An unexpected act of kindness can be memorable and even life-changing. Especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many people and nonprofits need support more than ever.
April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week in the United States, and 3Mgives, 3M’s community engagement organization, is encouraging employees around the world to take part in virtual volunteer opportunities to make a positive difference during these unprecedented times. Find out how you can make an impact from your home and hear from one 3M volunteer about her experience volunteering virtually.
Getting involved through virtual volunteerism
3Mgives, our community engagement organization, has identified a number of volunteer activities that can be done from home.
Global
- Translate letters to support under-resourced communities in Guatemala through Common Hope.
- Record audio books that will be offered for free via Librivox.
- Translate medical texts or translate for crisis response at Translators Without Borders.
- Share your skills to complete a remote project for the United Nations.
United States
- Listen to someone seeking emotional support through 7 Cups.
- Find a variety of remote volunteer opportunities with the American Red Cross.
- Lend your eyes to solve tasks for people who are blind or have low vision through the app Be My Eyes.
- Test, evaluate or develop elements of the online presence of the National Park Service.
- Help Harvard researchers learn the best ways to break down stereotypes by taking tests at Project Implicit.
- Transcribe historical documents for the Smithsonian.
- Mentor a veteran or military spouse through Veterati.
Building community connections, virtually
Common Hope is an organization that works with families, communities and children in Guatemala to improve lives through education, healthcare, housing and family development. Dulce Ocampo, a field sales representative at 3M, started volunteering with Common Hope when she attended an event through 3M’s Latino Resource Network (LRN) earlier this year. At the event, she helped translate letters from Guatemalan children to their educational sponsors. “I have always liked volunteering, so when I heard about the event, I signed up immediately,” she says.
After social distancing was implemented, the LRN hosted additional virtual translation events with Common Hope, and Dulce is confident they will continue to hold similar events in the future. She encourages others to get involved. Those interested in helping Common Hope can do so from the comfort of their own home by signing up for various virtual opportunities.
Dulce believes in the impact Common Hope is making: “This work is important because it changes the lives of children and communities in Guatemala. It’s incredible and has shown a tangible change for these communities.”
Use these examples to get involved in your communities, and learn what actions 3M is taking to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Multimedia Files:
