Recommended Sites for Creating Change

These Web sites suggest opportunities for you to change yourself and to change the world.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

http://www.aarp.org/giving-back/volunteering/

This national organization has several excellent resources for making a difference for your family, and for your community. Many people find that by helping others they help themselves change.

Care2

http://www.care2.com/

They call themselves "the 'Yahoo' for people who care about the environment". They provide Action ideas, Community forums, and a directory listing environmentally responsible businesses.

Dads Make a Difference

http://www.dadsmakeadifference.org/

Paternity education project for middle school-age through young adults, as well as teachers and other professionals who work with them. They offer curricula about the importance of fathers in the lives of children.

Gesundheit! Institute

http://patchadams.org

This is Patch Adams' website. Although their stated mission is to " bring fun, friendship, and the joy of service back into healthcare", this site touches on much broader issues. There are many practical ideas for improving your community, as well as recommendations from Patch, himself:

Global SchoolNet's Global Schoolhouse

http://www.gsn.org/

This site's stated mission is to seek "opportunities to partner with schools, universities, communities, businesses and other organizations to co-develop free or low cost programs to help students become literate and responsible global citizens, and to prepare them for the workforce".

The Hunger Site

http://www.thehungersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites

By clicking on a button on the homepage, you can help this site provide food to the hungry. Sign up for their newsletter, and give even more food! Corporate sponsorship makes this possible. They also have a store that helps support the cause, as well as information on world hunger.

Just Give

http://justgive.org/

This site is a "matchmaker" between individuals interested in donating — ;be it money, goods, time or services — ;and non-profit organizations. There's also Inspiration, and a gift collection (of gifts that you can give). Check out their Ways to Give section for a comprehensive listing of how you can give or get involved.

Make A Difference Day

http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/

This national event occurs annually on the 4th Saturday in October. Communities across the country sponsor events to improve their communities and recognize those who work year 'round to make a difference. At this site you can find a local project, register your organization's project, see what others have done, and find tips to make your event a success.

National Engineers Week

http://eweek.org/site/Engineers/50ways.shtml

For engineers, and those who love them, here are 50 Ways One Engineer Can Make a Difference.

National Patient Advocate Foundation

http://www.npaf.org/

This advocacy organization "seeks to create avenues of access to insurance funding for evolving therapies, therapeutic devices and agents through legislative and policy reform". Their Make a Difference section provides opportunities (through their Advocates Alliance program) on both local and national levels.

Network for Good

http://www.networkforgood.org/

Network for Good is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to volunteer opportunities, places to donate, and providing a forum to speak out on issues.

The Ocean Project

http://www.theoceanproject.org/

The Ocean Project brings together aquariums, zoos, conservation organizations, and museums in an effort to educate people about the role they can play in ocean conservation. Their Actions for the Ocean section allows people to find ways they can get involved.

Reason For Hope

http://www.reasonforhope.com/

Inspired by Jane Goodall's book, Reason For Hope, this site's mission is to spread the word that there IS reason for hope, and to make a difference in the world. According to this site, the first step is to open one's mind, especially through the written word. Book recommendations, a Book of the Day, and Search are all available.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Adopt Your Watershed

http://www.epa.gov/adopt/

This governmental site provides information on how you can help the environment by adopting a watershed. Fifteen Things You Can Do to Make a Difference in Your Watershed will get you started.

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

— James D. Miles