No matter what may be happening in the economy or culture, New Year’s Day always brings a sense of excitement and hope. In reality, it’s just the next day after the last one in December. But the sense that we’re turning a page and starting everything over again can be a fresh encouragement and one powerful motivator.

That’s probably why people make new year’s resolutions — and have been, many historians say, since the days of early Rome — and why you’re bombarded now with all sorts of ads that you won’t see as much for the rest of this year.

WeightWatchers is all over television and direct mail. Why? Losing weight is one of the more popular resolutions. You also don’t need to be a detective to find infomercials for smoking cessation plans or machines to help you develop those all-important, rock-hard abs. After all, quitting smoking and getting fit are other common vows.

None of this is any secret. Even the United States Government has managed to get into the act with its own list of “Popular New Year’s Resolutions” on USA.gov, the government’s consumer Web portal. Just in case you’re wondering, others on the Feds’ list include managing debt, saving money, getting a better job, eating right, getting a better education, drinking less alcohol, reducing stress, taking a trip and volunteering to help others.

That last one — volunteering to help others — may be a particularly powerful resolution for 2009.

With so many jobs cut in our down economy, people everywhere are facing challenging times and that’s no exception here. Christians United Outreach Center provided food for 128 Lee County families on its last day of operation before Christmas, setting a record for the interdenominational ministry.

"Six months ago if we had 50 families, that was a good day," volunteer Tony Ciaravino told The Sanford Herald. "Now if we hit 50, it’s a slow day."

The down economy not only means that more people need help, but it also makes it more difficult for families to contribute cash — even at a time when it’s needed most.

What everyone can do, regardless of their financial circumstances, is spend a little time helping others, and there’s almost no limit to the kind of assistance that’s needed right here at home.

If you like to cook, The Breadbasket provides hot meals to people who can’t afford them. If you love animals, Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption (CARA) rescues homeless dogs and cats and provides them a loving home. If you want to help a neighbor achieve the dream of home ownership, consider building a house with Habitat for Humanity. Or, if you’d like to help children succeed in school, Communities in Schools has plenty of options available.

Almost unlimited opportunities are all around. Accounting. Cooking. Handling maintenance. Writing. Legal advising. Serving meals. Driving. Helping with administration. Performing music. Reading. Serving as a mentor. Providing medical care. Whatever kind of help you can provide, someone probably needs your expertise right now.

If you’re not sure where begin looking, you might start by asking around your own church — most in our area are active in ministry — or by checking out the list of United Way agencies at leecountyunitedway.org/agencies.htm. To make it even easier, you can call 2-1-1 from any phone, 24 hours a day, and tell them you’d like to volunteer; an operator will help you find options.

If you haven’t made a resolution yet — or if you’ve already broken one and are looking for something a bit more manageable — consider volunteering a few hours each month. Not only will it provide much-needed help and improve others’ lives, but many volunteers say the experience offers more in return than they could ever hope to give others.