Volunteers are critical to the success of so many great efforts in our community! Whatever skills or interests you have, there's a place for you to help build a better Genesee County. We've listed a number of current volunteer opportunities below.
Do you need to do court ordered community service? Contact:
- Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, (810) 239-4441.
- North End Soup Kitchen, (810) 785-6911.
- First Presbyterian Church of Flint in downtown Flint, (810) 234-8673.
Want your volunteer opportunities listed here? Contact Julia Zaher, (810)232-6285, with the information.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
RED CROSS BLOOD DONOR PROGRAM: Needs help at community blood drives. Greet, register, serve juice and cookies to donors. Contact: (810)257-0724 or tinik@geneseelapeer-redcross.org.
VOLUNTEERS 55 AND OLDER: living on limited income needed to volunteer an average of 20 hours per week with special needs children. Receive a tax free stipend of $2.65 per hour, transportation reimbursement and meal each day when volunteering. Contact the Foster Grandparent Program at (810)257-3779.
TUTORING/MENTORING: Help kids ages 4-16 whose parents are in jail by volunteering as a tutor/mentor using the Reading & Counting to Success Program. Reading/math tutoring from 6-7:15pm Mon. and Wed. at Motherly Intercession located near the Flint Public Library. Contact: Pat Scott, (810)424-9909, paty.scott@comcast.net.
MADD VICTIM ADVOCATE: Mothers Against Drunk Driving is looking for compassionate people who want to be trained as a victim advocate. Help those who have been traumatized by the loss or injury of a loved one due to drunk driving. Training and materials provided. Call 800-323-6233. You can also register for our 2-day advocate training in Okemos May 14 & 15.
NORTH END SOUP KITCHEN: Is now serving dinner and needs volunteers from 2pm-5:30pm, M-F. Contact: Catherine, (810)785-6911.
JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER/MENTOR: Monitor and mentor first time juvenile offenders in a 90-day court diversionary program. Help youthful offenders become successful academically and in life. Excellent opportunity to build and develop community resources and interviewing skills. Orientation and training provided. Contact: Patti Dill, (810)768-7086 or pdill@co.genesee.mi.us.
OFFICER OF THE COURT: Serve as an Officer of the Court in the 7th Judicial Circuit Court Family Division. Check in parties on juvenile matters and call cases into court. Great opportunity to network with the legal community and work with the public. Contact: Patti Dill, (810)768-7086 or pdill@co.genesee.mi.us.
HOME HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS: Seeking caring, compassionate people to donate their time to end-of -life patient and families in Lapeer area. Training and mileage provided. Call: Marguarete Fredell (810) 538-0282 or email E-mail: mfredell@hometownhhh.com.
HELP PEOPLE APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS: Volunteers needed to help clients apply for assistance using new kiosks that make the process easier. 15 people needed. Contact: Eva Pyles, (810)760-2973.
DATA ENTRY AND FILING one day per week at The Court Appointed Special Advocate Program of the Weiss Advocacy Center. Qualifications: must be 21, have knowledge of Microsoft Access based programs, pass background check, and able to make a 6 month commitment, Tuesdays or Wednesdays preferred. Please contact Jamie Brooks, CASA Program Manager, 810-234-7160 or email: casa-manager@sbcglobal.net.
DO YOU HAVE 2 HOURS A WEEK? Mentors are needed for youth ages 12-16 that have been referred from the courts to the 4H-Americorps Youth Mentoring Program, part of the MSU Extension program. Adults 18 and over needed to spend 2 hours a week with these youth doing homework, talking or other activities. Training provided. One year commitment requested. Contact Christine Leonard, (810)244-8527 or leona150@msu.edu.
FOOD BANK: Help with clerical tasks; staff the order desk (take food orders, make sure processed properly), sort donated food, build food pantry boxes. Minimum age: 14 (or 8 with an adult). Megan Buysse, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, (810) 239-4441, mbuysse@secondharvest.org.
HOMEWORK HELP:Spend time with kids at an after-school homework help program run by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint. Encourage learning, growth, and personal motivation. 3-5 pm, Tues.-Fri. Contact Nicholas Jablonski, (810) 249-3413.
HELP THE HOMELESS: Answer phones, make coffee and help homeless individuals in a variety of ways at One Stop Housing Resource Center. Help needed Monday mornings and a variety of other times. Contact: Frank Woods, (810)600-4525.
CLERICAL & CUSTODIAL HELP: Needed at Love, Inc., a faith-based effort which helps coordinate food and other helps for those in need. Spend a few hours a week answering phones, filing, doing data input or cleaning. Contact Frank Murdough, (810) 235-4993.
BE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: Provide spiritual and emotional support to patients/families during the dying process. Sit quietly with them, read, sing, talk softly, just be there. Contact: Candy Leitheim at Avalon Hospice, (810)733-7250. Orientation classes April 6-27, 2010 on Tuesday evenings from 6-9pm.
OFFICE ASSISTANT: Do you know how to use Microsoft Word and Excel? Use those skills to help needy people. Call Eva Pyles, Volunteer Coordinator, Department of Human Services, (810) 760-2973.
DO YOU KNIT OR CROCHET? Join the year ‘round Yarns of Love group to make winter hats, mittens, scarves for area children in need. Contact Cindy Cromwell at United Way of Genesee County, (810)762-5827.
FRIENDLY VISITORS: Avalon Hospice is looking for a few friendly visitors to spend a few hours a week sitting with a patient, holding their hand, listening to their stories, reading or playing a game together. Also need veterans who can volunteer with patients who are veterans and folks willing to answer phones and greet visitors. Call to register for orientation. Candy Leitheim, (810)733-7250, cleitheim@odsyhealth.com.
ADVOCATES: Work on behalf of abused and neglected children in foster care as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Need: a compassionate heart, ability to communicate well and 15-20 hours per month. Must be 21. Extensive training and materials provided. Jamie Passon Brooks, CASA program manager, (810)234-7160 or casa-manager@sbcglobal.net.
TRANSLATOR: Assist with interpretation and translation for the Center for Civil Justice Immigration Law Project. Mainly Spanish, but other languages occasionally needed; flexible hours. Can help with oral interpretation during client meetings, document translation which can be done at home or at the office or both. Carolyn Krieger, (989) 755-3120 or (800) 724-7441 or e-mail ckrieger@ccj-mi.org.
GREETERS: Welcome and assist homeless individuals at Mission of Hope's daytime drop-in center, 4618 Roberts Street, Flint. Also would like someone to do computer work. Flexible hours. Bobby, (810) 282-2510.
MONEY MANAGEMENT MENTORS: Help money management graduates manage their budgets and continue to practice the principles of sound money management. Be a one-on-one mentor for adult students who complete LOVE, Inc. money management classes. Anyone who has managed his/her own household budget would be perfect. One hour on Mondays, 6-9 p.m. Three-month commitment required. Patty Jarvis or Frank Murdough, (810) 235-4993.
WORKERS WANTED: Paint, patch - help a family stretch the dollars; second Saturday each month; ages 14 and up. No skills necessary although experts welcome. Salem Housing C.D.C., 3216 MLKing, Flint, (810) 785-5340, ext. 21 or e-mail ljohnston@salemhousing.org.
VISITORS: Friendly visitors are needed to visit with the elderly in nursing homes throughout Genesee County. Read a book, listen to a story or be a companion for a few hours. Laurie Ehrhardt, Citizens For Better Care, (989) 754-9017.
GRIEF AND LOSS SUPPORT FACILITATOR: Work with grieving children, teens and their caregivers. Training provided, three-hour time commitment every other week. Applications available by calling Mott Children's Health Center, (810) 237-8692.
MICAFE APPLICATION ASSISTANT: Help Flint and Genesee County senior citizens sign up for a Bridge Card (food stamps), Medicaid and other government programs in Flint. Sarah Hines, (877) 664-2233.
FLINT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: A variety of volunteer opportunities are available with the Flint Children's Museum, including creative costuming, program play and learn partners, green thumbs, weekend warriors and smart mart store manager. Also need help with morning cleaning and a community liaison to work special events. Cathy Foland, (810)767-5437.
WISH GRANTER: Volunteers needed to meet with wish kids and their families and conduct the visit that helps determine the child's wish. Help staff make arrangements to carry out child's wish. Ashley Redford, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, 800-622-9474 Ext. 121.
BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS: Work one-to-one with a child, sharing experiences and time, to help the child grow into a confident, capable person. Time commitment: regular visits with the child at least twice a month on individual basis for one year. Minimum age: 16. Contact Reta Stanley at(810) 235-0617.
VOLUNTEER/DONATIONS: The United Way needs experienced builders to help build handicap ramps, donations of lumber, building materials and a storage facility where ramps can be built and stored until needed. Gene Ridley, (810) 762-5831.
TUTOR/BILINGUAL TUTOR: Help English as second language students with translation to improve skills and to learn English. Orlando Garcia, Hispanic Technology Center, (810) 424-3760.
HOSPICE TRAINING: Join an interdisciplinary team to give support to patients and their families during end-of-life care. No medical background required. Training provided. Visiting Nurse Services of Michigan, (800) 206-4806 or (810) 496-8779.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS: Volunteers needed for youth and community programs after school, including open gym, life skills training, teen job preparation, computer proficiency, tutoring, crocheting, knitting, art, chess, checkers and more. Contact Dawn Demps, (810)789-7850, Urban League of Flint.
LITERACY VOLUNTEERS: Love to read? Help adults who are preparing to take their GED with their reading skills. Flexible schedule. 4-8 hours per week. Must be 18. Contact Christ Enrichment Center, (810)239-9425.
DOG FOOD/VOLUNTEERS: Need donations of dog food, straw, throw rugs, pet vitamins for low income families struggling to keep their pets. Also need foster homes for pets. Volunteers to walk dogs, clean kennels & transport dogs to Grand Blanc Petsmart on Saturdays, noon-4pm. Edith, Last Chance Rescue, Swartz Creek, (810) 767-6366.