A: FROM MENTOR MARTY CHINTALA IN RI
Sally,
That's great that you want to volunteer! To some extent the kind of
volunteering depends on you and what you find interesting or what topics
are important to you. I personally think all volunteering is beneficial
and helpful, and can be fun if you let it. When I was deciding what
kind of volunteering I wanted to do I looked at my interests and
passions and went from there. If you like animals you could volunteer
at an animal shelter or local zoo or aquarium. If you feel strongly
about a social issue, you could volunteer for a local organization that
specializes in that area, such as a domestic abuse shelter, Big
Brothers/Big Sisters organization, homeless shelter, Meals on Wheels,
church etc. You could also volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, AIDS
care center, etc. There are so many places that would welcome your
help!

I did a volunteer internship at the Baltimore Aquarium and loved it
because I got to take care of animals and see how a large scale aquarium
is run from the inside. I also did volunteer work with a local women's
resource center, a sexual assault and abuse hotline, a support
organization for gay and lesbian teens, and an organization that helps
assist deaf adults. While I wouldn't describe these as "fun" in the
same way that I would describe my volunteer time at the aquarium, I
found I still enjoyed them for different reasons- they were rewarding
and dealt with issues that were important to me for a variety of
reasons. Your only limitation is yourself. Good luck, enjoy the work
and let us know how you do!