Many RVers are part of the approximately 28.8 percent of the population who volunteer. They make apple butter and donate the proceeds to a church camp, clean a canyon on a Good Sam Club National Cleanup Day, serve as campground hosts for national parks and the Corps of Engineers, drive their motorhomes during a Special Olympics to shadow torch runners and provide many other beneficial services voluntarily.
You can explore the following exciting opportunities for volunteering or search for others online.
• The American Red Cross is a disaster relief organization that depends on volunteers. To find opportunities to help in your area, visit www.redcross.org or check the white pages of your telephone directory for a local chapter.
• Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. It invites volunteers of all backgrounds to build houses for low-income families in conjunction with prospective homeowners.
RV Care-A-Vanners Info. Desk
121 Habitat St.
Americus, GA 31709
(800) HABITAT, ext. 2446
Email: rvinfodesk@hfhi.org
www.habitat.org/gv/rv.html
• Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) is a program of the National Park Service that connects people with volunteer opportunities such as acting as campground hosts or tour guides and providing visitor information. Go to www.nps.gov/volunteer and click on Opportunities. You can also go to www.volunteer.gov/gov to search for additional opportunities in the public sector that fit your interests and skills.
• Take Pride in America (TPIA), a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior, recruits, supports and recognizes volunteers who work to improve our public lands and waters. It partners with federal, state and local governments; conservation, youth and recreation groups; and national corporations and organizations.
Take Pride in America
1849 C Street NW
MS 3459
Washington, DC 20240
(202) 208-5848
Fax: (202) 208-5873
Email: takepride@ios.doi.gov
www.takepride.gov
• Passport in Time is a program of the USDA Forest Service Volunteers can work with professional archaeologists and historians on projects including archaeological excavation, rock art restoration, surveying, archival research, historic structure restoration, gathering of oral histories and writing interpretive brochures. To see what projects are available, go online and visit their website or contact the PIT Clearinghouse for a printed version in the PIT Traveler.
Passport in Time
Clearinghouse
PO Box 31315
Tucson, AZ 85751-1315
(800) 281-9176
Fax (520)-298-7044
Email: pit@sricrm.com
www.passportintime.com
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offers a volunteer clearinghouse at (800) 865-8337 or www.lrn.usace.army.mil/volunteer Volunteers help to protect natural resources and maintain recreation areas. The telephone hotline and Website match skilled, enthusiastic workers with Corps employees who can use their services.
• Workamper offers many exciting volunteer opportunities in a program called “Be a WorkCamper (the ‘C’is for Charities).” To learn about interesting places to volunteer, go to http://www.workamper.com/WorkamperNews/TWNCharities.cfm, call Workamper at (800) 446-5627 or e-mail info@workamper.com.
• Volunteers are the foundation of the Escapees RV Club. Escapees members can join Birds of a Feather (BOF) chapters, which are special-interest groups. Escapee volunteers bring help relief nationally and internationally.
Escapees, Inc.
100 Rainbow Drive
Livingston, TX 77351
(888) 757-2582
Fax: (936) 327-4388
www.escapees.com
• Servants on Wheels Ever Ready (SOWERS) is a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry of interdenominational Christians who RV and work on projects at various churches, missions, camps and other ministries. The group’s work includes automotive and truck repair, construction and maintenance.
SOWER Ministry Office
14771 CR 424
Lindale, TX 75771
(903) 882-8070
Fax: (903) 882-8010
Email: sowersoffice@junocom
http://sowerministry.org
• VolunteerMatch is a nonprofit organization whose aim is to help everyone find a great place to volunteer. Interested volunteers can enter their ZIP code on the VolunteerMatch home page to find local volunteer opportunities posted by nonprofit organizations throughout the United States.
VolunteerMatch
385 Grove Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 241-6868 Fax:
(415) 241-6869
www.volunteermatch.org
Some county governments have databases of volunteers who would be available to help the county following a disaster. Sign up if you’re interested.
To volunteer at a campground, contact the volunteer coordinator for that campground about six months ahead of its camping season. Many parks do not plan much further ahead than that because voluteers’ plans may change.
In addition to many noble reasons to volunteer, RVers take along the comforts of home and combine fun with improving life on our planet. As they see the happiness of the people they have helped, most RV volunteers agree that “RV” could stand for Rejuvenated Volunteer. |
