http://www.servenet.org/

One of the premier volunteering portal sites is SERVEnet , created by Youth Service America. Site visitors enter their ZIP code or city and state, then specify their skills (33 to choose from, ranging from clerical to companionship, first aid to four-wheel drive), interests (40 options, from blood drives and day care to literacy/tutoring and race/ethnic), target population (infants to seniors, and including emotionally/mentally challenged, physically challenged, and families) and availability (one-time or ongoing). Within seconds, an array of relevant local organizations seeking volunteers appears on the screen. A single mouse click takes the user to a description of the selected organization and its needs.

Other SERVEnet resources include searchable job postings for positions in the nonprofit sector, links for making online donations to a "favorite organization," and a "Virtual Volunteering" section. ("Virtual" volunteering is volunteering done from a computer via the Internet.) SERVEnet's, "Volunteer Resource" section includes a "Tip Sheet for Volunteers" ("101 Ways to Make a Difference in Your Community"), a virtual bookstore, articles on "Good News about Youth," statistics and trends on youth service, and "Helpful Links for Volunteers" (both domestic and international). It also offers a whole battery of online tools and resources for nonprofit organizations.

As a service for volunteers and a source of information on volunteering, SERVEnet is stellar. But it does not go beyond volunteering. In contrast, another volunteering portal, Idealist, promotes a broader spectrum of civic engagement options.

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