaper drive...you get the point), or any other event you're interested in hosting. Come up with an idea, find ways to share the idea to others and get people involved, gather any necessary supplies, and go for it!

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No matter what you decide to do, remember that it should be an experience that you enjoy and it should be mutually beneficial to you and the organization you are helping. Good luck and happy volunteering!