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Go Online to Find a Way to Give Back

(ARA) -- Most people say they want to volunteer, and many Americans already do. But for some, the challenge with volunteering is not in the doing, but in the finding. Sure you want to get involved, but how do you find out where you are needed? Like so many other things these days, the best answer can be found on the Internet.

America’s Internet use has grown substantially in the last few years -- at the rate of approximately 2 million new users a month -- to the point where more than half the nation is now online. The Internet has become the place to go for all kinds of information and services. In fact, the power and convenience of this technology can even help you get involved in your community.

Since 1998, a nonprofit Web site called VolunteerMatch has connected volunteers with the right organizations and opportunities. Whether you want to support the arts, the environment or social issues; and regardless of whether you can volunteer one hour a month or five hours a week, VolunteerMatch will help you connect with the right organization and opportunity.

VolunteerMatch serves as a community network for both organizations in need of volunteers, and volunteers looking for organizations who can use their skills and experience. Any nonprofit or tax-exempt organization can list volunteer opportunities on VolunteerMatch, and nearly 30,000 already do.

In fact, tens of thousands of volunteer opportunities at soup kitchens, schools, animal shelters, churches, local parks and more, are available every day on VolunteerMatch, making it easy for anyone to get involved and give back. As a result, they have collectively received over 1.5 million volunteer referrals.

The site has delivered this staggering number of referrals precisely because the service is, at its core, very simple to use. Potential volunteers simply enter a ZIP code to find local opportunities, and also have the option to search by interest, date and keyword. Once an opportunity is found, the interested volunteer simply clicks on it to sign up and get involved.

“The Internet removes the barriers to communication, and VolunteerMatch removes the barriers to doing good,” says Deborah Dinkelacker, president of VolunteerMatch. “In just a few seconds, VolunteerMatch can help anyone find a great way to make a positive difference.”

A recent survey of volunteers and nonprofits bears these comments out. Among volunteers, nearly 90 percent of respondents agreed that the VolunteerMatch service made it easier for them to find a volunteer opportunity of interest, and 86 percent were satisfied with the volunteer opportunity they found through the service.

In addition, nonprofits also gave the VolunteerMatch service strong marks, with 85 percent agreeing that the service made it easier for their organization to find the right volunteers, and 94 percent expressing overall satisfaction with the VolunteerMatch service.

Although VolunteerMatch’s nonprofit services are free to volunteers and organizations that need volunteers, the service is made possible in part by generous contributions from national foundations and more than 20 corporate partners including The Gap, McDonald’s and Washington Mutual, that rely on VolunteerMatch’s award-winning corporate volunteering service to make it easier for their employees to get involved.