FAQs
About the Virtual Volunteering Project
ideas for using the internet for
make a difference day
Make A Difference Day is sponsored by USA WEEKEND magazine, in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation. It is one of America's largest days of "doing good." This year's ninth annual nationwide event is Saturday, October 28, 2000.
There are a number of ways volunteers can use the Internet on Make a Difference Day (or ANY one-day event of the year, for that matter):
- Use the Make a Difference Day Idea Generator to identify causes you could support on or beyond October 28.
- Evaluate your readiness and motivations to volunteer, and connect with tools that can help you in a variety of volunteer tasks, on or offline, on Make a Difference Day or any day!
- Introduce an agency you already support to virtual volunteering. Visit the Virtual Volunteering Project Web site, and learn how you can help an agency in your area involve online volunteers.
- Hold your own online Web design contest for a nonprofit organization that needs a Web site. AIR-Austin in Texas organizes volunteers on teams and build web sites for nonprofit organizations in ONE day; part of the contest is to make sure the sites are accessible for people with disabilities. The AIR-Austin event takes place in a computer training facility, but you could organize an online version with other online volunteers.
- Visit online databases of volunteering opportunities and sign up to help an organization or cause you believe in. You can look for face-to-face or online opportunities for October 28, a different day, or ongoing opportunities. Three of the most popular databases are:
There is also an index of all Web sites listing volunteer opportunities
Other ideas for using the Internet on Make A Difference Day or another one-day volunteering event? Please contact us.