I've found the perfect volunteer opportunity for people with OCD. Yesterday, during my first volunteer shift with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, I sorted bolts for 4 hours. Not screws, not nails, no tacks or pins, just bolts. Yesterday was bolt day. It was awesome.
Since sitting at home has finally gotten to me, I spent some time scouring Craigslist and VolunteerMatch.com for opportunities that suited me and my current condition. My previous experience with Habitat and the opening of a brand new ReStore 5 miles from Brian's office made for the perfect combination.
For those of you who don't know, ReStores are Habitat's version of a thrift store. Stocking mostly construction materials and home goods, they take donated materials from individuals and companies and sell it to the community for cheap (usually 30-50% below retail for new items). Profits go to supporting the local Habitat building efforts.
This is one of those low-level opportunities that you should look for whenever you're coming to a new area. It's highly unskilled labor (for the most part), conducive to chatting and meeting new people, and it's a stepping stone into the community as well as the organization.
Many of the people I worked with yesterday are regular building volunteers who are lending a hand to get the store ready for business. So once the baby is born and I'm back to being able to paint and lift and such, I've already met a bunch of the people I could be working with on a Habitat build. In fact, it made me much more likely to volunteer for a build, since I've already met some core members (and I like them).
On another interesting note, while I was there yesterday I got to meet another bored soul looking to fill some spare time. He's currently on unemployment. I was so elated I almost hugged him. There's no reason to sit around on your kiester while you're unemployed. Job hunting doesn't take all day, and sites like VolunteerMatch.com can help you find great opportunities to keep your skills sharp, and maybe even learn something new.
Since sitting at home has finally gotten to me, I spent some time scouring Craigslist and VolunteerMatch.com for opportunities that suited me and my current condition. My previous experience with Habitat and the opening of a brand new ReStore 5 miles from Brian's office made for the perfect combination.
For those of you who don't know, ReStores are Habitat's version of a thrift store. Stocking mostly construction materials and home goods, they take donated materials from individuals and companies and sell it to the community for cheap (usually 30-50% below retail for new items). Profits go to supporting the local Habitat building efforts.
This is one of those low-level opportunities that you should look for whenever you're coming to a new area. It's highly unskilled labor (for the most part), conducive to chatting and meeting new people, and it's a stepping stone into the community as well as the organization.
Many of the people I worked with yesterday are regular building volunteers who are lending a hand to get the store ready for business. So once the baby is born and I'm back to being able to paint and lift and such, I've already met a bunch of the people I could be working with on a Habitat build. In fact, it made me much more likely to volunteer for a build, since I've already met some core members (and I like them).
On another interesting note, while I was there yesterday I got to meet another bored soul looking to fill some spare time. He's currently on unemployment. I was so elated I almost hugged him. There's no reason to sit around on your kiester while you're unemployed. Job hunting doesn't take all day, and sites like VolunteerMatch.com can help you find great opportunities to keep your skills sharp, and maybe even learn something new.
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