Abilities United works with children and adults who struggle with developmental disabilities such as autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and Down Syndrome. Abilities United works with residents in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The charity estimates that they help 2,500 people each year. Abilities United helps with job placement and living skills.

Various faiths come together to form Interfaith Community Services. This charity works with low-income and homeless people who are not getting enough help anywhere else. Interfaith Community Services helps people throughout Northern San Diego County. Interfaith Community’s main goal is to teach clients how to be self-sufficient.

Lighthouse for the Blind serves Northern California. The charity provides information, advocacy, and services to the blind and visually impaired. Lighthouse for the Blind helps clients find employment, government assistance, education, and transportation.

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank actually works with other charities rather than providing direct services. The Food Bank distributes food to children’s homes, women’s shelters, and senior centers.

The World Wildlife Fund is active all over the world in researching strategies to help benefit wildlife. This organization actively works to save endangered species such as tigers, rhinos, and snow leopards.

An organization with a similar goal to the World Wildlife Fund is the Wildlife Conservation Society. Besides its worldwide scientific and educational endeavors, the Wildlife Conservation Society also operates the Bronx Zoo and the New York Acquarium.

The Sierra Club was founded by the noted naturalist John Muir in 1892. Among other activities, this organization works to see environmentally responsible legislation passed.

The Nature Conservancy’s main mission is to protect critical habitat from destruction thereby preserving it to be enjoyed by future generations. This group also works to protect water resources and reduce the impact of global climate change.

Finally, the African Wildlife Fund founded in 1961 works throughout Africa to save wildlife and educate the population about the necessity of preserving endangered species.

You first need to only accept an appointment to a board for a charity or organization that you are committed to. You must agree with the bylaws and mission of the organization in order for your board position to be effective and satisfying. This means that you may need to politely decline a position, if you are not in agreement with the group itself.

You also need to make sure you have a clear understanding of the time commitment which will be required of you and you then need to make sure to block off days and times where you will be expected to attend to board duties. This is perhaps the best tip, as you can not help with board duties if you have prior commitments which will preclude you from being an active participant.

First, choose a cause. Would you prefer an organization that serves disabled children? Helps veterans adjust? Feeds hungry families? Teaches literacy skills? Rescues unwanted pets? Perhaps you’ll select a cause that impacts your life or a family member’s.

Once you’ve chosen a cause, do research. CharityNavigator.org and CharityWatch.org provide lists of organizations and their missions. You may wish to select one serving your hometown, state, or country of origin.

The sites mentioned above, plus GuideStar.org, provide ratings of charities based on financial health, accountability, transparency, and percentage of funds used for program services. Are they open about income and expenses? Have they met federal standards for charitable tax-exempt status? GuideStar.org recommends avoiding organizations which use less than 60 of donated funds to provide services.

Watch for charities that have look-alike or sound-alike names, as they may have very different ratings. Donate by check or credit card, rather than cash, to maintain a record. Ask for a receipt (an IRS requirement for gifts over 250).

If you follow these guidelines, you should have a rewarding giving experience.

Volunteering options can include fostering animals in your own home, helping ion the office of the organization with paperwork, assisting in the care of the animals, helping to organize, coordinate and run fundraising events and various other tasks to help the operation stay in business and thus help the pets and animals in the process.

Once you find an organization who you admire, you can start working with the director or volunteer coordinator to find the best duties and tasks that you can assist with so that you can become involved and begin making your own difference in terms of helping out and making the group successful.