Whether you live in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world, whether you're 8 or 88 years old, you can find a lot of ways to be a hero and make a difference in your village, town or city.

Here's a short list of organizations serving communities in America and around the world.

For Everyone

Find great things to do after school and on the weekend (also great places for adults to volunteer and serve as mentors).

The National Afterschool Association is a national membership organization representing public, private, and community-based after-school programs.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the United States.

The Boy Scouts of America offers programs for young people that build character, teach them citizenship, and develop personal fitness.

Boys and Girls Clubs of America has programs and services that promote the development of boys and girls by instilling good character and a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and leadership.

Girl Scouts of the USA is dedicated solely to girls, and helps them build character and skills for success in the real world, working with committed adult volunteers.

Salvation Army offers children from low-income families fresh air, exercise and meaningful activities in its annual summer camp program.

YMCAs serve thousands of U.S. communities, bringing together children and adults through programs that promote positive character and service.

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Volunteer

The Corporation for National and Community Service connects Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their communities and their nation. The Corporation offers a lot of ways adults and kids can volunteer.

www.DoSomething.org is geared toward teens and is an online hub for young people to go and learn about causes and projects they can do in their community.

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse gives information on all kinds of school-based and community-based programs for kindergarten through higher education.

Optimist Club has local chapters all over the world where adults and young people can get involved and volunteer.

Serve.gov is the largest network of volunteer opportunities ever created. Founded by President Bush and currently run by the Obama administration, this national site helps young people and adults find ways to volunteer and make a difference. The site offers volunteer possibilities at a number of federal organizations, including the Corporation for National Service, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn and Serve America, America Reads, and USA Freedom Corps.

Youth Service America works to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving in important roles. YSA partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations and governments. Check out YSA's yearly calendar of service activities.

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For Adults

Serve your community, your country, your world.

American Society for Protection of Animals works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide. Volunteers at local shelters are always needed!

America's Charities is a coalition of prestigious, national charitable organizations providing direct services in thousands of local communities. The site provides no shortage of options for where you can volunteer.

Charity Guide is a great resource for volunteer opportunities you can do in 15 minutes, a few hours, or longer for causes that interest you: animal welfare, children's issues, community development, environmental protection, healthcare, or overcoming poverty.

Communities in Schools is the largest dropout prevention organization in the United States. CIS promotes partnerships between families, schools and community leaders to create a support system for students. Business leaders, members of the faith community, or any caring adult can volunteer to make a difference.

Dress for Success needs volunteers to donate their time and talent so they can fulfill their mission of promoting the independence of disadvantaged women.

Experience Corps is a volunteering site for people 55 or older who tutor children needing basic literacy skills; mentor students who need guidance; and partner with classroom teachers to create better learning communities.

Goodwill provides job training and employment opportunities for the unemployed and disadvantaged worldwide. Goodwills have local volunteer chapters, and you can contact the Goodwill nearest you to learn about volunteer opportunities.

Habitat for Humanity works in every state in the U.S. and in 60 countries, and provides many ways people can get involved in trying to eliminate poverty housing.

Idealist is a mega site that enables visitors to search for volunteer opportunities in 15,000 organizations in 130 countries.

4 Labors of Love is an Internet volunteer initiative where people looking for volunteering experiences or internships can register their interests and skills and search the volunteering database.

Peace Corps. Since 1961, tens of thousands of people have served as volunteers, helping change and improve the human condition around the world at the grassroots level.

Points of Light & Hands On Network provides volunteer and community participation opportunities for people, corporations, nonprofits and government institutions around the world.

Police Athletic Leagues involves Police Officers helping kids, with chapters across the U.S. providing free youth programs focused on sports, education and field trips.

Project America teaches people to take positive steps in their communities, and creates partnerships between volunteers and the organizations that need them.

Red Cross lets you volunteer your time and talents, donate your blood, and make a difference where you live.

Salvation Army is dedicating to alleviating human suffering and meeting human needs around the world. You can visit your local chapter to find out how to volunteer.

S.C.O.R.E., with chapters across the U.S., asks working and retired executives and business owners to donate their time to provide free online and face-to-face business counseling, mentoring, and training for small businesses getting started.

Special Olympics, founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1962, is a global movement offering fun and empowering sporting events for the intellectually disabled. Special Olympics always needs volunteers, and participating is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

Teach for America provides information for people interested in joining this teaching corps, which places members in 13 sites around the U.S. to teach in under-resourced urban and rural public schools.

United Way, was founded in 1887 and works to improve our communities by mobilizing people to volunteer and give back.

VolunteerMatch is an online matching service for volunteers that finds opportunities fitting people's interests and schedules.

Volunteers of America provides volunteering opportunities designing and operating programs that deal with today's most urgent social problems.

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Participate in a civic group.

Junior League women volunteer together to carry out projects that meet urgent needs in their communities.

Kiwanis clubs work to develop future generations of leaders, by revitalizing neighborhoods, organizing youth-sports programs, tutoring, and performing projects to help children and communities.

Lions Club, with more than 1.3 million members, is the world's largest service club organization. Lions work on global initiatives for youth, health and disaster relief that affect local communities everywhere.

Rotary International is the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members. Rotary club members volunteer locally, regionally, and internationally under the motto "Service Above Self".

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