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Chicago Lights

Want to change the world? Great. Only one problem: After your hectic workday, you hardly have a moment left for yourself, much less for curing society’s ills. But if you can lower those ambitions a notch—say, helping children learn math rather than pulling a Brangelina and adopting a small city in Africa—you can effect change in only an hour or two a month.

If you’ve only got an evening here and there…You’ve heard about the problems faced by Chicago Public School students: violence, not enough one-on-one help, high drop-out rates, etc. Chicago Lights at Fourth Presbyterian Church (126 E Chestnut St, 312-981-3565, www.chicagolights.org) gives adults a chance to help kids learn in a safe environment. Permanent tutors must commit to a 6 to 7:30pm shift on the same Monday through Thursday every week from October to May. But substitutes can drop in on any of those days, take over for an absent tutor and help kids with their homework. “Ninety-nine percent of the time we need substitutes,” says organizer Alex Ciesla. If you’re afraid you’ll be clueless when it comes to advanced-chemistry homework, drop in on Mondays or Tuesdays, when the first- through sixth-grade kids need a hand. But if you’re a math whiz, you’re especially needed on Wednesdays or Thursdays to mentor high schoolers.

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Anne Evans, courtesy of Chicago Architecture Foundation

If you’ve only got a couple four-hour chunks of free time every month…Do the great heights of Chicago’s skyline inspire you to share your knowledge of architecture? Chicago Architecture Foundation (312-922-3432, ext 268; www.architecture.org/volunteer.html) uses volunteers in its mission of advancing public interest and education in architecture. But those docents you see leading tours on Loop streets have taken CAF’s 11-week training program. If you don’t have that much spare time, you can still volunteer as a Visitor Service Volunteer whenever you have a free morning (10am–2pm) or afternoon (2–5:30pm). You’ll field questions from tourists about Windy City buildings at CAF’s CitySpace Center and give tour staff a hand during evening events. Training is on the job, meaning if the architecturally curious throw you questions you’re not prepared to answer, you can always smile and point to someone on staff.

If you’ve only got a few hours every few months…Nostalgic for that sash of patches? Girl Scouts of Chicago (312-416-2500, ext 232; volunteer@girlscouts-chicago.org) tells us that being a leader takes hours of training, followed by a long commitment. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make use of your past experience as the top cookie seller in your third-grade troop. Girl Scouts could still use your help as a cookie consultant. About four times a year, you’ll spend an hour or two with a troop, teaching girls about skills they can bring to the cookie-selling table. If you’re not a wheeling-and-dealing type, you can help out by using your fitness or arts background to facilitate workshops in your field. And dudes, Girl Scouts needs your help in other positions, too.

Rebuilding Together

If you’ve only got one day a year…So you’ve always wanted to help the homeless by building houses and playing Ty Pennington—raising the frame, installing the plumbing, etc. Sorry, you’re going to have to lower your expectations. But you can still make the most of those evenings spent watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition by helping elderly and disadvantaged homeowners restore their houses. Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago (312-201-1188, rtmc@rebuildingtogether-chi.com) matches individuals with a home in need of repair. Plus, you only need to show up on April 27, the organization’s National Rebuilding Day. Individuals should sign up by March to put their building skills to task by painting, laying floors, plumbing and—for the less skilled—moving heavy objects.