(Photo taken by me at the Avon Walk Boston 2011 this past Sunday. Every 3 minutes, someone is diagnosed with breast cancer… so every 3 minutes, day and night because cancer doesn’t sleep, someone on the walk was given a sash like this one.)

Did you know that in Massachusetts the estimated dollar value of volunteer time is $26.18 (in 2009… the national average was $21.36 in 2010)? Kinda crazy isn’t it? A part of me thinks about all the dolla dolla bills I’d be rollin’ in if I had gotten paid for every project I’ve volunteered for… then I think about a place like Greater Boston Food Bank (@Gr8BosFoodBank) that can distribute $5+ worth of food for every $1 it gets. I may not have the money right now (or ever) to fully fund a shelter or food bank, but I know that for each hour I give, that charity can focus more money/energy to their cause. 

As always… if you’re looking to volunteer but don’t know how to start, please lemme know! Comment on the blog or contact me (check out the sidebar). :) 

Now on to the roundup…  

* Sunday, June 5th * Still plugging away for AIDS Walk Boston (@AIDSwalkboston). I’ll be there for registration, but you can still sign up to walk, run (5K), or volunteer! They’ve been receiving over 200 donations each day for the past week but they’re still less than halfway to their goal of $1,000,000. Don’t know anyone participating? How about throwing out an act of kindness by searching ‘aidswalkboston’ on Twitter and randomly donating to someone! 

* Sunday, June 5th * Boston Living Center’s (@LivingCenter) Casino Night @ Club Cafe! On the auction prize list I spy the Red Sox (@RedSox), Jet Blue (@JetBlue), Zipcar (@ZipcarBoston), Arts Emerson (@ArtsEmerson), the Symphony (@BostonSymphony), and JP Licks, just to name a few. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. The BLC has gone through a lot in the past few months (PDF letter), so support em or tell your friends about this event if you can. 

* Thursday, June 9th * Tech Gives Back, a Technology Underwriting Greater Good, BostInnovation (@BostInnovation), and Boston Cares (@BostonCares) event. TGB is basically a corporate volunteer day geared towards Boston’s tech community. There are over a dozen projects all over the Greater Boston area planned and you and your company are invited to volunteer! I’ll be there as a Boston Cares project leader, but I’m not sure which site I’ll be at yet. Hope to see you volunteering or at the after party… because ya know… it’s the tech community, of course there’s an after party. heh 

* Saturday, June 25th * STARmazing Race! A city-wide scavenger hunt to benefit the Starlight Children’s Foundation (@StarlightOnline). Tickets are $50 (includes lunch, snacks, prizes) and teams should be made up of 2-4 people. The race will end at the Lansdowne Pub (@TheLansdowne) for a finish line celebration. 

* Saturday + Sunday, August 6th + 7th * The Pan Mass Challenge! I mentioned PMC in the last post, but I wanted to mention that my Twitter friend Doug Haslam (@DougH) will be doing this 192 mile bike-a-thon to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (@DanaFarber). Please consider donating. Every little bit counts. :) 

ONGOING 

The South End Athletic Company (@SEACBoston) is still collecting new/used sneakers til the end of May to help support a Kinshasa youth soccer team. For more info check out their Facebook event: http://on.fb.me/ij6pY9  

Room to Grow (@RoomtoGrow_Org), a program that helps babies born into poverty throughout their first 3 years of life, is looking for books appropriate for children ages 0-3. Contact Elizabeth in Boston (elizabeth@roomtogrow.org) or Elaine in NYC (elaine@roomtogrow.org) If you have other baby items to donate, please check out their list here. 

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See y’all soon!