Give to Give – Volunteering Opportunities On The Big Island of Hawai’i

Growing up, I was always taught that it is very important to give back to the community that you are in. When I became a Mom, I instilled the same philosophy in my daughter. When I say that it is important to give back what I really mean is that it is important to give for the sake of giving, not for the sake of giving to get back. Giving can come in many shapes and sizes. For example,  giving someone a ride when their car is in the shop, volunteering at a local school, helping a neighbor move, paying for coffee for the person behind you in line. Giving back does not have to be a monetary thing. Giving of yourself and your time is priceless.

When we moved here in 2006, I found that volunteering at our daughter’s school was a wonderful way to meet people. It has been a few years since she graduated, but we still carry on the tradition of volunteering for the Ironman Championship that we started when she was in school. We even managed to get a few more family members on board this year.

Living here in Hawai’i has shown me a whole new way to look at community and giving back. E Malama ‘oe I ka ‘Āina, e Malama ka ‘Āina ia ‘oe, loosely translated means take care of the land and the land will take care of you. I had the pleasure of working with a great group of people at Aloha ‘Āina as part of a class project a few years ago. Talk about getting down and dirty and yes, the boots were a necessity. We spent the day removing invasive grass and restoring a beautiful fish pond and it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever been a part of.

Whether you have five minutes, five hours or five dollars to give, the point is to give.

Here are a few other volunteer opportunities in no particular order that I have had the pleasure of being involved with:

The Kohala Center – http://kohalacenter.org/

Kama’aina Kids – https://www.kamaainakids.com/donations-fundraising/donations

Friends of the Future – https://www.fofhawaii.org/

Donkey Mill Art Center – https://donkeymillartcenter.org/get-involved/

Hawai’i Wildlife Fund – http://www.wildhawaii.org/volunteer.html

Nā Kālai Waʻa – http://www.nakalaiwaa.org/

Please feel free to add your own volunteer ideas and suggestions in the comments below.