Introduction | Summer Needs | Great Ideas | Resources for Getting Started
President's Volunteer Service Award
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If you have an idea of how you want to volunteer this summer but have questions about how to get started, there are many resources to help you. The following are some guides that we suggest to help you embark on your volunteer opportunity of choice.

• Check out "Ten Tips for Volunteering Wisely." This useful resource was put together by The Independent Sector, and provides valuable advice on topics to consider as you choose a volunteer activity.
  
• The Points of Light Foundation offers a variety of resources on its website to assist individuals, families, and groups develop and implement a variety of successful volunteer service projects. Among the resources are:
  
  
  • "Family Volunteer Primer," which promotes volunteering together as a family to not only strengthen the family but also strengthen the community.
    
  • Workplace volunteering practices that help engage employees and retirees in volunteer service can help meet important needs in the community while also meeting the priorities of the business.
    
  • Important tips to involve individuals with disabilities in community service.
    
  • An online source of best practices to plan volunteer projects, strengthen volunteer programs and organizations, and help ensure outcomes.
        
• Through the Summer of Service Initiative, the Corporation for National and Community Service and USA Freedom Corps have developed a Getting Started Guide (PDF) for organizations and individuals interested in participating in the initiative.
      
• KidsHealth has also put together A Family's Guide to Getting Involved in conjunction with the Summer of Service Initiative.
       
• YouthNOISE has developed a "Lend a Hand Toolkit" to help youth identify, organize, plan, and implement their own service projects. This toolkit will help you with brainstorming ideas, checklists, tips, and how-to instructions.
  
• As you consider what type of service activity you would like to do, you may want to consider organizing your friends and family to plan a one-day service event in your community. The Points of Light Foundation has also put together an easy-to-use guide to help you get started. Click here to view the PDF file.