How to Get Started with Volunteering

Safety professional Vincent Poggioreale is the safety supervisor and coordinator at B&V Contracting, a construction service located in Yonkers, New York. Besides being an OSHA 30 and OSHA 10 certified safety professional, he is also a certified NYC building superintendent and site safety superior. Vincent Poggioreale is an avid volunteer at Lions Club and Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society’s cancer walk.

Volunteering entails intentionally offering to do something without being asked to or expecting payment. Most people looking to volunteer sometimes have difficulty knowing where to start. The following tips will help you understand what to do as an intending volunteer:

1. Checks your skills

Consider going for volunteering jobs that reflect your personality or require your skills. Several volunteering positions want people with previous experience working with some specific equipment, for example, computers. Volunteering with skills that you are familiar with will ensure you begin without preparing or training for it and allow you to do what you like while giving back to society.

2. Be realistic about the amount of time to commit

Make sure you are realistic about the amount of time you can commit to volunteering. The reason for doing this is so you don’t exhaust yourself, neglect your job, or allow your inconsistency to affect the organization you intend to help. Make sure you spend some time there before making an extensive commitment to decide what works for you. It would be unfair to everyone involved, including yourself, to commit to what you cannot fulfill.

3. Don’t waste resources

Most times, volunteers need management and training. As such, ensure you are ready to give back as much as the organization is giving to you. If you can, ask for more supporting roles in high priority programs that require your knowledge. The emphasis should be on making an impact through that organization and not for personal benefits.

Lions Club International Global Causes

Vincent Poggioreale is a safety supervisor working with B & V Contracting in Yonkers, New York, where he ensures site safety and security across job sites in New York City. Aside from his professional obligations, Vincent Poggioreale volunteers for several causes, such as the American Cancer Society and Lions Club International.

Lions Club International is a global nonprofit organization that supports numerous social and economic causes. Diabetes research is one of its focal areas. The organization partners with the International Diabetes foundation to screen people for diabetes and spread diabetes awareness through numerous channels. Lions Club also works with and advocates for people who are blind or vision impaired. The broad goal is to improve the quality of life for people who are visually impaired and prevent avoidable causes of blindness in the future.

The organization additionally works to end hunger across the globe through various partnerships with other nonprofits and charitable giving. And, yet another cause is supporting good environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Bark for Life Events Celebrate Canine Contributions

As a safety supervisor and coordinator with B & V Contracting, Vincent Poggioreale assists foremen on construction sites and ensures that all work is performed in compliance with safety standards. Outside of work, Vincent Poggioreale volunteers at charitable events such as the annual Relay for Life, a cancer walk benefiting the American Cancer Society.

A community-based fundraising event, Relay for Life comprises more than 5,000 individual events in more than 20 countries each year. The event has evolved over the years to offer participation opportunities for many special populations, including young professionals and college and high school students. There is even an American Cancer Society Bark for Life event, which celebrates the contributions of canine companions.

For individuals with cancer, dogs can be a powerful source of comfort, compassion, and companionship. Bark for Life events celebrate these qualities through activities such as doggie games, dress-up contests, and music or food. Events might also feature demonstrations by therapy or rescue dogs. Participants in the event can benefit from the opportunity to share their stories and connect with like-minded individuals.

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