Newcomers will quickly discover that involvement with good causes and organizations not only helps the community but also helps strangers become members of the family. People are known by their works, and those who involve themselves in doing good works will be welcomed into many social and business circles. Newcomers looking for employment would do well to involve themselves in philanthropic efforts because the volunteer arena offers a good and fast lesson on the intricacies of community relations.

The demand for volunteer time and talent is extremely high year round. Regardless of your particular interests, you are likely to find plenty of places where you can contribute. It is, in fact, very easy to become overrun with requests for your help once you present yourself as a concerned individual. Although tens of thousands of people volunteer annually -- and this is a conservative estimate -- Wilmington still lacks a central coordinating agency to match volunteers with tasks and organizations.

The Cape Fear United Way Information and Referral Service, (910) 251-5020, can provide information about human service organizations throughout the region. The Community Services pages of the phone books contain a listing of all the human service agencies. Both of these information sources are limited, however, because many organizations that use volunteers aren't listed.