Let’s face it, if your cause doesn’t involve children or animals, you will have a harder time recruiting volunteers.

But what happens if your cause is actively disliked or makes people uncomfortable? Recruiting volunteers for unpopular causes can be brutal.

I’ve supported organizations that serve people affected by things like addiction, homelessness and the criminal justice system. These groups offer vital services, yet they struggle to find volunteers—not because they aren’t doing good work but because their cause isn’t "sexy".

A few years ago, I helped a small organization that ran a transitional housing program for women recovering from addiction. It needed volunteers to offer basic life skills coaching—things like budgeting, cooking and writing resumes. It is important work but its volunteer numbers were dismal. I remember one applicant saying to me, “I’d rather walk dogs for the SPCA. It just feels better.”

I get it. It’s easier to connect with a puppy than with someone who’s trying to detox. But we need to recognize how our biases play into those decisions. We all have mental shortcuts that guide our choices and those shortcuts generally lead us toward comfortable causes and away from uncomfortable truths.

I had a........

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