Rhode Islanders looking to become more involved in their community through volunteerism have an easy and convenient online option with new help from United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI). This winter, UWRI took on the management of the state's online volunteer center, previously managed by Serve Rhode Island. The move ensures the continuation of a resource that has served both volunteers and the nonprofit community for more than a decade. The online volunteer center is available at volunteer.uwri.org.

The online Volunteer Center is a one-stop shop for people looking to volunteer. The portal allows individuals to search through several hundred opportunities to find the one that is right for them. Searches can be done by volunteer role, upcoming events, or for a specific nonprofit organization. Potential volunteers can create user accounts and set individual preferences, which trigger notifications for new volunteer postings based on one's interests. Participating nonprofits post and manage their volunteer needs and responses.

Volunteerism is a longstanding focus for United Way. Annually, UWRI manages more than 60 volunteer projects, engaging over 1,300 corporate, community, and family volunteers. Due to this wealth of experience, UWRI was approached by Serve Rhode Island in the fall of 2017 to consider taking on the online volunteer center. UWRI was pleased to be able to continue to provide this valuable service to nonprofits across the state and to further promote volunteerism.