The novelty of most New Year’s resolutions usually fades by Valentine’s Day, leaving weight loss and smoking cessation to the birds. But resolving to extend one’s holiday benevolence well into the new year may prove to be the most fruitful resolution of all. Volunteer opportunities are in ample supply with organizations like The Center and Mama’s Kitchen in constant need of community support.

“The Center, like so many not-for-profit organizations, quite simply could not function without its volunteers,” said Delores Jacobs, executive director of The Center. “They provide an incredible amount of talent and resources that let us extend our limited resources even further than would otherwise be possible.”

Jacobs estimated the current number of regular volunteers at 300, but with local public interest organizations undergoing program expansion within the next year, the need for volunteers is greater than ever. According to Jacobs, The Center is broadening its scope of service to include men’s leadership development, particularly the need of HIV-negative gay, bisexual and transgender men. She anticipates the need for more volunteers to help execute and facilitate such a program.

Lea Burgess-Carland, coordinator of volunteer services for The Center, described the organization’s need for volunteers by season. “We rely heavily on volunteers for events like AIDS Walk, which takes about 600 volunteers, to Nightmare on Normal [Street],” Carland explained, pointing out that the organization’s demand for volunteers is constantly in flux.

“For the Women’s Resource Center, we may need 50 active volunteers, but for Marriage Equality [Project], we may need hundreds of volunteers to do things like phone banking and neighborhood canvassing,” Carland continued, adding that Jacobs is planning a comprehensive get-out-the-vote effort in preparation for the 2008 presidential election. Many in the community may find that they have very little disposable time to devote to volunteering, while others view a donation of their time as integral to understanding the community in which they live.

Aaron Heier, president of Heier Communications, is of the latter school of thought.

“As much as I thought I was going to be able to get a perspective of what [the community] was like going out to the clubs and bars, I wanted something [deeper] than that, so I figured The Center would be a good place to start,” Heier said.

Working in many capacities free of charge, Heier tutors GLBT youth at The Center and works at the front desk, along with assisting at most special events.

Heading his own public relations and marketing firm does not seem to impede his passion to serve the needs of the GLBT community. But as far as Heier is concerned, he can’t afford not to volunteer. Perhaps because he is able to reflect on such instances as the day a young gentleman walked into The Center while he was at the front desk.

“He had just come out to his family, got kicked out of his home, had no money, he had nothing. He was about to have a breakdown in the lobby,” Heier said. “Knowing that we could possibly help him and console him was a significant thing for me, especially since the Youth Housing Project just opened. He came in three weeks later and thanked me. That’s why I do what I do.”

The local GLBT community is burgeoning with volunteer opportunities, with many of these organizations scheduled to hold information booths at the upcoming San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council’s Community Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Center. For more information, contact Carland at (619) 692-2077 ext. 111 or e-mail her at lburgess-carland@thecentersd.org.

In previous years, Mama’s Kitchen’s delivery services were exclusively reserved for persons with HIV/AIDS, but under recent board approval the nonprofit has extended its services to people with other critical illnesses. And although Mama’s Kitchen’s Tree of Life and Pie in the Sky fund-raisers were quite successful, the organization is in great need of volunteer drivers willing to deliver meals from downtown to North County.

All volunteers should attend an orientation to learn more about the organization and volunteer responsibilities. The next volunteer orientations are Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 6:00 p.m. The volunteer orientations take place at Mama’s Kitchen, located at 1875 Second Ave. in San Diego. Also, companies are encouraged to “adopt a route,” designating one day out of the work week to deliver meals. For more information, call Bill Patten at (619) 233-6262 ext. 109 or e-mail him at bill@mamaskitchen.org.

It may be December but it’s not too early to inquire about volunteer opportunities with San Diego Pride. Volunteers are given free admission into the festival. For further information, call (619) 297-7683 or log on to www.sdpride.org.