COMMUNITY SERVICE
Volunteer Opportunities in the Community
Spring 2008
Please scroll down to look
at Volunteer Opportunities in the Community listed in alphabetical
order.
Advocates
for survivors of torture and trauma
ASTT relies on
volunteers to fulfill many important roles. By contributing your skills
and energy, you can help support our work and make a real difference in
the lives of torture and trauma survivors. Volunteers are needed to be
interpreters for non-English speaking survivors, community outreach
volunteers to raise awareness about ASTT’s work, and befrienders to
offer ASTT clients companionship. ASTT volunteers receive orientation
and basic training as required for their specific role, and take part in
regular meetings/ conversations with the supervising therapist, case
manager, and/or volunteer supervisor. If you are interested in
volunteering your time and energy for any of these positions, please
email Andrea Rackowski at volunteer_coordinator@astt.org, or call
410-464-9006 to learn more.
American
Kidney Fund
The American
Kidney Fund is our nation's #1 source of direct financial assistance to
kidney patients, and is a leader in providing education and outreach to
those who are at risk for kidney disease. They are seeking various
interns to help them out and with special events and minority outreach
as well as volunteers to help with minority and workplace education and
health fairs. Please contact Rhonda Watson at
rwatson@kidneyfund.org or at 301-984-6654.
Anna’s
House
Working in
Children's Center at Anna's House involves one-on-one and group time
with our children. A staff member is present and activities include
reading stories, painting, and playing. House is year-round on Mondays
and Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 pm. We are very understanding of prior
commitments and schedules and volunteers usually let us know about their
availability. The house is located in Bel Air, MD. Please contact Cindy
Hanley (chanley@cc-md.org) or 410-803-2130.
The
ARC of Baltimore
ARC matches
students with an individual we support at the Arc who has a
developmental disability and who shares that same interest. Each
mentoring relationship will be based on shared interests and potential
compatibility. Mentors will meet with an Arc-supported adult from one to
four times a month, and mentoring relationships will run from six months
to a year. The Arc of Baltimore will train, monitor, and guide you
throughout the mentorship. For more information, contact Toni Gardner at
410-296-2272 ext. 535 or at tgardner@arcofbaltimore.org.
Baltimore
City Community College
Do you enjoy
working with people from different cultures? Do you want to make a real
difference in your community? Help tutor refugee youth in Baltimore!
Join the Refugee Youth Project. Learn more at
www.rypbaltimore.org. For more information please email
amyharmon100@gmail.com.
Baltimore
Curriculum Project
Collington Square
School needs SCHOOL Monitors AND TIME OUT ROOM ASSISTANTS are needed.
For more information, please call Mr. Ward, the volunteer coordinator at
(410) 675-7000.
Boys
Hope Girls Hope
There are ongoing
volunteer opportunities to help with children after school and on
weekends. The dates and times are flexible and they would like students
who can commit a day or a semester or a year to tutor, cook dinner, or
even just to “hang out” with an incredible group of young men (ages
11-17). Please contact Mimi Ryans (mryans@bhgh.org) or 410-444-6503.
Casey
Cares Foundation
The Casey Cares
Foundation provides uplifting programs with a special touch for
critically ill children and their families throughout the Mid-Atlantic
area. In June the Casey Cares Foundation suffered a six-alarm fire at
their headquarters. The "Largest Fire in Baltimore County History"
destroyed everything in the foundation including our office supplies,
records, gift certificates and tickets for our family activities. They
are committed to rebuild and have made much progress in the last two
months. Volunteers provide support to foundation through a variety of
tasks including data-entry, calls to families, donor correspondence,
etc. every Tuesday evening from 4:30-8pm (or during normal business
hours). Contact Erin Webb
erin@caseycaresfoundation.org 443-568-0064.
Catherine’s
Hearth
Catherine’s Hearth is a new
support center for homeless families opening this September as an
outreach program of Mercy Medical Center. It will be located at 801 St.
Paul Street and will be open Tues. -Fri. 12 to 8 p.m., and Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center will offer case management, mentoring and
programming in relational health, communications, parenting, nutrition
education, budgeting, and other life skills. It will also have an arts
component for building self-esteem and discovering new forms of
self-expression. If you want to be a part of this exciting and new
approach to ending homelessness, you can help by: mentoring
participants and their children, teaching workshops in your area
of expertise, working with children, or donating in-kind
services, supplies, and/or money. For more information, call Dorothy
Dobbyn at 410/244-1840 or 443/386-2312.
Community
Assistance Network (CAN)
CAN is seeking
student volunteers for the after school program in Lansdowne, MD from
3:00-6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursdays. Volunteers should love working
with children and have an affirming and accepting personality, a good
sense of humor, and are loyal and dependable. Please contact Judy
Stauffer at 410-285-4674, ext. 118 or at jstauffer@canconnects.org.
Education
based Latino OutReach
Tutors are needed for the
after-school program for grades 1-5 and grades 6-8. The program is held
in Highlandtown Elementary School (Highlandtown) for grades 1-5 and at
Deep Creek Middle (Essex) for grades 6-8. The program runs from
mid-October until the end of May on Mon -Fri 2:30pm-5:00pm. If you
have any questions please contact Maritza Gonzalez at
mgonzalez@eblo.org.
Family
Tree of Maryland
The Family Tree
has ongoing needs for volunteers. Some of the opportunities include
implementing a curriculum based program for children while their parents
take a parenting class; participating in a parent support group;
developing and working after school at Beechfield Elem/Middle School in
West Baltimore; or developing and presenting a series of one time
special events/activities for the children's program or after-school
program. There is also a Graduate student opportunity to be a Family
StressLine Responder. Free training is provided for all volunteers!
Please contact Stephanie Jacobs at sjacobs@familytreemd.org for more
information.
Greater
Homewood Community Corporation
Teach adults to
read and write and to learn the English language one-to-one tutoring
with adult learners. You must have sensitivity, compassion, and
patience. They require a one year commitment with a minimum of 2 hours a
week. The volunteer center is open Mon. through Thur. from 9:00am
until 9:00pm; Fri. 9:00am- 5:00pm; and Sat. 9:00am- noon. Please
email Charlotte Sacharov at
csacharov@greaterhomewood.org.
TU Habitat for Humanity
This semester the Towson U. chapter of
Habitat for Humanity is having four workdays. The dates for workdays
are Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 3, and Dec. 1. We leave
Towson around 8 a.m. and we will return around 5 pm. We are working with
the Sandtown location in the city of Baltimore. We are sent out for the
day to help families in the community repair their homes. If you are
interested in participating in a workday or have questions, please
contact tuhabitat1@gmail.com and direct the emails to Gretchen.
Hands On
Science Club
A new
Science Club at Riderwood Elementary School (located very close to
Towson Univ) is looking for volunteers to work with the club's leader in
doing HANDS-ON science activities/experiments with 3rd - 5th grade
students. Volunteers are welcome to either plan and run an activity
themselves or they can just assist in the room (helping the kids do the
activities). Either way of helping would be great. A wide variety of
topics will be presented to the children (chemistry, geology /earth
sciences, solar system, weather, environment, electircity, magnets,
density, heat and energy, the human body, microscopic worlds, etc...).
The club meets Thursday mornings from 8:00 am - 8:30 am all year long
(beginning 9/20/07). EVEN IF YOU CAN ONLY ASSIST ONCE, IT WOULD HELP!
If you enjoy getting elementary age children excited about science, I'd
love to have you join us. Please contact Debbie Hontz at (410) 828-7558.
Humane
Society of Baltimore County
Shelter
volunteers, maintenance volunteers, office volunteers, event volunteers,
and spay/neuter center volunteers are needed. You must be at least 18
years old to work directly with shelter animals and you must attend a
two-hour orientation session. Orientation dates are Sept. 16th,
Oct.13th, and Nov. 18th from 12:00– 2:00p.m. To register for a
volunteer orientation, please email volunteer@HSBCanimals.org or call
410-833-8848 ext. 217. Include your name, phone number, and the
orientation date you plan to attend.
Irvine
Nature Center
Irvine has many
volunteer programs and various paid internships. They will train you to
lead environmental education walks for local schools groups. You can
also volunteer with the Urban Education Program to help train high
school students to instruct elementary school students in hands-on
nature activities. For more information, call Carin at 410-484-2413 or
email smithc@explorenature.org.
Jewish
Museum of Maryland
Volunteer in many
different positions throughout the museum. The museum needs help with
the front desk reception, museum docents, gift shop, special events,
archives, and collections. For more information please call Ilene Cohen
at 410-732-6400 x 17.
Johns
Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
This is a unique
hospital that caters to diverse patients and has a variety of volunteer
opportunities to suit your interests— from behind the scenes to
assisting with unique patient programs. Volunteer in the gift shop,
patient activities, or support services. You will get free parking, job
training, complimentary lunch, award banquet, holiday parties, uniforms,
pharmacy privileges, free TB test, eyeglass discount, and free flue
shots. For more information please call Phylis Cohen at 410-550-0627 or
pcohen11@jhmi.edu.
Jones Falls
Watershed
Did you know that
Towson University is in the Jones Falls Watershed? That’s right - every
drop of water that hits TU’s campus ends up in the Jones Falls River,
which empties into the Inner Harbor by President Street downtown.
Unfortunately, flowing through the urban heart of Baltimore takes its
toll on the river; by the time it empties into the Harbor, it’s heavily
tainted by pollution from sewage, animal waste, automobiles and litter.
However, one local non-profit trying to make a difference on the Jones
Falls, and you can help! The Jones Falls Watershed Association (JFWA) is
a locally based, grassroots organization that works to protect and
restore the health and beauty of the Jones Falls river and its
tributaries. The JFWA holds monthly restoration projects around the
watershed that are open to individuals and groups. Upcoming projects
include a tree planting in Waverly on Oct. 6th, a stream buffer
planting in Roland Park on Nov. 10th, and an invasive vine removal
in Timonium on Dec.10th. Check their website at www.jonesfalls.org
or email Suzanne Greene at sgreene@jonesfalls.org for more information.
Levindale
Hebrew Geriatric Center
Every Thursday
they need volunteers to help with a birthday party for the residents
from 2:15-4:15 p.m. If students are interested and available I would
need to know the day before. Additionally, every Tuesday our Adult Day
Care Services needs people to assist with bingo from 1:00-2:15 p.m. They
do not need a regular commitment, but there is an on-going need for both
of these activities. Volunteers can contact Janine Boulad at
410-601-2260 or at jboulad@lifebridgehealth.org.
Maryland
Food Bank
The Maryland Food bank
depends completely on its volunteers to manage the sorting and packing
of food donations that come from food drives and "salvage" from large
food manufacturers such as Giant Food, Inc., Wegman’s and the U.S. Food
Service. This work is accomplished during the week on Mondays -
Fridays for 2 hour (or more) work sessions
between 9 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. We invite volunteers on the second
Saturday of every month from 8:30 AM until Noon year round. We also
provide for volunteers on the third Wednesday evening of each month from
5:30 PM until 8 PM. A new session, named First Tuesday, because it is
the first Tuesday of each month, exists from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. During
the holiday season, (Nov., Dec., Jan. perhaps Feb. &
March), we may alter the Saturday schedule to two (2) or more
Saturdays. Please keep an eye on the home/volunteer schedule page of
our website –
www.mdfoodbank.org for news of additional Saturdays. If you or your
group would like to come in on a weekday, please call (410) 737-8282,
ext. 232. I will schedule you immediately, or provide an acceptable
alternate date. Our volunteers are cherished for themselves and the
work they accomplish. Call to register at (410) 737-8282 ext 232
Maryland
Ronald McDonald House
This facility
houses families whose children are in a medical crisis. Opportunities
include administrative support, planning and facilitating activities and
entertainment, preparing and serving meals, and internships. The
opportunities are wide-ranged and designed to provide the children with
“moments of splendor”. Various activities from playing pool and air
hockey, story telling, arts and crafts, and game nights are facilitated
every night. The House is always looking for new energetic volunteers,
and creative ideas are welcome. All volunteer activities are scheduled
and coordinated to best fit the volunteers schedule and the schedule of
the house. A flexible schedule is offered and there are no minimum
volunteer requirements. For more information, please contact Joshua
Harden at 410-528-1010 x106 or email joshua@rmhbaltimore.com
Meals on
Wheels
There is a
volunteer opportunity for everyone! Individuals, families, and groups
can make a difference in the lives of people who are homebound. There is
a need for people to deliver meals on weekdays around 11:00 a.m., adopt
a route on your lunch hour with a group of 8-10 people once a month,
grocery shop on a flexible schedule, pack meals, or be a scheduler or a
phone pal. For more information please visit mealsonwheelsmd.org and
learn how to volunteer.
Moveable
Feast
Help prepare and
deliver nutritious meals and groceries to individuals and their
families, those in need, and those living with HIV/AIDS and other
life-challenging conditions. Please visit the web site at
www.mfeast.org and contact Patrick at
tpatrick@mfeast.org or 443-904-3313.
Mt.
Washington Pediatric Hospital
Mt. Washington
Pediatric Hospital provides quality inpatient care to children with
special needs or disabilities. There are both one time and long term
opportunities to volunteer with the children. Come for an afternoon and
play games, read, or do art projects with the children. For more
information, please contact Pam Klima at
pklima@mwph.org or call 410-578-8600.
National
Student Partnership
This is a
student-led volunteer service organization that links people in need
with the resources and opportunities necessary to become
self-sufficient. Working one-on-one with low-income community members
(clients), NSP volunteers provide resume services, job and housing
searches, making a budget, applying for public benefits, providing
referrals to other service agencies, and problem solving. Volunteers
attend a one day training session, then commit 4-10 hours a week based
on availability. Please contact Candi Blossom Jones, Site Coordinator
NSP-Baltimore, email:
cjones@nspnet.org, phone: 443-449-0342
Northeast
Youth Association Inc.
The Northeast
Youth Association Inc. is a tutoring center located in Mid Govans in
Baltimore City a few blocks from campus. The center is looking for a few
tutors twice a week until the end of the semester. The kids really need
the help in academic subjects as well as to learn that education must be
a priority. A Towson University alumnus is in charge of the center so
this would be a great opportunity to get involved with mentoring
children in the area. If you are interested in helping, please contact
Gregory Rogers, Executive Director at greg5@comcast.net.
Our Daily
Bread
Volunteer at Our
Daily Bread Employment Center and help your fellow brothers and sisters
in need. The shift is 9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. and you must schedule your
shift in advance. Please contact Doris Frans986-9031 or email
Franz-Poling, Volunteer Services Manager at 443-986-9031 or email
dfranzpl@cc-md.org.
Pikesville
Adult Daycare
Pikesville Adult
Daycare is a facility which provides activities, medical supervision and
social support for seniors who need a protected environment during the
day. The program gives families relief from daily care-giving
activities. If you want the opportunity to develop positive
relationships with seniors and help bring happiness and entertainment
then this is the place for you. There is also a chance to work with
dementia patients. This can be a one time experience or you can make
weekly or monthly visits. Please call Sandy at 410-653-3933.
Sarah’s
Hope
Sarah’s Hope is
currently seeking volunteers to help serve dinner meals daily from
5:00—9:00 p.m. Attend the volunteer orientation on the 1st Saturday of
every month from 10:00– 11:30 a.m., or the 2nd Thursday of every month
from 6:30– 8:00 p.m. Please RSVP to Amanda Morgan at 410-391-9155 or at
amorgan@vincentbaltimore.org.
Science Club at Riderwood Elementary School
A new Science Club at Riderwood Elementary School (located very close to
Towson Univ) is looking for volunteers to work with the club's leader in
doing HANDS-ON science activities/experiments with 3rd - 5th grade
students. Volunteers are welcome to either plan and run an activity
themselves or they can just assist in the room (helping the kids do the
activities). Either way of helping would be great. A wide variety of
topics will be presented to the children (chemistry, geology /earth
sciences, solar system, weather, environment, electircity, magnets,
density, heat and energy, the human body, microscopic worlds, etc...).
The club meets Thursday mornings from 8:00 am - 8:30 am all year long
(beginning 9/20/07). EVEN IF YOU CAN ONLY ASSIST ONCE, IT WOULD HELP!
If you enjoy getting elementary age children excited about science, I'd
love to have you join us. Please contact Debbie Hontz at (410)
828-7558.
Seasons
Hospice and palliative Care
Seasons honors life
and offer hope to patients and families when life expectancy is measured
in months rather than years. Be a patient care volunteer Guided by
Hospice philosophy and provide assistance and support to terminally ill
patients and their families. Assistance may include but is not limited
to emotional support, companionship or intermittent respite care for
caregivers. They also need office work volunteers to perform a variety
of non-clinical work, enables the hospice professionals to focus their
efforts on patient care. Please contact Jean Jordan at
jjordan@seasons.org.
Ulman
Cancer Fund for Young Adults
Are you
looking for a volunteer organization that was not highlighted in the
newsletter? the office of student activities can help! there are plenty
of other local organizations looking for volunteers. Stop by the
University Union, 217 and ask about community service!
Alison Batansky,
abatan1@towson.edu
Community Service
Graduate Assistant
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