Today is International Volunteer Day – declared by the United Nations to thank the many volunteers for their efforts and to increase public awareness on their contribution to society. November 29^th also marked the first #GivingTuesday in the US.  This national day of giving marks the start of the annual holiday season, and celebrates and encourages charitable activities supporting non-profit organizations. I can’t think of a better time of year than at the brink of the holidays for these celebrations to occur and bring to light the need in our world . While many of us focus on our own wants that fuel typical mass consumption, it really is a time when all of us can be inspired to help the many others who need it.

Giving back doesn’t mean giving money, however. Volunteering your time and resources can make just as big an impact! Yet with 278 million people across North America, only 12.5 million Canadians actually donate their time and only 62.5 million Americans, according to Volunteer Canada and Volunteering in America. These are sobering stats given that on any given day, there are hundreds of thousands of charities and not-for-profit organizations that are in dire need of the support. [Read more...]