How this all started...

Every year around this time we're inundated with organizations asking for something from us, whether it's money, clothes, food, or our time. And every year, around this time, I give (as many of you do), but choose to do so in whatever way is convenient for me. I give to feel good, but only if the expectation from me is minimal. This year I want to do more. And the idea really came to me out of the blue; I didn't put a lot of thought into it that first morning, but it has been many weeks now and the idea has grown into something very special to me.

So back to that morning...I had to talk to the people who keep me grounded and needed their input on how realistic this project would be. As always, they were supportive but they also made me start thinking about how to turn this idea into a reality. The biggest issue was time, but enough of them said they would be a part of this project that it is now no longer just my project but just as much theirs! Next was finding places to volunteer and help out at - for someone who had barely done any volunteering this was difficult. But after many hours of searching I had a starting point.

What is 365 Days of Giving (aka Project 365)? Basically, it is giving a little bit of our time to others for 365 days. Starting January 1st, 2011 till December 31st, 2011 we will volunteer and help out wherever we can. How can you help?  If you support any specific organizations and need volunteers, let us know! I'd like to try a variety of volunteer opportunities and there are only so many I can find out about on my own. The idea is to do this for the entire year, but with work and other responsibilities there will be days when this may not be possible. Join the project and help out, even if its for just 1 of the 365 days! And if you aren't able to help out with the actual volunteering part then just cheer us on, the support will be much appreciated!

Like I said, looking for places to help out took a lot of work. I'm hoping that through this blog I can share my experiences with you guys and maybe make helping out a little easier for you! I'd really like to see volunteering become a constant in my life and in the lives of my family and friends, one day at a time...