How to Be an Effective Activist

Many organizations enlist a "virtual lobby corps" of volunteers who work from their homes or offices on tasks such as recruiting and coordinating other volunteers, tracking legislation, writing grants, creating advocacy-related Web content and blogs, and calling voters to ask them to vote for or against particular ballot measures. You also can participate in "virtual lobby days" in which volunteers, in a coordinated effort, contact their legislators about a particular issue on the same day.

Visit VolunteerMatch.org to find virtual-volunteering opportunities and to contact organizations that work on issues you’re interested in pursuing.

Learn more about virtual volunteering by consulting AARP The Magazine’s online-exclusive article and resource guide.

• Visit IdeaList.org to search for nonprofit organizations by cause and location.
• AARP’s online Legislative Action Center helps you find and contact your elected officials and receive alerts about critical activity on the federal and state levels.