| Issue date: Sept. 19, 1999
Choosing
a charity, part 2
In my last column, I wrote about what you need to know before
you give away your money. This week we consider an even more valuable
commodity: your time.
3 things to know before you volunteer
How much time can you commit? "If you can only work one
Saturday a month, you can't be a mentor," says Susan Schnall, spokeswoman
for New York Cares, an organization that matches volunteers with
activities. "But you could take on a gardening or painting project."
To find a project that fits your parameters, work with a group such
as New York Cares. To find out about groups in your area, call the
Points of Light Foundation, 1-800-865-8683, or visit www.citycares.org.
What do you want to do? You can go one of two routes: Pick
something you already like to do and do well. (For instance, the
IRS has 100,000 volunteers who help disabled or homebound people
prepare their tax forms; that might be a good fit for a retired
accountant.) Or opt for something that you'd be thrilled to do but
that's not now part of your day-to-day life.
Do you like what you hear? Once you've narrowed down your
list of volunteer options to three, visit each one. Quiz the volunteer
manager: How will I be trained? What sort of volunteer turnover
do you experience? (Retention of 50% a year is good.) Finally, ask
to see volunteers in action, if possible.
| 
