Volunteers in the New Year

It's that time of year when people make many a vow to change their life, but instead of just thinking about slimming down or looking for a new job, there's also the opportunity to be a better citizen. The [New York City Coalition Against Hunger launched a new website ]to make it easier to find a place to volunteer to make sure people are able to get a healthy meal. What with the food pantries going through a [crisis of combustibles](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30food.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) and estimated 1.3 million New Yorkers getting help from food pantries each year, they need help more than ever.

If you want some other options to dedicate to your time and skills, then check out New York Cares. Best known for their annual coat drive (that ended on Dec. 31), they also have hundreds of other ways to commit yourself to a good cause. And if you are looking for a little more direction, they have a [January Dare to Care] to get you rolling with ideas of the disadvantages many New Yorkers face, and what you can do to get involved.

Photo courtesy of [Incase Designs on Flickr]