Chances are you've heard of and at least thought about volunteering or have one of those service-crazy friends.

Wondering why and how you can get involved too? CosmoGirl.com has teamed up with DoSomething.org to get you the answers!

The greatest reason to volunteer is because you're passionate about a cause. Love animals? Work at an animal hospital — obvious, right? But don't worry if you don't have a cause just yet. Get inspired by some of Do Something's projects and causes.

Why volunteer? It'll get you off the couch and you can pick up some new skills. Not too mention, it looks really great on those college applications. Do Something's survey of college admissions counselors found that 38% ranked community service fourth in a list of most valued criteria for getting into college.

You'll be cashing in once Obama enacts his plan of giving financial aid in exchange for service hours. And if that's not enough, you'd be amazed at how happy you can make someone else by giving an hour a day or a few hours a week, and in the end it will make you feel great about yourself too!

So now you know why to volunteer, here's the how:

• Text Do Something to 30644 to get local monthly volunteering opportunities
• Act Now! Check out endless action ideas using Do Something's action matrix
• Enter you Zip Code on DoSomething.org to find custom volunteer opportunities

Already Volunteered? Great, let us know! Post your project or check out our youth grants to fund your projects — you could win up to $100,000 for your cause!