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.)

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. :]