WHY SHOULD TEENS VOLUNTEER?

Doing volunteer work is not only an interesting activity...

...a fun way to make friends, and a great cure for boredom or loneliness. It's also a great way to serve your community and make a difference in people's lives!

Through volunteering, you learn responsibility and experience the joy of doing something worthwhile, while helping others in your community. Plus, many teens have service requirements for school, and volunteer opportunities are a great way to fulfill those hours.

If you are interested in volunteer work, ask your parents or a teacher at school to help you contact local charitable and/or community organizations (some volunteer activities may need adult guidance or supervision). Or, use the community service ideas from Myjellybean.com, listed on the main page of this section.

One last note: It's easy to feel generous during the winter holidays, when the "spirit of giving" is in the air. But the truth is, volunteer work is needed every day of the year, not just at Christmas. There are so many organizations that need your time. So get out there and start! When you do, you'll see how great it makes YOU feel. to brighten someone's day!