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Volunteer opportunities are all over the place, but often times they're tough to think of when you "have to." Best bet: think about things you like to do. Here are some ideas:
Animal shelters - usually coordinated through your local ASPCA (Jason Taylor and Sarah McLachlan both support the ASPCA) or via a branch of the local government. That includes dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, you name it - and the ASPCA also lobbies Congress on behalf of animals, too.
Local libraries - help put books away (which, I'd like to add, introduces you to all sorts of cool things that you might never know about) or serve as a "kids librarian" and help other kids find things they need at the library.
Homeless shelters - while many places might not let you help cook food because of training or safety limitations, most will probably let you help serve it, or help guide people (especially those that have a difficult time getting things themselves.)
Local parks & recreation services - how about building park benches or picnic tables (total cost in wood/bolts: about $30), or lining a park trail with old railroad ties (contact Amtrak or Conrail to arrange donation of them, total cost is zilch) - or if you're a little older, you might be able to officiate (referee) soccer or other types of sports - or, if you're really into it - you can help coach.
Local elementary schools - how about cleaning (and repainting?) the playground, repainting the basketball court, maybe a mural?
Nature center or museum - serve as a guide, or become "the expert" in a specific part that really interests you. Trees? Leaves? Birds? Dinosaurs? What about a place that rehabilitates hawks that have been injured, or ducks caught in oil slicks?
Tutor other kids in things you know well; if you enjoy reading, try "reading to the blind", where you read books out loud to a recorder (or even to a group of people, live!)
Or combine the best of two worlds: "borrow" a puppy from the animal shelter and take it to a homeless shelter or a senior citizen's home!
Worst case scenario: turn back to the web. The USA Freedom Corps athttp://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/for_volunteers/find_opps/index.asp
will help you find things based on things you like. You just enter in a few key words, select some categories, and give it your ZIP code.
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