Want to give back? No shortage of opportunities

In Charlotte, giving back has long been an essential part of civic life. But in the past year, the call for volunteers has become more urgent as the economy has battered local charities. In addition, a leadership controversy at the local United Way reduced donations to the agency.

Tutoring children, collecting food for the hungry, showing support for breast cancer research or even selling lemonade as a charity fundraiser are common here.

The Charlotte area's volunteering rate ranked 10th among 50 major U.S. cities for the 2005-07 period, according to “Volunteering in America,” a report compiled by the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps and other service programs.

Not sure where to begin? A great starting point, especially for newcomers, is Hands On Charlotte. The group has affiliations with more than two dozen area charities.

After an orientation, you can sign up for one-time volunteering events, usually on evenings or weekends, to sample what's available.

You'll meet lots of people who are in the same boat you are – and you might discover an agency that becomes a regular volunteering commitment for you. For me, that agency is Lifespan Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding center for disabled children and adults off Beatties Ford Road in northwest Mecklenburg. I've been volunteering there since 2006 (www.lifespanservices.org).

Another good resource is the Observer's Giving Guide, published every year after Thanksgiving and available year-round online (www.charlotteobserver.com/giving). It lists ways to get involved with area nonprofits through donations or time.

You can also try a local house of worship or your workplace for volunteering leads – many major employers give employees paid time off to volunteer.

And if you want to get even more ingrained in Charlotte's philanthropic community, you can try one of the programs aimed at introducing younger professionals to the big local agencies. Among the choices are the Cultural Leadership Training program of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council (www.artsandscience.org) and the Foundation for the Carolinas' Impact Fund For Emerging Philanthropists (www.fftc.org) – I'm a graduate of the 2007 program.

The Observer is one of many media partners in Mission Possible, a communitywide effort to help charities amid the economic downturn. For more on those efforts, check out www.charlotteobserver.com/possible.

Leigh Dyer is editor of the Observer's SouthPark and Lake Norman magazines. 704-358-5058

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