Philanthropist Ian Mitchell King, a Rotarian who has spent years working with multiple charities in and around Los Angeles, knows it’s not too early to start looking for ways to give back to the community during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Local charities benefit from knowing who to count on when the busy holiday season arrives, and volunteers who familiarize themselves with the people and organizations they will be working with will be in a position to make a significant, positive impact on the lives of needy individuals. To this end, King offers advice to help would-be volunteers ensure their time, talents, and donations have the optimum impact.
First, King advises taking some time to consider your skills and talents to ensure you’re using your capabilities in the most effective way possible. Those who can work with animals, for instance, may want to skip the local food bank and work with an animal shelter instead. Many shelters are seeing an influx of abandoned pets due to a sharp rise in foreclosures; furthermore, shelters may need help preparing for another expected influx of furry friends right after Christmas is over. Those who are good with kids may want to work with a toy drive or even connect with a vulnerable young person via a mentorship program. Drive and energy are qualities that could make a person a good food bank volunteer.
Ian Mitchell King also strongly suggests taking a realistic look at a holiday schedule to ensure that volunteer commitments can be kept. Backing out of a volunteer project at the last minute can make it difficult for an organization to complete the project as planned and can hurt the morale of other volunteers. Those who are unsure of their schedule may want to consider virtual volunteering opportunities with a flexible timetable rather than in-person projects that require one’s physical presence at a set time. Ian King also highly recommends virtual volunteering for elderly and disabled individuals who want to give back to the community but find it difficult to travel.
It’s also smart to vet an organization before donating time and money, Ian Mitchell King points out. Unfortunately, not all organizations that claim to be involved in non-profit work are actually genuine. Furthermore, some use a large percentage of donations to cover overhead expenses rather than giving directly to needy individuals. Would-be volunteers may want to ask friends, relatives, or colleagues who are actively involved in volunteer work for referrals to needy causes.
The projects that Ian Mitchell King participates in include working with toy drives, the homeless, and vulnerable youth. He has seen the impact volunteering can have on the lives of men, women, and children of all ages and walks of life, and he strongly encourages individuals to identify worthy causes they can donate time and money in order to make their community a better place. The holiday season is an ideal time to volunteer, he says, but he encourages those who want to get involved in non-profit projects to take the time to pick the right places and events in order to maximize their efforts.
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