Miss International and VolunteerMatch Promote Volunteering in the New Year

December 27, 2013 /3BLMedia/ - Miss International, Jesse Ladoue, has joined forces with VolunteerMatch, the national nonprofit web service that connects good people with good causes, to foster service in America through a new partnership encouraging us all to resolve to make a difference in 2014 by volunteering.  The partnership is the latest extension of VolunteerMatch’s ongoing “Let Your Inner Beauty Shine” campaign, highlighting how service to others embodies true beauty.

VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) was founded in 1998 and today is the Web’s largest volunteer engagement network, providing tools and resources to make it easier for over 96,000 participating nonprofits to find the volunteers they need.  Prospective volunteers need only to visit VolunteerMatch.org, type in a few keywords, and then select from tens of thousands of current volunteer listings.  VolunteerMatch also offers tools and services that power more than 160 corporate volunteer programs across the country.

Jesse Ladoue was crowned Miss International in July 2013, competing against nearly 50 contestants from around the world and promoting her platform of the importance of volunteering and volunteer recognition. A community servant since the age of five, Ladoue discovered VolunteerMatch in 2007 and utilized the service as a way to find service opportunities that fit into her busy schedule as a college student.  In 2012, Ladoue began speaking to youth groups and organizations on behalf of VolunteerMatch and launched a “Volunteer of the Month” award sponsored by VolunteerMatch that recognizes every day heroes.

“Volunteerism is not about giving all you have, it’s about giving what you can,” says Ladoue.  “When we add up the small acts of kindness of many, we see that goodness can amount to something big.  One good deed – one gift of your time – can brighten someone else’s world.”

“We’re proud to have Jesse Ladoue and the Miss International Pageant system as a partner for our mission of helping good people and good causes connect,” said Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch. “Jesse is beautiful inside and out, and she sets a perfect example of how we can all actively engage in strengthening our local communities.”

As part of the New Year’s resolution campaign, VolunteerMatch and Ladoue have developed five easy steps to help people make volunteering a rewarding part of their lives in the New Year:

Time to Give – First, determine how much time you have available.  This is important because you don’t want to overcommit and leave an organization in a lurch.  And, you don’t want to get yourself into a situation where you’re not enjoying the work.

Setting the Stage – Next, determine what kind of environment you’re going to be working in as a volunteer.  Outdoors? Indoors? At a desk? Alone? Or with others?  Be certain the environment is a good fit for your personality.

Pick a Cause (or Not) – Are there specific interests or causes that you are passionate about?  Some people are really into saving the whales, while others really want to help children.  Either way, when you align your volunteering with the goals of a specific organization, it’s a recipe for meaningful experiences.

Start Your Search – Now you’re ready to use VolunteerMatch.  Visit www.volunteermatch.org and just type in your location and a few words to describe the kind of things you want to do.  Then, click “search.”  Busy people may also want to create an account and subscribe to receive alerts whenever a new opportunity that matches their interests comes into the system.

Getting Social – Volunteering with your family, friends or work colleagues is a great way to have fun, deepen relationships and create a bigger impact.  Use VolunteerMatch’s advanced search page to find volunteer opportunities that can accommodate groups.

To nominate a deserving community servant for Miss International’s  “V for Volunteer” Volunteer of the Month award, visit www.facebook.com/missinternational2013 and post a brief description of the volunteer’s service and why he or she deserves the award.

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