Apps For Volunteering

If you are looking for an easy way to find a place to serve, Volunteer Match is a great app to check out. It taps into the popular website volunteermatch.org, and puts it at your fingertips on your iOS device. The app allows you to easily search through thousands of volunteer opportunities in your community. You can type in information to help narrow your search, so you are sure to find an important cause that will fit your skills. In less than 2 minutes, this app will find an opportunity near you!

If you are a big fan of social networking and volunteering, Catalista is worth a look. Not only will it help you find a place to volunteer, but you can also rate the opportunity and share it on Facebook or by email. It is a simple app to use, and it allows you to read descriptions of each opportunity. You can sign up to volunteer right from the app and track your hours if that is important for work or school. Some users have mentioned the app only works in certain areas of the U.S., but it is worth checking out to see if it will work for you.

Here is a way to get involved in your community without leaving your couch. Every year at the holidays, we hear the sounds of the single toned bell outside of department stores and malls. The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign is one of the most popular fundraisers across the U.S. Now you can ring the bell year round with this iOS app. You can pick the tone of the bell and even create your own little song. The most important part of the app is it allows you to make a donation to the Salvation Army, which has been known to do wonderful things to help communities change lives. If you want to know more about what the Salvation Army does, you can watch videos right within the app.

If you would like to be rewarded for your service, and love being on Facebook, check out Reward Volunteers. If the organization you are serving has a Facebook page, it will work with this app. The app connects with your Facebook account, so you can log your volunteer work and earn chances to win prizes for both yourself and the organization you are serving. You can “Like” or comment on activities of others and promote the opportunities you have been part of. The more sharing on Facebook, the more points earned! You can win cash, a cruise, gift baskets and more!

If you remember the movie Pay It Forward with Haley Joel Osment and Kevin Spacey, you know the concept behind PayItForward. If you have never seen it, the rental is worth it. Each week, this app will provide you with an idea and suggestion of a small thing you can do to make a difference. Sometimes we just don’t think about simple little tasks that really could help our neighbor. Maybe it is just stopping to lift something or load items into someone’s car. Once you are done, just say; “pay it forward” to keep the movement going. This app costs $.99, however, it is worth the small price to encourage the pay it forward concept.

Do you remember some of your early days of volunteering by carrying a little Unicef box with you for donations while trick-or-treating on Halloween? For years Unicef has been engaging in humanitarian work around the world, to help children with healthcare, education, immunizations and more. Now you can participate on your iOS device in the latest movement, the UNICEF Tap Project, which provides clean water around the world. In this app you can stay up to date on this project along with other ways Unicef is serving in the world. You can also donate to the Tap Project, and find restaurants in your area that are participating in the Unicef fundraiser where customers are asked to donate $1 for a glass of water. This app is a great way for kids and adults to learn about making a difference in the world.

If you enjoy being part of a club or organization, Kiwanis International is well known for its service to children in local communities and across the world. Their app will help you discover clubs near you, as well as help you find volunteer opportunities. Once you are involved in a service project, you can track all the details and share your work with friends. The app also allows you to fundraise and donate to the organization.

Are you looking for ways to become more involved in your community? Are you looking to live a greener lifestyle? Trensy will help you figure out ways to do good deeds in your neighborhood while competing with friends in your social networks. The app requires you to connect to your Facebook account, however you can set it so it does not post anything to your wall. By following one of the provided opportunities or tips, you will earn coins, which you can use to promote your favorite deeds. You can gather your friends and form teams to even make your good deed doing more fun and competitive. The deeds are simple to follow such as using a recycled bag, riding public transportation, or buying green products. These tips may find you changing some of your habits!

Learning first aid could be of the most useful things you can do. If you are ever called to volunteer and help out in an emergency, you will have tools on your iOS device to help make the right decisions. Emergency First Aid & Treatment Guide will get you on your way to understanding basic first aid and give you a refresh from any training you may of had. This app does not replace official first aid training, however it is recommended by American CPR Training. Emergency First Aid & Treatment Guide will help you remember what to do in most situations where first aid is needed. The app costs $.99 but your investment may just save a life!

If you are looking for an opportunity to serve beyond your community, Maranatha Volunteers International will help you find opportunities around the globe. There is no setting your current location in this app, you just look through various projects and decide if it is a fit for you. Maranatha is an organization that primarily constructs buildings for people throughout the world. The app also allows you to view photos and watch videos of various projects that have changed the lives of many.