1) What do you look for in an organization with which you'd like to become involved as a volunteer?

It seems like almost all of my volunteering revolves around food! I've served doughnuts and bagels at breakfast events, and picked up donated bread and rolls for an end-of-the-month dinner for the poor in our community. But I really like to volunteer with organizations that have more global impact and are more well known. The well-known ones I think have more experience and know how to do a better job. I also like it when the people who work at the places I volunteer (staff) are positive and really like what they're doing -- that makes it much more fun to volunteer.

2) Why do you think giving back to your community is important?

I think you should help out people who need to be helped because someday you may need help; and you'd hope your community would help you if you needed it.

3) What has been your best giving-back experience?

I I was working at "Feed My Starving Children" when I was nine, and I met former Senator Eugene McCarthy! He liked that I was helping out and was just a kid. I was meeting a guy who ran for President! We talked baseball. It was cool.

4) Have you had any bad giving experiences?

My mom and I were with a group of volunteers collecting school supplies and asking for donations outside the Metrodome, before a baseball game. I was mad that not many people had heard about the project, and not many people were donating. Some people just ignored us. I mean it's fine if they say, "No thanks. We donate in other ways." But it feels bad to be ignored.

5) Has the Charities Review Council been useful to you?

I'm just a kid, so all I can donate right now is my time. My mom likes the Charities Review Council because it helps her choose the organizations that use their donations efficiently, and are really working to help the people.

6) How do you think the Charities Review Council can encourage more young people to be civically engaged and give back in their communities?

There aren't a lot of ways that kids can volunteer unless they work with their parents. My mom finds all the kid-friendly ones for me. I think if you did commercials (public service announcements) during cartoons, it could show kids fun ways to volunteer.

Adler was introduced to volunteerism by his mother, Lisa Steinberg, who took him along on her volunteer assignments, giving him the opportunity to give and help others so that it becomes a normal, natural, part of a fulfilling life.  "It took Adler years before he realized that volunteering was not part of everyone's life! My personal philosophy about volunteering is that we should never underestimate the power and the positive impact that one person -- even the littlest person -- can have on the life of another. Every time you volunteer, you enrich two lives -- the life of the person being helped, and the life of the helper," Lisa said.