Volunteer in the Greater Keene Area

With the economy in shambles and social services being cut drastically it often appears that no help is available to us. There is good news, though. Civic minded local citizens are rising to the challenge by volunteering in their communities. Many small businesses encourage their employees to volunteer, with some even offering paid days off to do so. New Hampshire has maintained a rate of volunteerism consistently higher than the national average for the past ten years. If you’re one of the people who wants to give back you may wonder where to donate your time. Volunteer opportunities abound in the greater Keene, NH area. Here are a few for your consideration.

Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention

MCVP is the regional domestic violence, sexual assault and rape crisis charity for the county. Headquartered in the Keene Courthouse in Keene, New Hampshire, they provide services for hundreds of individuals and families each year from counseling to residence at a shelter. They can provide courtroom assistance in many cases. As with most charities they perform a tremendous amount of good work on a shoestring budget.

MCVP frequently seeks volunteers to go through advocate training, to help with fund raising, or to organize events. Domestic violence and sexual assault happen with shocking frequency even in rural areas. If you want to help victims and raise awareness to curb the incidence of this type of crime, volunteer at MCVP.

Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue and Doggie Day Care

Fast Friends is an animal rescue charity. As racing animals greyhounds often live in poor conditions and receive substandard care. At the end of their racing careers their owners frequently have no more use for the dogs, as they regard the greyhound as an income producing asset, not a pet.

Organizations like Fast Friends in Swanzey, New Hampshire rescue the animals from abandonment or worse, provide medical care, safe boarding and food till these wonderful dogs are adopted into their new “forever homes.”

Fast Friends is supported by donations and the activities of its doggie day care, which boards local pets for a fee. They need volunteers to help provide care for the dogs, take them on walks, supervise them at play and more. If you’re an animal lover who would like to be part of saving these gentle racers, volunteer at Fast Friends.

The Community Kitchen

Hunger is a terrible sensation to feel when you have no way to address it. Many people in the greater Keene area go hungry. Some cannot feed their families. Residents have a safety net, though – the Community Kitchen, where all are welcome.

The Kitchen serves safe, hot meals, be they individuals or families. They also have a Pantry Program Wednesdays and Thursdays providing take-home food boxes. Because the facility uses an industrial kitchen to prepare food for their guests there is a substantial staffing need to run the operation. Much of this labor comes from volunteers. If you find it tragic that anyone in your community should go hungry then you might volunteer at The Community Kitchen.

Regardless of which organization you choose to give your time to it will be helpful to your neighbors and towns. Find a few hours to perform the wonderful civic service of volunteering.

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