As the economy has worsened, charities around the country have seen a sharp increase in the number of people looking for volunteer opportunities.

The financial situation has also prompted nonprofit groups to rely more heavily on volunteers to help them deliver services under tight budgets.

But recruiting and managing volunteers is far from easy. Join us for a live discussion on Tuesday, April 7, that will explore the many ways in which charities can build a strong volunteer corps.

Answering your questions will be Jennifer Bennett, who manages the volunteer program at VolunteerMatch, a San Francisco organization that helps connect potential volunteers with nonprofit organizations through the Internet.

The Chronicle’s online discussions are free and open to everyone. People who ask questions in advance have a better chance of getting answers.