Volunteering can be a great way to contribute to society regardless of whether you are a military wife. There are many organizations both on and off post that rely on their volunteers to help run their programs. Be sure to check with the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) or ACS office on your post as they can lead you to volunteer opportunities. You can also check a website called Volunteer Match that displays opportunities based on your zip code.
Volunteering is also a great way to stay busy during deployments or training exercises and for the stay at home parent, it can be a great way to have some adult conversation! Many opportunities offer childcare for free or at a reduced rate while you volunteer (this is especially true on post).
Below are several organizations that I am aware of and places of businesses that commonly have volunteer opportunities. If you know of other places, please let me know so they can be added.
National Organizations:
American Red Cross
USO
United Way
Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts
Big Brother/Big Sister
Ronald McDonald House
Habitat for Humanity
Salvation Army
Goodwill
Other Organizations:
Hospitals
Hospice
Museums
Chamber of Commerce
Homeless Shelters
Animal Shelters
YMCA
Do you volunteer? What organizations do you volunteer for and how did you approach it? Please share in the comments!