To each his own

I have come to realize that volunteering is an individual thing, where one size definitely does not fit all. I was reminded of this today as I talked about various possibilities with a friend over coffee.

She is someone who already generously gives her professional time to several pro bono cases each week, in addition to tithing her money to her church. But she was looking for another opportunity to get involved with the community.

For two years now I have been pushing The Reading Connection as a volunteer opportunity with friends and family. My neighborhood friends seemed concerned about the shelter location in Anacostia. My husband much prefers volunteer work that involves website construction. Another friend I managed to recruit quit saying reading at the shelter felt too much like babysitting. My friend today said she would not be inclined to get involved in anything that involved young children, especially children that were not well behaved. That would definitely leave out my shelter.

She talked about cooking in a soup kitchen one day a week, but I reminded her that she hates to cook. She said she doesn’t mind chopping.

I suggested that we find a family on Capitol Hill that needs ongoing assistance, much as the families I used to sponsor around where I worked in the near-Washington ghetto. She was worried about having to make a permanent commitment, something that could eat into her scarce time.

The bottom line is often time is more precious than money, especially for those who have enough money but not too much time. We must pick and choose those activities that satisfy our need for community service but don’t burden us with commitments. Sometimes it’s a fine line.