Volunteering

Need something to do but don’t have any cash? Try volunteering! Community service does not have to be dull drudgery. There are plenty of cool places to suit your interests.

King Street Cats is a self-described “free-roaming cat orphanage” that rescues felines and gives them a warm, loving place to stay until they can be adopted out to proper homes. They maintain an average of 30 cats at any given time, and are run and supported entirely by volunteers. You can help them with wide variety of tasks, from volunteering medical expertise and fostering newborn kittens, to jobs as simple as playing and cuddling with the kitties. They also have an annual theatre event that serves as a fundraiser and public awareness promoter. This year’s event is the play Move Over Mrs. Markham, which will be staged at the Little Theater of Alexandria, with tickets $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Check them out at kingstreetcats.org.

Habitat for Humanity is an organization determined to eliminate homelessness by building better housing for those in need. Candidates for new homes live in unsafe or inadequate housing, make much less money than the average local, and are willing to commit to hundreds of hours of volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Whether the project is building a home from the ground up for disadvantaged families, or remodeling old homes for those unable to do so themselves, the organization relies almost entirely on the generosity of volunteers. Visit habitatnova.org to get more information about how you can help!

The Red Cross is part of a movement devoted to international disaster relief. They are present at the scenes of tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes and wars. Their logo is the most recognizable one in the world; where you see it, you know help is on the way. Your skills are needed to help with everything from nursing and administrating blood donations, to rescuing pets and distributing food to disaster victims. You can read up on the National Capital Region chapter of the Red Cross at redcrossnca.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the country’s largest mentoring program, pairing volunteers (or “Bigs”) with children in need of guidance (or “Littles”). Bigs and Littles spend time together a few times a month in order to establish a meaningful, trust-based relationship. By participating in fun activities with their Littles, these role models encourage development of values that will hopefully last a lifetime. According to the website, a study concluded that Littles are 46% less likely to use illegal drugs and 52% less likely to skip school. Check out bbbs.org if you are interested in becoming a Big!

Bethany Fuller

The Mike Webb Team, LLC