In my post yesterday, I wrote about travelers philanthropy.  As a follow-up, I’d like to share some other ideas with you.  In my work over the past year with the Louisiana Serve Commission which is housed in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, I have learned about that state’s efforts in “voluntourism” (a term that was new to me).  Volunteer Louisiana, a portal to link volunteers to service projects to help rebuild Louisiana post-Katrina/Rita, is one such endeavor.  “To respond to the tremendous need and the tremendous opportunity facing Louisiana, VolunteerLouisiana.gov was established. Bringing together many of the state’s largest volunteer and citizen service organizations in the state, VolunteerLouisiana.gov will serve as a clearinghouse for volunteer and service opportunities throughout Louisiana. The effort was made possible by the offices of  former Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, the Louisiana Board of Regents and the Points of Light Foundation, in conjunction with other national and statewide organizations that have partnered to support and encourage citizens, businesses and non-profit organizations in Louisiana and across the country to join the rebuild movement. ”

The Gulf Coast region still has a long way to go in terms of its recovery efforts.  Unfortunately, the situation has “fallen off the map” for many Americans as it is no longer so frequently in the news.  However, there are many people who DO understand that the region still needs extensive help and who want to be of service.  Instead of just getting in your car and showing up, the site helps insure that a your good intentions and skills are matched with an organization that has the capacity to use the help effectively. 

Again, if your company is looking for a way to give back or make a difference, consider voluntourism either for teams or individuals from your company.  Folks get a trip to a great place AND they get a chance to give back and be part of the solution.  Your company could run a competition, take applications for mini sabbaticals from people who have been at the company a certain length of time and use selection criteria to select who gets to go, or offer a trip as a performance bonus.  Could be fun and a great way to boost employee morale and commitment to your company!