Goodnation Philanthropy Advisors

View Original

Virtual volunteer opportunities

Support nonprofits remotely

By Tasnima Zaman

Grappling with the stresses of COVID-19, nonprofits are working hard to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Many nonprofits that have typically only offered in-person volunteer opportunities have gotten creative and made it possible for donors to stay engaged and keep supporting them through virtual volunteering. Volunteering of any kind is a great way for donors to see the impact of the nonprofits they support first hand and to get to know the hardworking people behind the scenes. Studies have also shown that volunteering and contributing towards positively impactful work increases personal happiness! 

If your in-person volunteering activities are no longer possible or you have extra time on your hands, virtual volunteering might be for you. Here are a few organizations with remote opportunities that you can participate in:

The Opportunity Network

  • Work with 12th grade Fellows this fall as a College Essay Coach to help them brainstorm, draft and edit their personal statements and provide valuable feedback on the rest of the application process

  • Participate in Speed Networking events to help students practice their elevator pitches and connect with professionals from diverse industries

  • Provide students with feedback on their resumes and interviews through career oriented workshops

  • Join career panels to give students a view on various professions

For more information visit their website.

Code Nation

  • Volunteer as a teacher in Code Nation’s Intro to Web Development programs to provide high school students valuable skills and experience in accessing careers in technology

  • Volunteers are experts in the tech industry and come from backgrounds such as web and software development

For more information visit their website.

Project Sunshine

  • Connect with hospital patients across the country and bring cheer to their day

  • Create coloring pages for hospitalized children to provide them with a stress-free play opportunity

  • Write thank you messages to child life specialists, social workers, doctors and other healthcare workers

  • If you have any other skills (ie. musician, artist, baker, scientist, etc), use them to engage with patients and their families to bring compassion into their lives

For more information visit their website.

If you're interested in other virtual volunteering opportunities or supporting nonprofits through Goodnation, please log on to your account or get in touch with your Philanthropy Advisor. 

Tasnima Zaman is the Summer 2020 Foundation and Nonprofit Program Intern at Goodnation supporting the expansion of Goodnation’s work with high impact nonprofits. She is a rising sophomore at Columbia University planning to study Economics and History, with a focus on international affairs and development. Tasnima is interested in the intersection between health, education, the environment and racial justice in the nonprofit sector.