Let’s talk about how you can make sure you’re ready to celebrate and contribute to National Volunteer Month when it rolls around next week.

Take Charge of Volunteer Celebrations
Many organizations would love to provide perks for their volunteers. Unfortunately, many organizations are also short on staff and time. Help out by offering to organize an event in April to honor volunteers. Here are some low-cost options to suggest:

• Organize a Potluck Volunteer Celebration
• Create Volunteer Awards to Distribute
• Call and Thank Volunteers with a Personal Message
• Surprise an Outstanding Volunteer with Organization-Wide Recognition

These are just a few fun and low-cost ways you can participate. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your volunteer month celebrations.

Expose Yourself to a New Cause
There’s nothing like broadening your horizons. National Volunteer Month is a great reason to step outside of your comfort zone. Continuing to volunteer for the same organization or cause is great. However, there might be something that you’re missing.

Step outside of the box during National Volunteer Month. Think about the types of topics that inspire you and find a corresponding organization. Trust us—there are organizations out there for absolutely everything. You just need to do some searching to find them.

Try a New Role
There are always more ways to be involved at organizations than what meets the eye. Nonprofit staff might not know all of your skills. That’s why you should schedule a meeting with a nonprofit staff member to talk about other ways that you might be able to contribute. Skills that could be applicable to any organization include:

• Design Skills
• Writing Skills
• Data Analyzation
• Accounting/Legal Advice

What else could you be contributing to your favorite organization that would help them thrive?