Charity Guide is a tax-exempt, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 dedicated to inspiring and facilitating volunteer opportunities through an approach known as flexible volunteerism. Its website, CharityGuide.org, offers a list of volunteer opportunities, service projects and volunteer vacation ideas designed to be entirely flexible and immediately actionable by would-be volunteers. Charity Guide is based in Wilmette, Illinois

Wilmette, Illinois

Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...

Approach

Based on the premise that many would-be volunteers have hectic and unpredictable schedules, making it difficult for them to commit to traditional, regular volunteer schedules, Charity Guide focuses on listing flexible volunteer opportunities through which people can help a cause of their choosing in as little as 15 minutes. Also known as “Volunteering On-Demand,” the approach seeks to give busy people a way to help a cause any time, from anywhere, without having to commit to a schedule or register in advance.

Volunteer opportunities

CharityGuide.org lists volunteer opportunities, service projects and volunteer vacations in six areas, including animal welfare

Animal welfare

Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...

, children’s issues, community development

Community development

Community development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....

, environment

Natural environment

The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....

al protection,
health

Health

Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...

 and safety and poverty

Poverty

Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...

/homelessness

Homelessness

Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...

. Service projects include paid listings as part of CharityGuide.org's corporate citizenship program.

History

Charity Guide was founded in 2000 by internet marketing

Internet marketing

Internet marketing, also known as digital marketing, web marketing, online marketing, search marketing or e-marketing, is referred to as the marketing of products or services over the Internet...

 and advertising

Advertising

Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...

consultant, Michael Organ, who now serves as executive director. Organ also founded IssueMarketing.com, which helps non-profit organizations and cause marketers use the internet to advocate their causes.