National Student Volunteer Day is celebrated on February 20 every year to encourage student volunteering and community service and promote volunteering innovation and discussion. Did you know the first organized volunteer organization in the U.S. was a firehouse founded by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia? Volunteering is an act of giving your time and resources to make a positive impact in a community without expecting any financial reward. Volunteering can take place in a variety of venues, including schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, corporate firms, athletic events, disasters, and online. Volunteers are rarely compensated for their efforts. Some organizations, such as the United Nations, do, however, give their volunteers allowances to cover their living and operating expenses.