This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Washington chapter.

If you love volunteering as much as I do, the pandemic has probably felt exceptionally devastating. Whether your favourite volunteer locations have temporarily shut down, you’re living with your family and don’t want to risk endangering them with exposure to the infectious disease, or if your schedule simply changes week to week and you can’t commit to in-person opportunities, these options are perfect for you! Several months ago, I dedicated many hours to research online volunteer opportunities where I could help those in need from a distance.

Crisis Text Line

Original Illustration Created in Canva for Her Campus Media

I can’t say enough nice things about Crisis Text Line! After a rigorous application process and roughly thirty hours of training, I became a crisis counselor. I volunteer a minimum of four hours every week and help people who are in a huge range of different situations. At first it was a bit difficult to know what the texters needed to hear and what was helpful while still being sensitive. It took me a few weeks, but I eventually got the hang of it and volunteering with them brings me great feelings of fulfillment. I have helped countless texters come from a hot moment to a cool calm and there are often super sweet texters who thank me and say they appreciate people like me in the world. The other crisis counselors, the shift supervisors, and the coaches are all incredibly supportful and kind! Click here to start your application.

Contact Tracing

Earning your contact tracing certificate and volunteering your time is one of the best ways to help during the pandemic! Contact tracers are people who collect information about the spread of an infectious disease by reaching out to individuals who have the disease in question and/or those who have unknowingly come into contact with an infected individual. Currently, this means calling people who have tested positive for COVID-19 throughout the course of their infectious period and making sure they are alright, asking them to self-isolate, and gathering information about possible spread of the disease. Many universities offer contact tracing training programs. I received a contact tracing certificate through the University of Washington School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University (offered through Coursera).

Letters of Love

If you love spreading smiles and creating a kinder word for all, especially children of refugee families, this organization is perfect for you! Through Letters of Love, you can spread cheer by writing a heartfelt letter through their website which will then be translated and handwritten to be sent to someone in need! The organization has delivered thousands of handwritten postcards to children of refugee families. They’re passionate about brightening children’s days and adding a sense of normalcy to their often turbulent lives. Their work has been so impactful that the organization became an official member of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Youth Network (SDSN). Due to the ongoing pandemic, there is also an option to send thank you letters to doctors and nurses on the front line.

YAPA Kids

By offering supplement courses to the education provided in public primary schools, YAPA Kids strives to inspire academic curiosity in children grades 1-8 by offering a variety of interesting subjects free of charge. YAPA Kids, along with many experts, believe that people learn best when they want to learn and are curious about the topic, as opposed to the traditional academic approach of striking fear into the hearts of children (fear of receiving a bad grade, fear of being embarrassed in front of their classmates, fear of not meeting the deadline, etc). Their courses are designed to reignite the spark for academic learning and extend children’s learning outside the classrom.

Brain Exercise Initiative

self-love — Original Illustration by Gina Escandon for Her Campus Media

Does someone you love suffer from Alzheimer’s? Brain Exercise Initiative aims to improve cognitive function in seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease through simple math, reading aloud, and short writing prompts. Did you know? Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and 46 million people worldwide are affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia related diseases. My grandmother who has lived with my parents and I for the past two years has Alzheimer’s and it has been absolutely heartbreaking to watch her disease progress. In her case, she has rapidly progressive (accelerated) Alzheimer’s. One day she was perfectly fine, and now, not much later, she can’t walk, eat, and can barely form a sentence. She requires 24/7 assistance and most of it is really hard to witness. I wish I would have known about Brain Exercise Initiative sooner and worked with her on math and writing before her disease progressed. The University of Washington also has an Instagram and Facebook for their Brain Initiative chapter.

Volunteer Match

Volunteer Match is a wonderful resource to find volunteer opportunities where you live as well as virtual volunteering options! You can create an account and build a profile. There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities (that you can filter for) ranging anywhere from technology to music to animals to seniors. You can apply/reach out to volunteer coordinators of specific organizations and they can also contact you!

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities