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News & Events
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Group helps volunteers find a cause Hands on Bay Area runs Web site full of community projects needing assistance Posted in the Oakland Tribune on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 Written by Kitty McCarthy Let's face it, volunteering isn't always easy. Imagine how long it could take to find just one tree-planting opportunity in Alameda County for the first week of February. Luckily, the innovative, nonprofit Hands on Bay Area organization helps the overwhelmed find tree-plantings galore, not to mention a host of other mentoring, feeding and restoring opportunities. Hands on Bay Area aims to remove some of the guesswork and hassle from doing the right thing. Its main tool, a user-friendly Web site, connects more than 10,000 Bay Area volunteers with more than 100 projects a month, cross-referencing the vast array of opportunities by date, location and area of interest. With the holiday season approaching, Hands on Bay Area expects a significant increase in volunteers. "It's a time when individuals think, 'Oh, my gosh, I need to get involved with my community,'" says Executive Director Beth Meyer. While the agency embraces holiday opportunities, Meyer says its motto remains "keep the giving going." Maintaining ongoing relationships is the key to Hands on Bay Area's success. Acknowledging that many people are unable to make long-term commitments, the agency acts as a liaison, partnering with organizations that use volunteers while providing the necessary training to those interested in helping out. This unique setup makes it easy for volunteers to keep helping long past December. "If all you want to do is sign up for an occasional project, just being active in their database allows you to go to their Web site and pick a project," says frequent volunteer Karen Berger. Through its searchable online calendar, Hands on Bay Area encourages volunteers to find the projects that fit them best. Volunteers "know that they can go to the Chaparral House (a nursing home) on Saturday, but that next week they can go to Dharma Publishing and prepare books that are being shipped off to India," says regular volunteer Jen Franklin. Regardless of what project people choose, "they're going to get a community of like-minded volunteers," Franklin says. "The opportunities are endless." For more information about volunteering with Hands on Bay Area, visit www.handsonbayarea.org or call (415) 541-7716. Oakland Tribune: General Contact Information
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Related links: - Oakland Tribune - Hands on Bay Area |
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