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Frequently Asked Questions

Volunteers: Searching for a Volunteer Opportunity

1. What does it cost to join Create the Good?

Nothing. All Create the Good tools are provided for you at no charge! AARP provides the funding and oversight of Create the Good as part of its social mission to help improve the lives of those over 50 and their families.

2. I live outside of the United States and I would like to use Create the Good to search for ways to volunteer-- is this possible?

At this time, Create the Good only features opportunities within the United States. You’re welcome to explore our project guides to start your own service project or get ideas from our Get Inspired page with tons of articles and volunteer stories.

3. I’ve entered my zip code and nothing comes up in my area — what can I do?

Try expanding your search by either removing keywords or trying a new set of keywords. Be sure to look at all categories of opportunities, including “Home/Remote opportunities" that don’t require you to be in a specific place to help. 

You can also explore our library of project guides to start your own service projects in your area. Need helping hands? Post your project, big or small, on Create the Good to find other volunteers in your area looking for ways to give back.

As Create the Good continues to expand, we hope you’ll check back periodically to search for opportunities in your zip code. If you’re registered to receive email from Create the Good, you will receive an email when new local opportunities are available.

4. How do I create a profile? What is the purpose of creating a profile?

By registering and creating a profile, we’ll do the searching for you! Simply click on “Profile,” check the boxes that fit your skills and interests, and save. From there, we'll search through our 100,000+ volunteer opportunities to find those that match your interests. When you return to the homepage, you’ll see customized suggestions for opportunities that fit what you’re looking for!

You can update or make changes to your profile at any time by clicking on “Profile” from the homepage.

 

Nonprofits & Community Organizations: Recruiting Volunteers

1. What does it cost to join or register with Create The Good and post my volunteer opportunity on the site?

Nothing. All Create The Good tools are provided for you at no charge! AARP provides the funding and oversight of Create the Good as part of its social mission to help improve the lives of those over 50 and their families.

2. What types of organizations can use Create The Good?

All kinds! We designed the system for volunteer coordinators/managers at nonprofits and community organizations, schools, AARP state offices, community organizations, and individuals leading service projects in their areas.

3. Do I have to be a 501(c)(3) to submit volunteer opportunities?

No. Anyone can post a volunteer opportunity, big or small, to find local volunteers to lend a helping hand.

4. Is Create the Good a 501(c)(3) non-profit?

No, Create The Good is a tool that provides ideas, resources and connections with volunteer opportunities to share life experiences, skills and passions in the community. 

5. How soon after I post will my opportunity be available for volunteers to search?

Please allow up to two business days for the opportunity to be reviewed and be reflected on the site. You will receive an email once your opportunity is reviewed. If this is an urgent request, please contact the AARP Create the Good team at CreateTheGood@aarp.org or 1-866-740-7719 for assistance.

6. How long will my opportunity remain active?

Your opportunity will remain active for the duration you indicate upon posting. You will select one of the following:

  • This opportunity is not scheduled for a particular day – With this selection, your opportunity is considered “ongoing” and it will remain active indefinitely until you choose to edit or delete it which you can do by logging in and going to “Post & Edit Opportunities.” Once there, you should see a list of all opportunities you’ve posted with us. If you’re having issues or need help, please email or call us for assistance.
  • This is a one day opportunity– You will enter the specific date and time, and your opportunity will expire after that date.
  • This is a multi-day opportunity– You will enter the specific start and end dates, and the opportunity will expire after the end date. Specific times can be entered in your opportunity description.

7. Do I have to be 50+ to submit opportunities?

No. We encourage submissions from people of all ages.

 8. Do opportunities submissions have to be for a 50+ volunteer?

They do not. People of all ages use our site to search for local ways to help. However, our main demographic and majority of users fall within the 50+ range, so opportunities with appeal for this age segment typically get more attention.

9. What types of opportunities are you looking for?

Create The Good is looking for a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. The only common thread would be that they create a positive experience for the volunteer through which he or she is able to do good within the community. Create The Good opportunities fall into several categories:

  • “Local” – These are opportunities that require volunteers to be at a particular location to participate.
  • “State-wide” – These are opportunities in which volunteers could participate at any number of locations throughout the selected state (e.g. a statewide food drive).  
  • “Virtual”– These are opportunities a volunteer can participate in through the Internet or the phone.

AARP does not endorse candidates or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. AARP has not, and will not, authorize any candidate or campaign to mention AARP and/or to use the AARP logo, and AARP has not, and would not, participate in the production of any such political advertisement(s). AARP Create the Good reserves the right to remove any posting that endorses or opposes candidates, political parties, or political initiatives.

10. We only need skilled volunteers. Does Create the Good include these types of volunteer opportunities?

Absolutely! Many volunteers have specialized skills and are looking for ways to give back. 50+ volunteers have a lot to offer in this area, so you’ve come to the right place.  

11. I need to cancel my opportunity on short notice.  How do I get a hold of registered volunteers?

If you took advantage of Create the Good’s registration function when creating your opportunity, you should have received a confirmation email with contact information for each registered volunteer.

If you chose not to use our registration feature and had volunteers register on your website or contact you directly, we are not able to help you reach out to your volunteers as we have no way of storing their information.

Please visit your opportunity dashboard and cancel the active opportunity so as to not attract any additional volunteers.

12. How do I add links and formatting to my opportunity descriptions?

We are unable to include clickable links and formatting within the description of your opportunity. You can include a URL in the description, but if you’d like visitors to directly visit a URL from your opportunity, please include it in the “Relevant URL” section of the Post Opportunity form so it’s included as a clickable link under the description of your opportunity.

13. What is a sponsoring organization?

A sponsoring organization is the entity that is hosting the volunteer opportunity. You can choose between:

  • Individual (i.e., you)
  • Organization or Group (i.e., the organization you are posting on behalf of)
  • AARP (AARP-specific opportunities, i.e., Tax-Aide, Driver Safety, state office partnerships)

14. How do I clone the opportunity I have posted in multiple zip codes?

After you submit your opportunity, you will see it listed under “Pending Opportunities” on your opportunity dashboard. You will have the option to edit, clone or cancel your opportunity. If you select “clone,” a new opportunity will be presented exactly as submitted, and you can change the location (or any section) of your opportunity. Note: you will have to change at least one section in order to re-submit.

15. How do I remove or edit an opportunity created by someone who is no longer with the organization?  

Alert us to the staff change via CreateTheGood@aarp.org or 1-866-740-7719 and we can delete the opportunity for you. If you are unable to access the previous account, you must register a new account and re-create the opportunity in question.

We suggest creating a generic profile for your organization that all managers (regardless of staff changes) can use to login and manage your opportunities. Make sure all relevant staff are aware of the postings and have the login information if needed.

16. I changed my email address after registering for Create the Good; how do I update my Create the Good account with the changes?

Login to your aarp.org account. Once logged in, go to "Account Details" to make any necessary changes to the contact information associated with your account.

17. Are there guidelines for what volunteer opportunities can be posted?

Yes. Download the Guidelines for Create the Good Volunteer Postings to find out what types of postings will not be accepted.
 

Do you have additional questions or feedback? Email CreateTheGood@aarp.org for help, or call us at 1-866-740-7719. 

Not seeing your question?

You can reach Create the Good by calling us at
1-866-740-7719 or emailing us at CreateTheGood@aarp.org