Benefits.gov would like to wish you a Happy New Year! With the new year in full swing, you have an opportunity to start the year off on the right foot by finding new and exciting ways to give back to your community. This January, check out some of our recommendations below to get into the giving spirit.
Volunteer
Make some time to volunteer in your local community. On the Benefits.gov Volunteer Opportunities category page, you can learn about the volunteer programs managed by the Corporation for National & Community Service, a Federal agency that helps improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. You can also visit USA.gov’s Volunteer page for a list of resources to help you find Federal organizations with service opportunities. Consider volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating clothes and toys, or participating in a community clean up.
Become a Mentor
January is National Mentoring Month (NMM), which focuses on how individuals and organizations can work together to mentor youth around the nation to make a positive impact in their lives. The NMM Become a Mentor page offers great resources for those interested in becoming a mentor in their state. Benefits.gov also houses information about a few mentoring programs, including the U.S State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. This program specifically connects women between the ages of 25-43 with members of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women Leaders” for a month-long program. Also, anyone 55 years-of-age or older can participate in the Foster Grandparent Program, where they can serve as role models, mentors and friends to children with exceptional needs.
Share Benefit Information with Friends and Family
Another way to make an impact is to share the information you find here on Benefits.gov and online with your friends, family and community members in need. Our site offers information on over 1,000 government benefits and assistance programs from a partnership of 17 Federal agencies. On our site, you can discover benefits you may be eligible for, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, and many more. Simply take our pre-screening questionnaire, the Benefit Finder, to receive a list of programs that may be right for you based on your current situation. We also provide a wealth of timely news articles in our Newsroom with helpful tips and benefit-related information.
