Volunteer Connection Service Bulletin: December 10, 2004
A bi-weekly newsletter of local service opportunities (also see the bulletin
archives)
December 10, 2004 ~ Fall 2004
This
bulletin lists information about one-time and on-going service opportunities,
special events, and nonprofit agencies that we hope will help you get involved
in the community! If you’re a SCSU student, staff, or faculty member interested in volunteering,
but aren’t sure what agency would be a good fit, it might be helpful
to meet with the
This is the last Service Bulletin of fall semester!
The next bulletin
will be published January 21, 2005. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities
over winter break, please contact United Way at (320) 252-0227 or visit the
online Volunteer Central MN database at www.unitedwayhelps.org
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Connection
The Children's Defense Fund Minnesota
Attention social work students, or other concerned citizens! Did you know that 28,000 fewer Minnesota children would live in poverty if we could achieve full participation in public "work support" programs? Many families don't know these supports exist or don't how to apply. You can help!
The Children's Defense Fund Minnesota (CDF-MN) is recruiting volunteers to help with an outreach effort from February through mid-April 2005. They have developed a simple online screening tool, Covering All Families, which asks questions about a family's eligibility. As a volunteer, you can help screen families for these programs and apply for those that meet their needs. One training session is required. (Time and date to be determined.) Please help strengthen Minnesota's families!
If you would like to participate, contact Bridget O'Connell at 651-855-1177 or oconnell@cdf-mn.org. For more information about the Covering All Families project, visit the CDF-MN website: www.cdf-mn.org/outreach.htm.
Adopt-A-Family
The Central MN Task Force on Battered Women (Anna Marie's) is dedicated to empowering women and their children by providing temporary safe housing, advocacy, information, and referrals. Anna Marie's is seeking sponsors to provide gifts for families or single women living at the shelter currently or in the last six months. Over 50 families need to be adopted this year. The family will provide a wish list to sponsors. They can then purchase gifts and bring them to the shelter on December 13 and 14. Families will receive their gifts on the 16 and 17.
For more information on sponsoring a family, please call Kate Frantesl at (320) 253-6900.
Volunteer Connection Gift Drive
The Volunteer Connection "Making Holidays Brighter" gift drive ends at noon on Tuesday, December 14! Big Brothers/Big Sisters, in conjunction with the Bel Clare community, requests new, unwrapped toys: games, dolls, books, sleds, backpacks, basketballs, floor hockey equipment and sets, playground balls, board games, kitchen play sets, cars/trucks, books, and other non-violent educational toys and equipment. Drop-off boxes are located outside of the Volunteer Connection office, Atwood Memorial Center 139, and in SCSU residence halls. Donated toys will go to children between the ages of 3-12. Please make a child's holiday a little brighter!
For more information, please contact Laura Merrill, Volunteer Connection Coordinator, at 320-308-5693, or lcmerrill@stcloudstate.edu.
Hear your voice on the radio!
Central Minnesota Newspapers (CMN) for the Visually Impaired is a radio program that is broadcast from KVSC radio station on the St. Cloud State University campus. The organization brings local news to people who are visually or physically challenged on a daily basis. CMN is in need of two volunteers every day except Saturdays, when only one volunteer is needed. The volunteers select appropriate stories and read them on air. Volunteers need to commit to a specific time every two to three weeks for approximately two and a half hours. Thirty minutes of that time is spent in preparation for the broadcast and the times available are very flexible. Individuals need to pass an oral reading test; further training is provided.
For more information, contact either Art at (320) 253-4300 or Linda at (320) 253-7781.
Bell Ringing and much more!
The Salvation Army has many opportunities to get involved this holiday season. Volunteers are needed to distribute food, clothing and toys on December 20-23 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Drivers with trucks are also needed to pick up food, clothing and toys to bring these items to the St. Cloud Armory on December 20-21. They also have openings for bell ringers now through December 14. Assistance is also needed at the "Giving Tree" at Crossroads Mall through December 19 from 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
For more information on these opportunities, please call Jan Henning at (320) 252-4552.
New Beginnings
New Beginnings is a home for single, pregnant women and their babies, with programming centering around self-esteem, educational growth, and parenting and decision making skills. New Beginnings is always in need of volunteer babysitters to watch infants, age newborn to one year, while their mothers are at work, school, programming, or appointments. Both daytime and evening opportunities are available, on either a scheduled or "on-call" (one week advance notice) basis. The babysitting is done at New Beginnings with all supplies provided. Volunteer babysitters must fill out an application, agree to a criminal background study, and be at least 18 years of age.
For further information, please contact Jessica Gosser at (320) 255-1252.
Call the Capitol
The Youth Intervention Program of Lutheran Social Service is in need of one or two volunteers to help set up meetings with legislators at the Youth Intervention Program Day at the Capitol. It will require about 5 hours a week for about 4 weeks from the middle of January until February 14th, 2005. The job would require the volunteer to have a phone. The volunteer would take calls from their homes from legislators. A script when placing calls will be provided.
If interested please call Carol at 320-282-2143 or e-mail scloudcn@lssmn.org.
Internship at Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is in search of an individual interested in becoming an Outreach and Education Coordinator Intern/Volunteer. Outreach and Education Coordinator duties will include developing opportunities for community education and delivering presentations about birth control and sexually transmitted infections to schools and community organizations.
For more information, please contact Carol at 320-252-9504 or email volunteers@ppmns.org.
The Volunteer Connection Service Bulletin is brought to you by the staff of the St. Cloud State University Volunteer Connection program:
Laura Merrill, Volunteer Connection Coordinator, 308-5693
lcmerrill@stcloudstate.edu,
Atwood 139
Maren Greathouse, Graduate Assistant, 308-3058
greatm01@stcloudstate.edu,
Atwood 139
Eveily Freeman, AmeriCorps member, Service-Learning Coordinator, 308-3898
elfreeman@stcloudstate.edu,
Atwood 139
Additional volunteer information is available from:
- Volunteer Central MN is a service of the United Way of Central Minnesota that instantly links you to volunteer opportunities that match your interest, skills, and schedule, visit www.unitedwayhelps.org.
- Z-Club, a SCSU student organization that promotes service opportunities, has weekly meetings Wednesday’s at 4:00pm in the Lady’s Slipper Room in Atwood. For more information look at their web site www.geocities.com/zclubscsu/home.html or email zclubscsu@hotmail.com.
- Volunteer Connection website has info about special events, non-profit agencies, and archives of all past Service Bulletins: www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer.
*NEW* Bulletin Information
Please note that recipients of this newsletter may not post messages to the entire group. If you have comments or an item you'd like included in future newsletters, please email the information to the moderator at volunteer@stcloudstate.edu.
Feel free to forward this newsletter to others at St. Cloud State University and encourage them to sign up to receive the newsletter directly.
Anyone can SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE online by following the instructions on the Volunteer Connection website at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer/bulletins/archives.asp.
