10 Charities to Volunteer At

What are your plans for this summer? Hmm, we’re guessing you’ll be lounging around the house or hitting up the beach all summer long … again. It’s time for something new, don’t you agree?

Don’t worry, we’re not saying you can’t get some well-deserved relaxation (don’t forget to try this DIY facial) and a fab sunless tan (check out some of these celebrity tans for fun). But this summer, we challenge you to make better use of your time off and volunteer at a charity for a few days, or maybe even a few weeks.

Volunteering isn’t just a good service that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. If you find a cause you’re totally passionate about, it can be really fun too. Do you like kids? Animals? Being active? Instead of keeping those awesome skills to yourself, use them to help others this summer.

We love how celebrities like Jessica Simpson and Angelina Jolie are always volunteering and making a difference. So we did some digging and came up with a list of charities that make it soo easy for volunteers to get involved. We found charities that target all different types of interests and skills (from being creative to being outdoorsy).

Take a look at some of the choices on this list, and pick one to spend some time volunteering for. It’s time to say good-bye to your tanning lotion and bust out the bug spray! And hey, even if you’re busy this summer, most of these charities have events throughout the year, so check their sites for other opportunities.

Bonus: Volunteering makes you feel great, and it’s proven that happy people feel and look better than their surly counterparts. So think of those hours of free labor like a metaphoric facial and massage (OK, it’s a stretch, but go with us on it).