Menu of Volunteer Opportunities
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Menu of Volunteer Opportunities For the Sherburne County, Minnesota Area Review the whole list or click on a desired category: MOST RECENTLY ADDED OPPORTUNITIES CHILDREN & YOUTH ACTIVITIES DISASTER SERVICES $ ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY EDUCATION – ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION – CHILDREN & YOUTH ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS FOOD & CLOTHING SERVICES GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SAFETY HEALTH CARE HUMAN & VETERAN SERVICES MEAL SERVICE/DELIVERY OTHER NON-PROFIT SENIOR SERVICES Contact RSVP Sherburne County for more information: 763-635-4505 1 Heather.Brooks @ci.stcloud.mn.us MOST RECENTLY ADDED OPPORTUNITIES RSVP- Retired and Senior Volunteer Program 55+ Volunteers - If you are 55+, this is your invitation to volunteer service! Start with a discussion about your individual interests, skills and time available to volunteer. Explore the possibilities for service through a wide variety of local agencies, including many projects with limited or flexible commitments. End with a rewarding volunteer experience that fits perfectly into your lifestyle and comes with some additional perks because you’re experienced at life! Where to Help? Do you wonder where your volunteer time investment is needed most? What are all the choices? What will fill the time you have available and not more than you expected? Contact RSVP/Volunteer Bridge to explore the possibilities that will fit perfectly into your lifestyle and match your interests, skills and passions! Choose what works best for you and receive help getting connected. Extra perks for those 55+ because you’re experienced at life! One-time events – 55+ RSVP volunteers are asked to assist for a couple hours at a variety of one-time events in the community. From ticket taking at a performance to helping at a blood drive, from a school book sale to counting patrons at the public library. Pick and choose what fits for you. CHILDREN & YOUTH ACTIVITIES Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN Youth Mentor - Big Brothers Big Sisters is a 1:1 youth mentoring organization that reaches out to children facing adversity by providing them with a caring, qualified volunteer mentor. Mentors meet with their “Littles” three to four times a month. Matches enjoy playing board games, bowling, going to movies, doing arts & crafts, playing sports, fishing, and many other fun activities. Opportunities to be a Big Brother, Big Sister, Big Couple or Big Family. Both Community matches (3-4 hrs/wk) and School-Based matches (2 hrs /wk in a school setting - available in Big Lake schools) are needed. (12/19) Elk River YMCA Kids’ Stuff – Do you like hanging around the energy of children ages 6 weeks to 10 years? If you enjoy reading to or playing with young children or rocking the littlest ones all while helping to tend to their needs, this might be for you! Volunteer at the Elk River YMCA in the child care area while parents access the facility. Serve a 2 – 2.5-hour shift as little as once per month. Help make whole families happier and healthier… and have fun doing it! (1/20) Garden Tending/Harvest – In the summertime, the Elk River YMCA is in need of gardeners to maintain the late summer garden and assist with harvesting produce when it is time. Produce is either used for the youth program at the YMCA or donated to CAER food shelf. Weed, water, harvest and put the garden to bed for the winter. Needed about 2 hours each week. (1/20) MOPS Kids (Mothers of Preschoolers) Master Cuddler/Rockstar Rocker – The Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group meets at Central Lutheran Church in Elk River on two Thursday mornings each month for 2 ½ hours during the school year. The group is looking for those who love to cuddle and rock children under 2 years old. Volunteers will serve on a team of 3-4 adults who are with the children during parent support time in an adjacent room. Volunteers will play with children and provide a safe, caring environment for them while parents are learning together. Volunteers are never responsible for diaper changing or calming an inconsolable or ill child. Volunteers are also needed in rooms for preschoolers if that age is preferred. Needed 8:45am- 11:30am two Thursdays a month. (1/20) 2 Open Doors for Youth Homeless Youth Drop-In Team – Open Doors for Youth is an afternoon drop-in center in Elk River for homeless youth. On-Site Team members work directly with young people to provide a safe, warm and welcoming atmosphere for the youth who visit. The primary task of the volunteer is to be present for the youth to guide them through meeting their immediate needs of clothing, food and supportive conversation. When youth are not present volunteers assist with sorting donations, doing dishes, cleaning and office projects, as needed. Service shifts are 2-4 hours while the center is open: 2-6pm Monday - Friday. Center supervisors are present with volunteers. Training and ongoing support is provided. A weekly commitment is preferred. (1/20) Reader’s Theatre *See entry also in Education - Children & Youth Reading with Gusto! Use your expressive voice and smiling face to demonstrate to young children just how important and fun reading can be! Readers will do reading events as a group in ISD 727 & 728 elementary schools as requested. Must be available for daytime practices 1-2 times per month and events 2-4 times per month. Based in Elk River. (1/20) Rivers of Hope Play Time - Rivers of Hope, a support center for those dealing with domestic violence, is seeking volunteers to play with and supervise children in a nursery while their parent(s) attend a support group in the same building. One or more evenings per month from 5:30-7:30 PM. Needed Tuesdays in Monticello. Permission for Rivers of Hope to conduct a criminal background check is required. (1/20) DISASTER SERVICES American Red Cross Disaster Action Team Dispatcher – Receive training to field emergency calls to the Red Cross for local disasters (typically a house fire. Find and contact the nearest Red Cross Volunteer Responder to travel to the scene. Serve two 8 hour on-call shifts per month. Volunteer must have phone and internet access always during on-call shift. (1/20) Disaster Action Team Responder - Receive training to be the Red Cross representative at a local disaster (typically a house fire). Volunteer will be equipped to and offer the full spectrum of Red Cross services to those affected by the incident, including shelter, clothing and food. (1/20) $ ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AARP Tax Prep Tax Preparation Assistant - Assist those with low income, disabilities and the elderly to prepare their taxes. Training and materials provided by AARP in Nov and Dec each year. Three days of training and testing in January will prepare volunteers for the following tax season. Most taxes are e-filed at a public location. Reimbursements provided. (1/20) 3 EDUCATION – ADULT & COMMUNITY Metro North Adult Basic Education Adult Basic Education - Adult Basic Education – Many adults in the Elk River area are working hard to learn the English language. From those who speak no English to those who are working on writing the language. Some are studying subjects in English to earn their high school diploma equivalent. Volunteers are needed to assist these students on a one-to-one basis under the direction of an Adult Basic Education instructor. Training and guidance provided. Find out if one of the morning, afternoon or evening classroom times needs a regular volunteer and fits your schedule. Eager students from around the world are waiting to meet you right here in Elk River! (1/20) Conversation Circle – Join in a Conversation Circle with adults learning to speak English and other current English-speaking volunteers. Through group discussion cover vocabulary for beginners and pronunciation and conversation with advanced students. Patient listening skills, an encouraging manner, and an open-mindedness to other cultures are a must for volunteers. Group meets at Handke Family Center in Elk River 1-2 hours per week on Tuesday mornings. During this time volunteers would first meet with beginning English learners, then have a separate time to converse with more advanced learners. Tues AM, 9:00 – 10:30 AM. (1/20) EDUCATION – CHILDREN & YOUTH Big Lake Elementary Schools – District 727 Elementary Student Buddy – Children flourish with any extra positive attention adults are willing to give. The gift of time in a child’s life never a poor gift! Big Lake Elementary schools are seeking volunteers who are 55+ to give this gift. Help students practice math facts; read 1:1 with struggling readers; share your technical skills in the STEAM program or help with a book fair. Just a couple hours a week spent with a volunteer can make a big difference to a child’s success. (1/20) Reader’s Theatre * See entry also in Children and Youth Activities Reading with Gusto! Use your expressive voice and smiling face to demonstrate to young children just how important and fun reading can be! Readers will do reading events as a group in ISD 727 & 728 elementary schools as requested. Must be available for daytime practices 1-2 times per month and events 2-4 times per month. Based in Elk River. (1/20) Elk River Area Schools – District 728 Elementary Student Support – The earlier educators can identify young students at risk of falling behind in their education and match them with others who can give them extra support, the better. Help elementary students with reading, social studies, science, and spelling. Just a few hours a week spent with a volunteer can make a big difference to a child’s success. (1/20) ECFE Classroom Volunteer – If you enjoy being around kids and can foster positive relationships with children, Early Childhood Family Education is the place for you! Support ECFE in the classroom by helping with set up/clean up, interact with children and their parents from birth to age 5, and engage students by supporting their learning during class time.