June 19, 2003 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Q. I’d like to celebrate my birthday next month by organizing all my relatives in town to spend a day working for a cause or charity. Where can I find a current list of local charities in the Seattle area?
A. It’s a great idea to give a local charity in your area the gift of time on your birthday and, luckily, your birthday “give back” bash shouldn’t be too much of a bother to organize. The United Way of King County has a Web site where you can search for charities in need of volunteers by area, or by keyword — so whether you’re interested in labor, legal issues, literacy, or anything else, you can search for just the right charity for you. (For readers who are interested in searching for charities in other regions, click here and enter your ZIP code.)
Organized volunteerism days are not uncommon, and most charities are happy to have the extra help, says Adam Bashaw, spokesman at the United Way of King County. However, he adds, be aware that if you manage to persuade your entire extended family to participate, you might not all be able to volunteer together at the same organization. After all, some charities may only need one or two helpers, others may need many more.
“My suggestion would be to call our volunteer center, explain what you want to do, and see what they can work out with you,” he says.
Also, keep in mind that there are organized, large-scale events that your party might be able to piggyback on. For example, on September 26, the United Way of King County will hold its “Day of Caring,” when local businesses donate time to various charities. It’s just as easy for the United Way to accommodate a family group as a business group, says Mr. Bashaw.
If you don’t want to go through the United Way, you can always find links to charities in your area through state umbrella associations. A list of such groups can be found here.
