The August 25th, 2026 Activerain Zoom meeting was a roundtable where we shared our ideas for how to get involved in our community. The benefits of doing so include establishing relationships, making friends, meeting potential future clients, helping our community and giving our life meaning when in the process of retiring.
Accordingly, here are multiple ideas that were raised out this week’s call. I’ve included links where available to additional sources.
Habitat For Humanity - Habitat is a national organization that provides an opportunity to purchase a volunteer built home for those who cannot afford one at market prices. You need no specific skills prior to joining this organization; just a willingness to learn and the ability to volunteer time. While all Habitat groups work differently, in the Kalispell area, there is a group of approximately 10-15 regular volunteers who work one to two days per week. Not only will you become part of a community of construction minded people who come from all backgrounds, but you’ll gain home building skills! There is also a Habitat Women Build organization in some areas. To find out what opportunities might exist near you, click this link.
National Exchange Club - The Exchange Club is a national volunteer service organization that focuses on raising funds and volunteering for military, community and youth organizations in many communities. Volunteers don’t need any specific skills for this club - just a willingness to help. There are also opportunities for leadership roles in the Exchange Club if that is of interest. There is a small annual fee which funds the National and District level organizations. To find out how to get involved in your area, check out this link.
Search and Rescue - This organization is different based upon where you live. They could provide rescue and recovery services in the forests, waterways, center of towns or other locations. There is typically a lot of training, and various requirements as to how many missions a member must attend. So for this type of job, experience of some sort is usually required, and the time requirements may be significant. To get involved in your local Search and Rescue, contact your local county sheriff’s office or state emergency management agency to see what options are available.
Boy Scouts/Eagle Scouts - One attendee shared that someone contacted the Eagle Scouts in their area to find out what kinds of projects they were working on. One group put together a map that identified where some confusing walking trails were and where they went. Another Zoom attendee took over monitoring and maintaining bluebird boxes that the Boy Scouts had built in a local park. So one idea is to contact your local Scouting organization to see if there are any projects you can help with. Click here to find a scouting organization near you.
Food Assistance - Another idea brought up by several individuals was to help out at a Food Bank. Many can use help in the kitchen, assembling meals or packing bags into cars. This is great because you don’t need to go on a regular basis, just when you can. Here’s a potential source for food banks near you. Also relating to food, you could give leftovers from large gatherings to homeless shelters. Or you could put together lunches and deliver to policemen and firemen.
Community Cleanup - you could also participate or organize a clean-up in your area. One person is involved in an annual city-wide cleanup with 500-600 volunteers. You could do something smaller, perhaps addressing just one community near you. Unfortunately, there is probably garbage on just about every street in America so there is a huge need for cleaning events.
Home Repair - another great idea that was brought up at our Zoom call was to participate in any community efforts to help long-term homeowners who cannot keep up with property maintenance. There is an area that has a “rebuilding together” event once a year where volunteers fix landscaping, outside and inside home maintenance projects for those who cannot attend to those projects themselves. Is there a home in your community that could use maintenance? If the homeowner will accept help, perhaps that would be a place to start.
Animal Assistance - What about having a party and asking everyone to contribute something for the local animal shelter (or money) and then delivering to the shelter. You could also go to a local shelter and volunteer to clean out cages or take the senior dogs for a walk. Or perhaps help an organization that trains service dogs. Or maybe you could video dogs that are waiting for adoption and share your video on social media. Another idea is to just take neighborhood dogs for a walk when their owners cannot.
Flowers - if you are great with flower gardening, perhaps you could volunteer to maintain the flower beds at your local church or other businesses.
Clothing for Children - Or perhaps you might set up a Shoes for the Shoeless program, giving new shoes and socks to children whose families cannot afford to do so. Also, what about setting up a program to give prom dresses to teens who cannot afford one. f they don’t have a dress, they’re not going to the prom! Or you could volunteer at a local coat drive (or set one up).
Tool Library/Sharing - Another interesting program is to set up a tool sharing social media site for your community. If someone is looking for a specific tool for a job, they could post on the site that they need something specific, and rather than buying a tool they’ll use once, they can borrow it from the group. If there is such a thing in your area, sellers who are leaving and don’t need everything can donate their items, and buyers who get into a new home and can’t afford tools could also use them.
Community Christmas Tree Giving - Another idea is to put up a Christmas tree in your neighborhood, and ask all neighbors to put on an ornament. When the tree is fully decorated, give it to a community family who needs it. One community was so successful at this, they went from giving away one tree to giving away multiple!
Election work - you can also volunteer to help your local election teams. Work at the polls or help in other ways.
Charity assistance - if you’d like to check out some of the other charities that were mentioned, see Wounded Warriors, Chair the Love and Wreaths Across America.
And I think this captures all the ideas raised at yesterday’s ActiveRain Zoom call. A huge thank you to Debe Maxwell, CRS , Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 , Kathy Streib , Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 , Hannah Williams , Sham Reddy CRS , Dorie Dillard Austin TX and William Piotrowski for participating!! You all had wonderful ideas.
Finally if you haven't come to a weekly Zoom call, check out the featured posts on Sundays for information on what we'll be talking about. Everyone is welcome!
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