In a world where everyone feels pressed for time, scheduling in a bit of volunteer work may seem impossible. In fact, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service New York was ranked last in the nation for the number of its residents who have volunteered. The reality, though, is that it really doesn’t take much to give back to our communities through volunteer work. The positive impact we can make is even greater than we realize. Not to mention, it’s a great way to meet new people and pick up a few new skills.

There are many fantastic ways to give back, and many of these opportunities are right in our own backyard. Whether volunteering to help kids with homework, taking care of pets at a shelter, helping to clean up our parks or to feed those in need, an excellent resource for finding ways to volunteer is through VolunteerCNY (volunteercny.org). Driven by the United Way of Central New York, its mission is to promote volunteerism throughout the region by providing training and resources to expand the capacity of local volunteer organizations. VolunteerCNY works together with a number of other organizations, including the New York State Volunteer Generation Program, New Yorkers Volunteer (newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (nationalservice.gov) to provide you with one great resource for finding ways to help out in Onondaga County and beyond.

Another great way to get involved is by becoming a volunteer firefighter. If you live in a suburb of Syracuse, chances are, you already depend on these brave men and women to respond in the event of an emergency. Volunteer firefighters are more in demand than ever. In fact, the number of volunteer firefighters in New York State has decreased by 15,000 over the past 20 years . Help is needed now more than ever.

Whether working outside or inside, there’s a volunteer opportunity out there for everyone. Last year, I hosted a volunteer fair to share ways to get involved in the community, and one way that I gave back recently was by removing invasive species from a local park as part of “I Love My Park Day.” Not only did I feel good knowing that I was doing something positive for a place I love, I had a great time being outside and meeting new people.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, visit volunteercny.org. And, as always, if you have any questions about this or any other community issue, please contact me at 315-452-1115, or at StirpeA@assembly.state.ny.us.