TFW, you know that National Volunteer Month is almost over, but you’re still stoked to keep volunteering… Yeah, we get it! For many, this month has been an awesome catalyst for taking action through volunteering, so let’s use it to make volunteering more of a priority the other 11 months of the year. But how? Here are some ideas:

• Mix it up: If your National Volunteer Month was all about taking action on climate change, try joining another impact area and broaden your horizons. You can keep switching it up each month of the year until something sticks!
• Grab a buddy: It’s sooo much easier to keep–and create– a good habit when you have an accountability buddy. Make a weekly volunteering friend date with your BFF!
• Make it a routine: The best way to make every month National Volunteer Month is to build volunteering into your schedule. It could be a weekly shift at a soup kitchen, a monthly park cleanup, or a regular tutoring gig at an after-school program. Choose a schedule that works for you and start living your best (volunteer) life!

Nothing gives main character energy like making volunteering a priority all year round. Plus, all great activists started out by volunteering in their communities. The time you spend giving back is well worth it because it’s an incredible way to gain insight into your community’s unique needs and experiences. The volunteer ➡️activist glow-up is a real thing, ya’ll!

Let’s Do This!

DoSomething

This past Earth Day, nobody gave Mother Earth the spotlight she deserves more than our members who participated in Yasss, Green!

DoSomething member Emmanuel A., 18 said, “Understanding that you can have access to organic vegetables in your own backyard with just a little hard work and dedication can lead to healthier eating styles and more energy to contribute more time to the world around you.”

“We have to protect our environment and the other animals that live on it, and recycling cigarette butts is a helpful way for preventing animals from consuming the toxins of cigarette butts and from destroying our soil and ecosystems,” said DoSomething member Sunyyah F., 21. 

“Fashion is a way of expression for many, especially in school. Fashion marks a visible evolution of the growth of a person over 4 years in high school. A person can tell another this is me, without saying a single word. However, in this mass produced consumer environment fashion is not sustainable, but it doesn't have to be! It takes wisdom, patience, and kindness to give back to the earth in all the ways it has provided for us. Extending the life of clothing is just one of the many ways to do your best and feel your best!”

We’re still slaying sustainability over here, and Earth Day is just the beginning. Strut on over to Yasss, Green! so you can help us make Earth Day every day. (psssst, there’s also potentially a $1k scholarship in it for you when you join)

The good news is… At last week’s 2023 TED Conference, Hannah Ritchie, an environmental data scientist, took the stage to provide some much-needed climate change hope which we are so glad to see. Check out what she had to say about the future of the planet.

ICYMI… At Lizzo’s recent show in Tennessee, she made a powerful statement in support of drag queens (& in response to the state’s drag bans) by inviting several queens on stage with her to close out her banger of a show. That’s our girl!

Big Ws… A new program called Demand a Seat: Students Edition will help prepare young people to take action on gun safety by training them on how to run for office. More young people making legislation? We love to see it. 🙌

Secondhand Spring is here...Our partners at Repair the World have an awesome opportunity for you to celebrate sustainability. And it involves one of our favorite activities...thrifting! Starting today, donate your gently used clothes and revamp your wardrobe with some new thrift finds! Film and post your #ThriftHaul for your peers to see (and raise awareness for sustainable fashion). Now that's what we call a deal!

Fastweb Opportunity 

This list of environmental scholarships is Earth Day focused. Find an opportunity that will help our environment and you pay for college!

CollegeXpress

Spring has sprung, and our friends at CollegeXpress are working to ensure you have access to awesome scholarship opportunities…and all you have to do is answer one simple question! Complete a free profile on CollegeXpress and answer the following to be entered to earn a $1K scholarship: What is something you're doing to help de-stress this semester?

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