What are some good volunteer opportunities?

[oldmanofthesea]

This is an area I've always wanted to explore, both from a personal satisfaction/fulfillment stand point, and as a place to grow my social circle. Meeting women would be a nice side benefit.

The issue is, I haven't really found many volunteer opportunities that I found satisfying, and that seem to attract the kind of people I mesh well with. Most of the people I've encountered while volunteering are pretty awkward and don't seem like they have much else going on in their lives. From my observations, volunteering seems to attract several kinds of people - Some people who don't have much going on and are looking for something to do, some people who are retired and have a ton of spare time on their hands, and some people who are extremely passionate about the specific cause they are volunteering for. I would really like to try to find something that attracts the latter. I also think volunteering attracts the rare women who aren't so totally selfish and vain and self-consumed that 100% of their life is focused on themselves.

So the question is: What volunteer opportunity would I find enjoyable/rewarding, while attracting the right type of people?

I'm a dog lover and have one of my own. I would be drawn to volunteer opportunities involving animals but animal shelters are depressing and I'd probably end up taking all the dogs home. So I'm wondering what other opportunities might exist that involve animals outside of shelters?

I've done some volunteering at food banks but find them to be very poorly organized and a strange overall environment with strange people.

I've done some park/trail cleanup events. Those are pretty good, but the crowd can be really hit or miss, they don't happen regularly, and can be difficult to find out about.

I've volunteered at some sport events which have so far been about the best in terms of enjoyment and good people, but opportunities for these don't come up but once every couple of months, and it doesn't satisfy the itch to contribute to a good cause that helps people.

I've googled volunteer opportunities and browsed facebook but haven't turned up that much. I'm not religious so avoid church-based opportunities. And I live in a major city so there should be plenty of opportunities if I could just find out about them or know what to specifically search for.

I'd be really interested to hear ideas from people who have found some good volunteering opportunities.

 

[Atom Smasher]

There are all sorts of museums out there. Some are “living museums” with lots going on.

 

[SW15]

I'm a dog lover and have one of my own. I would be drawn to volunteer opportunities involving animals but animal shelters are depressing and I'd probably end up taking all the dogs home. So I'm wondering what other opportunities might exist that involve animals outside of shelters?

Finding something with animals would be great for meeting early Millennials (1982-1987 born women). Millennials are the most pet crazed generation ever. I see your point about the animal shelter. I wonder if some of the women who volunteer at shelters are crunchy, granola types with hairy armpits though.

----------------------------------------------

This is a really good thread. It's common for singles to hear the general platitude about volunteering as a way to meet dates, but I don't know of anyone who has ever formed an LTR from a volunteer gig.

 

[SargeMaximus]

I always wanted to volunteer at the homeless shelter simply because I’ve been close to homeless a few times in my life. But I’m not at the place where I can volunteer my time yet. Also don’t know how “alpha” volunteering there would be

 

[BillyPilgrim]

If you live in a swing state in the U.S. and are a conservative, you can volunteer for the upcoming election audit

 

[oldmanofthesea]

I wonder if some of the women who volunteer at shelters are crunchy, granola types with hairy armpits though.

Yeah, volunteering in general does seem to attract third-wave feminists. Also a lot of homely overweight shy girls. And then a handful of absolute knock-outs - the kind of girls I like. Girl next door types who don't need to wear makeup to look great, are naturally slender, are really down to earth, aren't social media attention wh0res, and who have their place in life figured out more than most.

 

[Bokanovsky]

Activities that you have to volunteer for will almost always be relatively unpleasant, boring, depressing tasks. If they were fun, they’d be called hobbies, not “volunteering”. Unless you feel strongly about a particular cause, I really don’t see the point of volunteering and doubt that it would be a good way to meet attractive women.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

Activities that you have to volunteer for will almost always be relatively unpleasant, boring, depressing tasks. If they were fun, they’d be called hobbies, not “volunteering”. Unless you feel strongly about a particular cause, I really don’t see the point of volunteering and doubt that it would be a good way to meet attractive women.

Well, I'm sorry that you think helping people is unpleasant, boring, and depressing. I'm at an age and point in my life where I am more wealthy than I thought I would ever be, I have the material things I want, can travel anywhere/any time I want, and while money isn't irrelevant to me, I've definitely reached the point where I've realized the things it can buy beyond what I have now won't make me any happier. I'm entering a phase of my life where I am looking for the kind of fulfillment that money can't buy. And thanks to red pill, I have no more illusions that a wife/LTR will bring that fulfillment either. I've already been married and divorced and have banged enough hot young girls to know that it doesn't provide anything other than some short-term enjoyment so there are no more illusions for me in reaching any kind of fulfillment from that.

I have always enjoyed helping friends with things, like helping them work on their cars or showing them how to do home repairs etc. While that's fun and fulfilling, I'm looking for something with more purpose and also feel the type of people and women I would meet while doing it would be a positive thing too. Lately I've also been dealing with big changes in my social circle - most of my friends are late 20's to early 30's and, partly ignited by COVID, they are suddenly settling down, getting married, buying houses, getting dogs, staying in, and traveling as couples instead of groups trips. I rarely see them anymore. So much has changed for me and I need to respond to that change and enter a new phase. I see volunteering for a good cause as providing two things:
1. Providing a purpose outside of myself that I can feel fulfillment from
2. Expanding my social circle with the kind of people who don't spend all their time figuring out how to promote themselves on Instagram

 

[dasein]

OP, since you are older and have some spare cash, consider starting your own nonprofit. In the age of COVID, the possibilities for community outreach and effects are limitless, just do some Googling for ideas that resonate with you. Then YOU set the tune and make the rules, and you have an instant opener for growing your social circle wherever you are. Opening with nonprofit business cards is a very warm open with social proof inherent. Takes about 2-4 months for the certificate, maybe less if COVD related, expenses including some marketing materials, business cards, simple web site, under $1000.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

That's an awesome idea I had not considered @dasein . I recently started a side business and it's been very enjoyable and rewarding so I think having my own non-profit would provide similar satisfaction with the added enjoyment of serving a worthy cause, and there are definitely many benefits to owning one. Thanks for the idea.

 

[SW15]

Unless you feel strongly about a particular cause, I really don’t see the point of volunteering and doubt that it would be a good way to meet attractive women.

I have not found a cause that I have felt strongly enough about to volunteer. My primary areas of focus have been taking care of my own sexual needs with women and establishing my career. These areas take up a lot of time.

Lately I've also been dealing with big changes in my social circle - most of my friends are late 20's to early 30's and, partly ignited by COVID, they are suddenly settling down, getting married, buying houses, getting dogs, staying in, and traveling as couples instead of groups trips. I rarely see them anymore. So much has changed for me and I need to respond to that change and enter a new phase.

I had a similar thing happen in my social in the 2nd half of the 2010s. There were a flurry of marriages in my friend group in the few years before the pandemic started. It changed dynamics permanently. My primary friend group (friends made in the early 2010s when I moved to a new city) has been in a different place than I've been for 5+ years. Their focus now has been about buying suburban houses, getting dogs, staying in, and getting married. None have had kids yet. This sort of thing does put a damper on a social group, especially when I am not a dog owner and am a renter who tends to have transient relationships.

 

[RangerMIke]

Find something you care about and doesn't require too much of your time. For me four things I care about are (1) Building an interest in young people for science and engineering. (2) Community involvement in promoting green spaces in cities. (3) Building life skills for inner city youth. (4) Assistance for disabled veterans. I found four organizations that do this... There is a non-profit that promotes an interest in engineering for girls ages 6-13. They do amazing work with good results, my daughters were in this program and now both of them are looking to study engineering in college when they graduate from HS. There is another group that was promoting the development of a large green space in the city I live in... they have done remarkable work. The last organization I work with is is an internship program where inner city HS kids, design and build houses. The program is funded with the sale of houses they build. The city donates property they had taken over and we build houses on it. The last is the DAV, I volunteer times getting disabled vets to appointments at VA hospitals. Many vets are mobility challenged and live hours away for the nearest VA hospitals... I drive out in a wheel chair van I own and get them to their appointments.

Things to consider when you are looking to volunteer your time... ONE: The organization MUST have a sustainable cash flow plan... there is foundation and grant money available, but almost EVERY foundation requires a cash match... They MUST have some kind of way to cover at least 1/3 of their burn. You do not want to involve yourself in a non-profit that is always out there begging for money. TWO: You have to find an organization that already has community support, if you don't you will find yourself getting sucked into an organization that will just work you until you get sick of it. THREE: Do not involve yourself with anything that you really do not care about.

I would avoid general charitable organizations like the Lion's Club or Kiwanis Club with these can be VERY frustrating with some chapters being really good, but many are all over the place. Find a single purpose charity a lot less chaotic.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

I had a similar thing happen in my social in the 2nd half of the 2010s. There were a flurry of marriages in my friend group in the few years before the pandemic started. It changed dynamics permanently. My primary friend group (friends made in the early 2010s when I moved to a new city) has been in a different place than I've been for 5+ years. Their focus now has been about buying suburban houses, getting dogs, staying in, and getting married. None have had kids yet. This sort of thing does put a damper on a social group, especially when I am not a dog owner and am a renter who tends to have transient relationships.

Sounds pretty similar to my situation. Though I have now gone through it not once but twice. First I went through it with people my own age. They now all have children and some are pregnant with second or third children as I type this. Between my moving and their moving, I only have a small number of friends close to my age geographically close to me. I do travel around the country visiting friends who've moved or I've moved away from but it's not the same as having someone you can just grab dinner with on a weeknight. Then I fell into a group of late 20'-somethings. It was natural even in my 40's because I was single, living inside the city, and interested/willing to just hangout all the time, throw parties, take trips together, go to the park, whatever. But I watched them grow, couple up and now they are doing what I described in my last post.

While I get along great with people from late 20's and up, I've officially become too old to identify with the Gen Z kids so going and meeting a new younger social circle isn't going to happen. I would be willing to bet a lot of single guys here on this forum over 35 have experienced similar things.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

Great ideas @RangerMIke thank you.

For me four things I care about are (1) Building an interest in young people for science and engineering. (2) Community involvement in promoting green spaces in cities. (3) Building life skills for inner city youth. (4) Assistance for disabled veterans.

Those sound awesome and I would personally be interested in all four of those causes. Exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. Those give me some ideas. Where I live, green spaces are big, we have a fair number of them, and more are always being planned and organized so I'm sure there is a lot of opportunity there.

I really appreciate the things to watch out for as well - I never would have thought of or known to look for any of that. That knowledge will probably go a long way toward preventing discouragement.

 

[SW15]

I would be willing to bet a lot of single guys here on this forum over 35 have experienced similar things.

If you're 35+, single, and have no children, it's a common experience not to be part of a lot of social circles. You're a bit of an awkward fit for most social circles. The guys you know who weren't married when you met them but are now married aren't all that psyched to be with you. The married guys (guys married before they met you) aren't guys that have potential for good friendship. It's difficult to find other childless men who are single and 35+. Single, childless women 35+ will generally have more friends than single, childless men 35+.

When my late 20s friends started focusing on weddings, buying suburban houses, and acquiring dogs, I kept them as friends but turned more inward.

Relocations are tough for social circles. I've been in the same city now for nearly 10 years but I never got into the best social circle in my city. Since I moved here in my late 20s, I could never break into the social circles of natives who grew up here and were well connected. I did get in with other transplanted adults, many of whom were recent college graduates as I was in my late 20s. I would have been more socially well connected in life had I experienced fewer relocations but I might be a divorced guy with kids now instead of a never married, childless guy.

SIngle, childless men 35+ men are well suited to day game and doing approaches solo. Day game, which includes volunteer opportunities, is well suited to a man with friends in different phases of life than he is.

 

[HaleyBaron]

Based on the replies from my thread in Mature Men, this really highlights that a lot of us should get more involved in social events than we do. I suspect many of us are independent and can probably live without people being around us. However, to really get ourselves out there, we have to sacrifice some of that lone wolf crap and get involved with people. It's very easy to get a social circle going. You just have to not be a social recluse.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

Based on the replies from my thread in Mature Men, this really highlights that a lot of us should get more involved in social events than we do. I suspect many of us are independent and can probably live without people being around us. However, to really get ourselves out there, we have to sacrifice some of that lone wolf crap and get involved with people. It's very easy to get a social circle going. You just have to not be a social recluse.

It is true. I learned that during my divorce. I relied on my wife for too much of my social needs and when she left, I was really alone. All my friends were around my age and married and way too busy to hang out as often as I wanted, which really isn't that often - I'm a bit of a lone wolf myself but I have learned over the course of decades that although my need for social interaction is probably less than what most people require, if I don't get that small amount I want, I get into a really bad/depressed mental state. After the divorce I forced myself to volunteer for sport events and enter some competitions as well as sold my house in the 'burbs and moved back to the city. It really worked well for me and I remember one day in particular a few years ago my dog was extremely sick and I'd just brought him back from the vet; there wasn't anything more I could do for him except wait for the medication to kick in over the next several days. Because of that I was in no mood to leave the house but I had volunteered to run an aid station at a race that day. I literally forced myself to go, telling myself, "You MUST continue putting yourself out there," and that very day at the race, I met a REALLY hot girl that I ended up dating for a year. It was like the universe telling me, "Do you see? What more proof do you need?"

 

[SW15]

sold my house in the 'burbs and moved back to the city.

That's the move that mostly every divorced guy in their 30s/40s needs to do upon divorce. The suburbs are for married people and family. Divorced women can live in a suburb and not having their dating fortunes affected because women are often in demand, even divorced 30s/40s women sometimes with kids. A man needs to live in a more singles dense area, which is usually a more urban area.

 

[sangheilios]

@oldmanofthesea

This is actually something that I can relate to. I'm at the early stages of possessing life changing wealth, which will allow me to live a comfortable lifestyle without having to necessarily grind away at a full time job. I enjoy working and staying busy, so I plan on having regular employment, but I'm also not planning on working almost every single day, which was what got me to where I am in the first place.

I have long had an interest in wildlife, conservation, environmental concerns, etc. Something I see on youtube is stuff like this and if I was in the area I'd definitely volunteer my time towards helping.

Something else I looked into in the past was habitat for humanity. This may or may not be your thing but you can actually learn some valuable handy man skills whilst volunteering (carpentry, plumbing, etc.). However, this is definitely hard work if you aren't in shape or perhaps live in a climate that is not ideal for working outdoors.

I'll be honest, I'd have tremendous personal difficulty volunteering my time towards helping the homeless, drug addicts, or anything associated with people who have "issues". One, I find time around trashy, dysfunctional and hopeless people associated with feelings ranging from disgust to anger. I believe that humans have the capacity to improve the environment around them and that they need to make the correct decisions in order to do so. Yes, the degree of difficulty this will have for various people will be tremendous, some people just need a point in the right direction where as others are completely incapable.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

Divorced women can live in a suburb and not having their dating fortunes affected because women are often in demand, even divorced 30s/40s women sometimes with kids.

So true it isn't even funny. The last girl I was in an LTR with lived in the 'burbs and she had NO trouble finding guys wanting to date her from all over the city and every burb around it, though she was a solid 8.

There is definitely a singles scene in the 'burbs but I found 99% of the women there to be overweight, over-makeuped 4s and 5s who have attitudes like they are 9's. The girls in the city, at least where I live, are 1000x more down to earth on average.

I remember after my divorce while I was still in the 'burbs and using Bumble, girls were so picky they'd set a 5 mile radius. They literally have so much d*ck to choose from that they can afford to limit their radius to 5 miles.