Charity in a gas-strapped world

This morning I looked at the day's schedule and lamented that I have a board activity to go to. Not that I don't care. It's just at $4.19 a gallon, every mile becomes scrutinized.

I've written before how non-profits are hurting due to rising gas and food prices. But here's also where they are hurting: in volunteers. It gets harder and harder to justify costs. While people I believe want to make a difference, they also want to conserve and make the most of their miles.

So here's a thought: Virtual volunteering. Many, many organizations around the country post their needs for virtual volunteers at volunteermatch.org. (There were more than 2,200 possibilities when I searched today.)

You can, from the comfort of your home, do such things as:

• Web design
• Write grants
• Plan events
• Host a baby shower
• Design a MySpace page
• Make breast cancer lapel pins
• Create lists for fund-raising
• and more.

Even if you don't have the cash for gas, consider making a small difference by helping out at home. Your seemingly small effort could make a big difference in someone's life.