Trying to get enough volunteer hours by the end of the year is a struggle most of us know all too well. If waiting until the last second to barely earn all of your hours is something you’d like to avoid this upcoming school year, consider some of the following options to not only make your life easier when school starts but to also give you something fun to do during summer break!

There are tons of volunteer opportunities all over the place, you just need to look for them! Start by thinking of something you’re passionate about: sports, kids, animals, teaching, changing the world, anything! Being passionate about what you do will transform volunteering from boring mandatory work to spending the summer doing something you love. Now here’s the cool part. There are ways to earn your hours using just about any passion you thought of, locally, nationally, or even internationally.

If you love sports, coach a recreational team! If you love animals, work at a shelter! If you’d love to make an impact on the world, volunteer with organizations like Feed My Starving Children or Paz de Cristo! There are also multiple fairs and festivals that will occur throughout the summer, such as the Ninth Annual Bloomsday Celebration or the 16th Annual Independence Day Celebration, that are always looking for more volunteers willing to lend a hand.

If staying in the Arizona heat all summer long does not seem appealing to you, there are plenty of programs that can take you around the country and even around the planet helping out others. With groups like Global Leadership Adventures, the International Volunteer Program Association, Global Vision International, and many more, you can travel the world while doing your part to help out. Something to note is that organizations like these do cost a bit of money. But because they allow you to choose the program type and/or country you’d like to participate with, they are sure to promise you an experience you’ll never forget.

So, don’t wait until the last moment possible to complete a task that could easily be done in your endless summer free time! Find your passion and embrace it through volunteering. You’ll enjoy yourself and once the school year starts, you won’t regret that you did it.