In 24 states voters cast ballots to determine who would be candidates for the next President. While that election won't be decided until November, you can vote today, tomorrow and every day, to make a difference in your community, by the way you get involved with non profit groups.  Today's Chicago SunTimes editorial says "Still Want to Make a Difference?" and gives five ways, including tutoring kids, where you can get involved.

The SunTimes editorial points to this web site, as a place to find volunteer opportunities.  Click on the Find A Program link and you can find links to web sites of more than 200 different organizations. Some have multiple sites. Some have great web sites. Some are small single sites.  They all need help from volunteers, and from donors. 

If you are overwhealmed by the information on this web site, start here, and learn how this can be a resource for not only finding a volunteer-opportunity, but for staying involved and making a difference in the lives of children throughout the Chicago region.

Not in Chicago?  The information on this site is valuable for volunteers, program leaders, donors and business leaders in every major city of the US where there are high concentrations of poverty.  If you don't have an agency like the Tutor/Mentor Connection, maintaining a database of local programs, then borrow our idea and build one.  If you need reasons why, then read the articles in the research section of this web site.  Want help?  Email the Tutor/Mentor Connection at tutormentor2@earthlink.net

One of the most proven ways to recruit new volunteers is to have your current volunteers ask friends and co-workers to volunteer with them.  We've created a template letter that you can use. Just personalize it with your own information and experiences.  If  you'd like to have more male volunteers, ask your volunteers to just send this to five men they know who might volunteer. If you're looking for technology help, send it to technology people.

Visit the Discussion Forum to share your own recruitment strategies or to join with the Tutor/Mentor Connection in a citywide volunteer mobilization effort.