Choosing an Organization to Volunteer With

There are all sorts of charitable causes&#mdash;more than 1 million in the U.S. alone. You just have to decide what issues are closest to your heart.

Are there disaster relief efforts you'd like to contribute to? Does your heart break when you hear about animals in need? Can you imagine not having food or medicine when you need it? Think about what is meaningful to you. The Internet makes it really easy to find organizations doing that work. At Networkforgood.org, you can search by your town, type of cause or name of organization and find both volunteer and fundraising opportunities.

• Interested in some of our volunteering ideas? Try making a gift basket for babies in need or blackout boxes for senior citizens in your community.
• Check out ParentsConnect's ages and stages guide to volunteering opportunities.