When life feels full of obligations, finding time to give back can seem like a challenge. But here’s the good news – you don’t need a whole afternoon to make a big impact. In fact, many meaningful volunteer opportunities take just an hour or less. These short and focused acts of service allow you to experience the joy and benefits of giving back, even with a busy schedule. If you’re short on time, here are some ways to start small and still serve big.
Put your creative or culinary skills to work in the service of kindness. Use old t-shirts to make pet toys for local animal shelters or no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus. Create cheerful cards for seniors or children in hospitals. Bake cookies or muffins for a friend who’s going through a hard time, or prepare a simple meal for a neighbor in need. A little effort goes a long way.
If you can see or speak, you can help others in powerful ways. The app Be My Eyes connects volunteers with people who are blind or visually impaired to help them with real-time tasks – like reading labels, navigating new places, or identifying colors. You can also record audiobooks through Learning Ally or LibriVox to support people with visual impairments or learning differences.
In 2023, reported fraud losses in the U.S. topped $10 billion. The AARP Fraud Watch Network™ helps fight back, offering free tools to spot and avoid scams. As a Digital Fraud Fighter, you’ll share scam alerts and prevention tips through your own social media. After a quick training, you’ll get access to resources and campaign materials. Volunteers post at their own pace, and every share helps protect others – especially older adults.
Help strengthen democracy with small actions. Share nonpartisan voting information from sources like Vote.org or When We All Vote to encourage others to register or make a plan to vote. You can also participate in email and text campaigns through platforms such as Vote Forward or Common Cause. Just a few clicks can help keep your community informed and engaged.
You do not need to leave your home to support important causes. Missing Maps lets you trace satellite images that help humanitarian agencies map underserved areas. On Zooniverse, you can contribute to scientific and environmental projects by analyzing images or data. SciStarter offers ways to assist real researchers by collecting and interpreting data as a citizen scientist.
Even if you only have an hour, you have the power to make a real difference. For more ideas to match your schedule, Visit Create the Good.