One of the best ways to go local is to volunteer. HandsOn Hong Kong is your first point of contact to find community-based volunteer efforts. It’s geared toward travelers offering drop-in opportunities for volunteering in Hong Kong. Tune into Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio on Saturday for more information on HandsOn Hong Kong and check back every Wednesday for more voluntourism opportunities.

According to estimates from the UN and WHO, Hong Kong’s residents may have the longest life expectancy and highest IQ scores worldwide, but there is a rising number of indigent elderly and orphaned children in need.

With help of HandsOn Hong Kong, volunteers are matched up with local charities that address a wide variety of issues, including poverty, disabilities, the environment, and animals.

Led by a volunteer leader, the nonprofit offers dozens of flexible, short-term volunteering opportunities each week. For those interested in education, there are volunteer efforts that provide support and homework assistance for disabled or disadvantaged student. For those focused on the environment, you can work with Green Glass Green, which collects glass bottles from bars and restaurants to be re-manufactured. To help the community, you can take part in the soapathon, a mission to collect soap from hotels and redistribute it to underprivileged families and communities.

If you would like to volunteer, contact the organization at hohk@handsonhongkong.org. For registration and more information visit HandsOn Hong Kong.

By Cathrine Schermann for PeterGreenberg.com