In an effort to get more people to volunteer by showing them how productive it can be (as opposed to other things such as letter writing campaigns and protesting), here is a place to comment on how you volunteer, the difference you've seen it make, whether or not you would recommend it to other people, and anything else you may want to add.

As for me:

In the past, I've worked at Public Libraries for three summers. It involved a lot of shelving, but near the end I was the person who pulled and sent the holds. It could be a lot of work, especially when unattended children sat down in front of the CD section, smiled at you, and promptly pulled all the CDs off the shelves, but overall I know the staff enjoyed having me there as libraries are notoriously understaffed and underfunded for the services they offer and any help they have is appreciated. If you are looking for a weekly volunteer job, libraries are a good place to start.

Right now, due to my library experience, I am organizing and semi-running a new library that's just getting off the ground at a local center. It's a lot of work, a lot of organizing, lifting, thinking, etc, but it's worth it. With the economy in a slump, anything to help people get access to books for free is appreciated by so many people (even if it's not necessarily by the kids themselves-- yet.)

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Volunteering

I have no problem with people doing "angry" volunteering, as you have that right. When I say angry, I mean that what you're volunteering for is probably going to make you or the other side angry (not passing judgment). What I do find disturbing is not balancing that angry volunteering with happy volunteering. When I say happy I mean volunteering your time at a food bank, or Habit for Humanity, or a woman's shelter, something that makes all parties happy.

I am so inspired by all of the responses to this post! It's only a small amount of people, but I know every little bit counts.

I'm a college student taking 5 classes, and I work at least 24 hours a week, so finding time to volunteer is a struggle. But,

A month or so ago a friend and I volunteered in San Francisco, CA to help rebuild a mission building to turn it into a school for underprivillaged kids in the Tenderloin district (if you don't know what the Tenderloin is, picture every movie of a 'crime central city' and you have it.) The crazy thing about this was is that right next door to SF911 (the building) was a Strip Club.

It was such an amazing experience to be doing hard labor that I know was going to affect the lives of hundreds of kids.

I'm also looking into helping volunteer at an event on 9/11 hosted by Twitter to raise awareness and donations for Operation Smile.

Keep up the amazing work everyone- you're helping someone, somewhere (:

I am a 31 year old single black female living in Paterson,NJ. I am a volunteer mentor to the youth both troubled as well as those on a righterous path. More often than not people have a misconception about inner-city youth and while many believe that if a young adult is doing well living in the urban society he or she is not in need of a mentor - this is totaly inaccurate all youths both troubled as well as those who appear to be doing well need mentoring and guidance.

I am an advocate for all youths. I am a product of my envioronment and although I grew up on the drug infested streets of Paterson because I had the right guidance I didnt end up a drug addicted prostitute like some of the females I befriended who as a teen appeared to have things totally under control. "Things are not always what they seem".

As a mentor I encourage all kids I come in contact with to communicate at all cost and to never be embarassed about who they are and where they came from. I have a story to tell just like everybody else how ever I effectively use my story in hopes of inspiring another young girl to think twice about having sex prematurely. I volunteer the deepest, darkest, coldest memories of my youth in order to wishfully help another youth who may or may not be on a path that could eventually lead to self destruction.

Volunteer work is what ever you decide to make it and sometimes it doesnt require much however even in the little you do the impact can ultimately be very grave.

I commend all who have sincerely given back in hopes of restoring the momentum in which this country was built.

Good luck to you all and happy volunteering.

I volunteer at different places occasionally. I don't tend to sign up for long-term commitments, because I'm not quite sure where I want to focus... I've done literacy training, care at an animal shelter, and a few other types over the past year.

Wow. All I do is like environmental stuff. All through high school I was in a club called MRWERC or The Merced River Watershed Ecological Restoration Club... lets stick with Mr.Werc, and we did a lot of tree planting

in the four years I probably planted 35-40 trees!
and LOTS of trash pickups I cannot believe how many community service hours I got just picking up the crap that other people couldn't be bothered to throw away! Heaven forbid anyone got a damn conscience, I wouldn't have gotten the cord to go with my graduation gown!

I've always enjoyed helping out at the ER at the local hospital. Even though I'm not licensed to touch others at least I know I'm helping others to help save lives. and that's always good. ^.^

I volunteer at St. Amant Centre. It's a home for people with disabilities. I have volunteered there for 2 years, and I'm starting my third. When you go there, you realize how lucky you are to be able to function normally. Things you get from this include giving back to your community, get people skills, and if you get over 40 hours (I have 119) you can use it on your resume.

While spending some time in New York, I used to pass designer stores with protestors standing outside. I would hear what they were saying and saw the posters they were holding. They were protesting use of fur. Although you'd hear most of the people walking by saying "I could care less" It hit me pretty hard. Now I'm back home, and I'm the one standing on the street trying to make people care.

find your local salvation army, isayno. they always need help. more so than money and can goods, the beautiful people there need man-power, hard workers and volunteers' time.

that said, that's what i do. and like you reed, it's both satisfying and frustrating. satisfying working toward something larger then myself, and frustrating in that knowing the job is never done. ever. we need more volunteers.

i want to volounteer but i don't know how. Can somebody tell me how to get started...?

I Volunteer every where!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have an unpaid internship at my Congressman's district government office, does that count? Some of the stuff is boring administrative stuff, but sometimes I get to help people navigate different government agencies and I LOVE that part. It is something I would recommend to all political science majors...the insight it provides is remarkable.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary will take as much time as I have to offer. I stick with the landlubber parts...helping with classes and public affairs events. Nothing too heroic, but I hope that somewhere along the lines, the work that I do will help save a life that might otherwise have been lost. Also, at PA events, we do a lot of recruitment for the Auxiliary and the Gold side; it's cool to think I could get someone excited about serving their country. Especially as a young (and female!) member, I think/hope my involvement inspires others to get involved. It isn't for everyone, but it is definitely something I would encourage my peers to check out.

Those are my two regular services...

I volunteer at my public library, also.

But something that is really rewarding to me is going to the senior center that's in town. We go as a group with the Key Club at my school, and it's just so... amazing to see how happy some of the residents are to get visitors.

And it's really fun to play bingo with them. :]