Make change without short-changing your family and even boosting your career in New Haven. With 83% of VolunteerMatch.org users being women, and so many moms in the volunteer force, the math suggests that moms with a mission can easily get plugged in. Here are some steps you can take toward becoming a volunteer:

Fall is around the corner which means exciting things to come – back to school, sports, clubs, PTA meetings and the countless other activities that fill up our calendars. With all these school and social events also comes a tremendous amount of opportunity to help others in need. With September being Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, I can’t think of a better time to start planning a Cookies for Kids’ Cancer bake sale than now.

I rested somewhat easily with the notion that my lasting contribution may not be made through tax-exempted causes, but by raising phenomenal children. I would love them beyond reason so that they were happy and successful—so that in their world, there was peace. I would inspire them to care, to give, to carry the baton to affect the masses.

Mayo Clinic Volunteering can boost mental health; it's a great way to stay connected socially; and those social connections help buffer stress and get a person through hard times. Women in New Haven tend to be more adept at maintaining social ties, and volunteer activities can further strengthen a woman's social network. Also, volunteering can provide a sense of purpose and vitality, key elements in helping others.

Someone once suggested to us that when you have a service-based business, you are always marketing. Why? Because the product you are selling is YOU! If you think about it, that's a lot of pressure to put on us solo and micropreneurs. Guess we better not go to the grocery store in those old sweat pants and that "vintage" t-shirt.