On the subreddit focused on volunteerism, r/volunteer, someone asked for ideas for volunteering opportunities “to counter the damage and chaos likely to be done over the next four years if the (incoming) administration follows through on its promises to fire civil servants, roll back regulations, undo environmental/social/health protections, etc.”
I responded:
Just as with 8 years ago, there will be movements to help save valuable material, particularly research, that is currently on various web sites – the CDC, the National Institute of Health and Human Services, USAID, and on and on. Anything to do with climate change is doomed, for instance, just as it was 8 years ago.
I suspect that these initiatives are going to get announced on Bluesky and Mastodon, so be sure to join those platforms and do regular searches.
Other things you can do as a volunteer:
Join your local “Friends of the library” group, and consider serving on the board (all volunteers). Libraries are going to be under a great deal of pressure to remove books, per any federal funding they receive.
Go to school board meetings and consider serving on such yourself. Schools are about to come under even more pressure to ban groups that support LBGTQ students, and your voice and service will be needed.
Look for any organization in your state that provides abortion services and look for how you can support them as a volunteer and/or a financial donor. If you live in a state where abortion has been criminalized, look for nonprofits that help women go across state lines to places where abortion is legal, or nonprofits that help pay the expenses for such. Do note, however, that in some states, what I have just proposed to you is breaking state law and you could end up targeted by law enforcement.
Volunteer with any local group that helps refugees and immigrants. Go to their meetings and listen. Sign up for their newsletters. Follow them on social media and “like” their posts. Learn what they need most and think how you could help as a volunteer once you hear those needs.
Join any “friends of” organizations for wetlands near you, wilderness areas near you, etc. Go to their meetings and listen. Sign up for their newsletters. Follow them on social media and “like” their posts. Learn what they need most and think how you could help as a volunteer once you hear those needs.
Support local live performances that could be targeted as “un-American” or “inappropriate” by some – like perfomances or readngs of The Laramie Project. Just by going to a performance, you are helping, but volunteering as well – as an usher for a performance, helping with marketing, etc. – would be even better. My former boss and good friend Howard Sherman posts about these efforts at BlueSkye.
Volunteer in the campaigns of state legislators that will be resisting what is being attempted by this incoming administration. Know who your state representative is and state senator is and where they stand – and if you don’t like it, consider volunteering with opposition campaigns when they are up for re-election.
Those are my ideas. Others?
I asked people to put their ideas in the comments on the thread. You can do that or drop ideas in the comments here.
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