Volunteer oportunities

[ElvenCat]

Are you interested in helping the community?? Yes, everybody is busy (trust me, I know I am), but isn't it worth at least an hour of your time to help out someone who may not be as well off as you?? Where would Middle Earth be if Frodo had said he was too busy for a journey?? Or if the rest of the Fellowship decided they had better things to do?? Yes, they are literary characters, but there is still a valuable lesson there.? No, doing some yardwork or making a baby blanket isn't as exciting or impressive as destroying a great ring of power.? But it can make a big difference in somebody's life.? Not to mention it is no where near as dangerous, nor time-consuming.

I've looked around online for local volunteer ideas that look like they would be good group activities.? Let's pick an activity to get planning and help out!?


Here's some info from the food bank and also a related organization, both would be good for us to do as a group:

http://www.utahfoodbank.org/volunteer%20page.htm

Sort Food:? Individuals and groups up to 60 people are needed to help sort food in the warehouse of the Utah Food Bank.? Volunteers inspect and sort food into 24 different categories in preparation to ship to over 240 programs and agencies statewide.? This fulfilling work is fast-paced and may require lifting of up to 40 lbs.?

Flexible shifts are available:
Monday-Thursday: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Children under 12 are welcome on Monday's from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. for "Family Night"
-Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
-1 adult per 5 youth is needed for groups and families

Yard Care:? We are looking year round for volunteers to help senior citizens and people with disabilities with yard work, gardening, raking leaves or snow removal.? Groups and individuals are also invited to participate in two of our annual events:? "Fall Leaf Haul" and "Spring Spruce-Up."? Help us rake and bag leaves in the fall and prepare yards for the summer in the spring.
 


http://www.informationandreferral.org/Volunteer_Services/general.pdf

Okay, I was going to look through this list and post some that sounded good for group projects, but there are just so many!? Included are organizations such as the Salvation Army, YWCA, Salt Lake Art Center, Tree Utah, Parks & Recration, People with AIDS Coalition, National Ability Center, Habitat for Humanity, and many many many more! So read through, post if you'd be interested in doing any of these as a group.


From another page on that same site... another list of current opportunities.? The Ronald McDonald House opportunity sounds like one we could do...
http://www.informationandreferral.org/Volunteer_Services/newspaper.pdf
Small groups needed to provide and prepare dinner for 40 of our hospital weary parents in our furnished kitchen.

Here is a news story about some students who did this
http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/news/2003/03/10/News/Students.Prepare.Food.For.Mcdonald.House-389812.shtml


This is for Utah County, but could be done anywhere

http://www.unitedwayuc.org/volunteer/vol_press_release.htm

Kids on the Move needs volunteer groups to make and assemble tablecloths, baby quilts, blankets, C-pillows and bibs for young infants in its therapy unit. Baby quilts will be given to each child who comes to the center. There is also a need for play clothes for toddlers between ages two and three.


Just some great ideas.? Yes, this says ideas for women's groups, but most would be just fine for anyone.
http://www.unitedwayuc.org/volunteer/pdfs/WomenOpportunities.pdf

...and one for groups in general (not nearly as creative)
http://www.unitedwayuc.org/volunteer/pdfs/Groups.pdf


Keep 5 Alive

NMHPU's goal is to eliminate the euthenasia of healthy adoptable pets in the state. And we've stepped up to the plate to help by raising $10,000 by August 2005. Donations go towards spay and neuter programs, as well as adoption events and centers.

Part of Utah's No More Homeless Pets effort to end the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals.? We could do some fundraising and make a group donation, maybe?? Or ask if there is some other way we can help their fundraising efforts
http://www.active.com/donations/fundraise_public.cfm?key=kriskatie

On a related note, I know animal shelters usually appreciate toys and blankets as well

[yummyboyfan]

Trust me when I tell you that you do not want to sort food at the foodbank. It's the grossest job I've ever done in my life, and I worked in a restaurant.  Cooking for the Ronald McDonald house might be fun.  Do we have to provide the food too?

[pand0ra]

Well, someone's gotta do the dirty work. I wouldn't be opposed to working at the food bank. I did, once, a few years ago. Any volunteer opportunity is good for me. Let's just pick a few and some dates, and get started.
If it was Christmas time, we could help hand out gifts for the Angel Tree program. I did that once. Much fun. Salvation Army takes volunteers though. 

Anyway..let's vote.

[ElvenCat]

Trust me when I tell you that you do not want to sort food at the foodbank. It's the grossest job I've ever done in my life, and I worked in a restaurant.? Cooking for the Ronald McDonald house might be fun.? Do we have to provide the food too?

Yup, we do have to provide the food as well.? I'm thinking maybe we could get a grocery store who wants warm fuzzies to donate at least some, but that is your area of expertise, I defer to you there ? I do think this one sounds like it could be fun, especially with your cooking skills ybf

I'm with Pan on the Food Bank thing... somebody's gotta do it.? I wouldn't mind at least once.?

I could handle making baby quilts and / or dog blankets too.? I'm not much of a seamstress, but I can handle straight lines.? Ok, might need help finishing off the baby quilts.? Easy style of dog blanket:? A layer of terry cloth between two layers of fleece.? Finishing on the edges not required, warm and comfy, and no tempting batting for chewers to pull out.

Never handed out the Angel Tree gifts before, that sounds fun.? Have adopted an angel three years.? 'Til Meyer & Frank bought ZCMI.? Wasn't sure if the Angel Tree could still be found in that location or not, and didn't know where to go looking.?

I really like some of the ideas from the "women's opportunities" file:

Educational kits for the Family Support and Treatment Center, Kids on the Move, and Mountainland Head Start sound fun and easy to put together.? Should probably wait on this one until back to school time, though.? All that stuff (paper, safety scissors, crayons, etc.) goes on sale really cheap that time of year.?

Bookmarks, stationary, and all occasion cards for Youth Corrections sounds fun, as does Birthday Bags for patients at Utah State hospital.? Making stacking blocks for the kids groups sounds fun, easy, and fairly inexpensive too.

Reading books on tapes sounds like an especially appropriate thing for us to do.? Is that actually legal?? It's mentioned as idea that file as well, anyway.?

Oh, from one of the other pages, one of those tree planting or gardening things could be good.? Pretty sure there are some groups that provide the supplies, too, so it's just the cost of time.

So, guess that's some of the top things that sound good ta me.

[ElvenCat]

I was in a community involvement meeting at work, and got talking with someone there who has done a lot of volunteer stuff on his own, with groups, and with his kids.? (He was of the opinion that sorting at the food bank wasn't that bad, btw).? He pointed me in the right direction for the educational kits (hygine, newborn, and other items as well).? It's through the LDS Humanitarian Services.?

Humanitarian Service Rooms

In selected Deseret Industries stores, the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center has rooms dedicated to humanitarian service projects. These service areas, called Humanitarian Service rooms, provide volunteers with the opportunity to assemble hygiene, newborn, and school kits for distribution by LDS Humanitarian Service throughout the world. Humanitarian Service rooms are located in the following Deseret Industries:

Mesa, Arizona
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Centerville, Utah
Murray, Utah
Provo, Utah
Welfare Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

The rooms are equipped with sewing machines, sergers, cutting tables, fabric, yarn, and other supplies for use by volunteers in producing humanitarian projects. Volunteers may either complete projects on site, or donated materials may be taken home, project completed, and later returned to the Humanitarian Service room."

From what he told me, all materials are provided, we just need to put them together.? Read about the school kit... that one does involve sewing a bag.

If ya just skimmed and missed it... we don't have to do the project in their rooms, it does say the donated materials may be taken home to complete the project, and later returned. 

Link for info about all the kits is http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,4598-1-2317-1,00.html

Sounds fun to me, and a great way to help out

[yummyboyfan]

I'm game for almost anything. It is so important.  Let's plan a date for the Ronald McDonald and I'll start talking to stores about donations.

[ElvenCat]

Having no experience feeding more than one person on a regular basis, and no more than... um... four, ever (so far as a whole meal goes): taking into account the unfortunately small number of volunteers we may have, will feeding 40 people be feasible?? I'm guessing it is, but I honestly don't know, lol.? Also, what time frame are we looking at?? Of course we still need to make contact and find out the requirements and times available, and do meal planning or such.? Somehow I suspect there will be no cookies for desert ? Though I did mention on the Ringers boards that if the filmmakers came back, we'd try and convince you to do just a few more?

[yummyboyfan]

I've been doing dinners for more than 20 ppl since I was 12.  From the time I was 15 I was catering for a Christmas dinner for 50 ppl every year until I went away to college. I also catered my friend's wedding (for 150) when I was 18, and have done a couple of other friend's weddings.   I was thinking Lasagna, rolls, and salad.  Easy to do, tasty, and looks like it was a lot of work.  I might even make cookies .  We'll have to see how the timing goes.  We can talk more tonight.

Jami

[ElvenCat]

Would really like to do this one when it's back to school time and the price of supplies is low:

http://www.hearttoheart.org/H2HSchoolKitsforIraq.htm