Poll: Do you volunteer?

[Kae]

I used to clean beaches when I lived in beach towns, I live in a desert right now though, I may be moving to México city next year though, but I'm not sure about that yet.
Anyway I tried donating blood, the doctor wouldn't let me because he said I'd pass out if I did, don't see how that's a big deal.
And I sometimes give food to homeless people, because I feel really sorry for them and most I've met are fairly nice people, but you know how it is with giving them money...

OH YEAH, and like half a month ago I rescued 2 dogs from the street and took them to a shelter, this despite the fact that I hate dogs and the entire time they were there I was like almost crying and making a fuss, because they were filthy dogs, I still helped them though...

Yeah I just wanted to give myself a pat in the back, I'm not that great, one time I was supposed to work at one of those community kitchens but I never went, though it was because I never understood how to navigate Tijuana and had no idea where anything was.

 

[an annoyed writer]

I volunteered a while back to get some job experience and the like. I've done cashier work, deliveries, janitorial services, and library organization, among other things. Looked good in my records. Of course, I need money so I kinda need to work for that, so no more volunteering. Kinda need a new job though.

 

[Strazdas]

Used to. Then i became one who needs voulanteering for. now id rather make peoples lives better by other means. i been planing to donate blood. but not because i want to save lives, because currently our country lacks blood and buys it from Poland. I hate poland and i dont want our government giving them money. so they shoudl rather take my blood.

 

[Eleuthera]

I volunteered at the Escapist Expo last September, and this moderating things maybe kinda counts...

Besides those I give money, I would give blood but I'm not allowed, and I'm part of a vacine test group.

 

[UniversalRonin]

At the moment I volunteer with a couple of different organisations. But it's mostly for the experience, and so that I don't go crazy from being between jobs. Once I am back in full time work, I will probably keep volunteering at one of them, because the staff are ace, and you can see the difference it does make to them, but honestly, I do it for the experience and to not be unemployed and doing nothing. A full CV is a happy CV after all. (Note- the organisation I will keep volunteering at is one I started volunteering at a few years ago when I was at University.)

 

[Powereaver]

I used to volunteer my name as a computer tutor for people who couldnt afford tutoring... i helped them with any questions they had for 3 hours a week

 

[Playful Pony]

I donate a fixed sum every month to fund schools in Africa... Other than that, pretty much nothing. I do my work and pay my taxes. My country is VERY big on the whole "foreign aid" thing so I'm guessing a pretty large amount of my money goes towards that. My tax money also pays for schools and social services so... I do like to think I'm doing my part, even if I spend my own time and whatever money I have left over on my self and those close to me. I've helped out around the neighborhood several times, we have this "thing" every year where we pick up litter, fix fences, fill in holes in the road and do other things to make our area a nicer place to live. Not that I live in a bad area at all, it's mostly young families (lots of kids) and pretty peaceful. Fiberoptic cables provide me with a great internet connection too. Still, nothing I would call volunteer work, or even donating. Just stuff I'm supposed to do, and I do them X3. Africa school thing, thats all...

I'm also not allowed to donate blood for about a year because I recently visited Tanzania, Kenya and Mauritius...

 

[xmbts]

I spent a year working at an anti-gang program in a middle school, once my group moved up to highschool though the project went under new management and I didn't feel very welcome there anymore. >.>

Oh and I have a sponsor child that I have sparse correspondence with.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

Between classes and the fact that I live 2 hours from any urban areas, I could never efficiently donate my time to any meaningful causes. And its not like I have any money to give, being a college student with no job.

 

[maninahat]

I used to volunteer at my local NHS hospital, and more recently, I spend a couple of days a week at my local Oxfam books. The story might change when I get full time employment.

 

[capper42]

If I could, I would definitely give blood, seeing as blood transfusions saved my life when I was really young. Unfortunately the condition that meant I needed them prevents me from being able to give back.

Otherwise, nope never have, I like the idea of it but truth is I'm very lazy. I barely do the stuff I need to, and as much as I hate it, can't seem to find the motivation to change that.

 

[Ranorak]

I do participate in medical experiments as a test subject.
Though it's not really volunteering because you get a bit of money for it.

So far I've tested a combination of 2 strong medicine. The two were already FDA approved, but the test was to see if taking them at the same time would cause complications, and/or, loss in function of either medicine.

Another one was a study of the brain to see if local electric stimuli to the brain would show a significant differences in that specific function.

The money is fun, but I usually do these tests in a combination of personal interest and to help the research.

 

[Kennetic]

1. I joined the Army and to me that counts.
2. My blood type is AB+ so I donate as often as possible (my plasma is rare or something like that)
3. Before the Army, I used to volunteer at a soup kitchen and clean yards for the elderly.

 

[Yuno Gasai]

I used to volunteer as a dog walker, but I grew too emotionally attached to the dogs and had to stop doing it.

[small][sub]Seriously, the fact I can't have a dog breaks my heart. And knowing that they're all so lovely and yet they haven't found homes... :c[/sub][/small]

I've also volunteered for a charity shop, manning the shop floor and helping them with their eBay account.

It's something I do enjoy doing (I get to meet new people and it gives me that feel-good feeling), but now I have a job it's difficult to find the time and energy to invest in volunteer work.

 

[Something Amyss]

I used to do more than I do now, because in a lot of instances, I'm currently the kind of person I used to help.

But I still do what I can for people, even now. And I don't do it for credit, I do it because it's the right thing to do.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Not as much as I'd like to but I've been busy.
I did a lot more in my youth... especially if you count protest rallies "volunteering"...which you probably shouldn't in most cases. I've tried to give blood but I lived in London around the time mad cow disease broke out there so they wont take it.
We also give money to charities. Not just money, my wife is very good about giving food, clothes, blood, she's even donated her hair a couple of times...her hair grows fast.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

When I'm not doing computer work, I help my dad run a buy-sell-trade and consignment store. We get in all kinds of furniture, clothes, pots & pans, literally fucking everything. I have it set up so that the battered women's shelter comes and gets to pick out all kinds of furniture and kid's toys and the like for women who got brave and ran away from their abuser(s), and need things for their new place since they hit the reset button. I also got a hold of Social Services, and whenever they call we use our box truck to help move parts of dysfunctional families to new houses/special homes, and I just write it all off. I guess it's volunteering when asshole woman puncher is still at the house, and me & the DSS worker are there to keep the move as smooth as it can be. I've had to kick an ass or two (yes they'll still try to get abusive with the woman or me even during that), thankfully the worker looks the other way on that one.

 

[DeltaEdge]

No, but I should. Helping out others in need should be a given, and I am kind of a dick for not doing so.
[sub][sub]But it doesn't help to be a poor college freshman with no disposable income, no car, and no driver's license.[/sub][/sub]

 

[acey195]

If modding counts, adding more game to people's games for free

 

[Little Woodsman]

Anyway I tried donating blood, the doctor wouldn't let me because he said I'd pass out if I did, don't see how that's a big deal.

Blood centers in the US (Can't say about other countries) have a *very* strict set of protocols that they have to
follow about everything.
Part of those protocols has to do with people losing consciousness during/after donation. If someone faints and
does not recover to certain parameters (pulse, blood pressure within certain ranges, demonstrably lucid etc...)
within a certain amount of time (varies by organization but generally about 1/2 hour) they have to call an
ambulance for the donor.
An even bigger issue is that when a person faints after blood donation it is often after they have stood up,
and can be injured by the fall.