Opportunities From: Montgomery County Volunteer Center

We distribute groceries and produce to families affected by the economic downturn due to Covid19 Pandemic around the Suburbs of Baltimore  MD

We are doing it on every Sundays between 3-5 pm

Dates: May-10 to July-19; every Sunday between 1 PM to 3:00 PM

Contact: Mahendra Sapa  at 301-377-3247

Note: Volunteers should have and use personal protection gears recommended by CDC facemask, gloves  and maintain the safety guidelines of CDC while packing and distributing grocery and produces. 

Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the student’s parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns.

RefAmerica UPDATE for Summer 2020 (virtual) and 2021 (in-person):   Hope you all are healthy and staying safe.  Yes, RefAmerica is still looking for local American high school students who want to help promote a warm American welcome for refugees in the United States.  As we will be unable to bring resettled refugee teens to Washington D.C. this summer for the RefAmerica leadership program, we plan to have a certain number of virtual sessions with a RefAmerica group of teen refugees and volunteers in July 2020 to allow participants to begin their cross-cultural experience, to begin to bond, to begin to develop story-telling and public speaking skills, and to receive some mentoring in anticipation of their in-person program in Washington next summer (2021).  If you are a graduating senior, rising senior, or a rising junior, your virtual participation in this program in July 2020 could help lessen the feelings of isolation and frustration experienced by relatively recently arrived refugee teens as they attempt to operate and adapt in a new language and a foreign country during a pandemic lockdown and its aftermath.  Support and insights from American peers will be invaluable to them as they try to get know their new home country and its inhabitants under very trying conditions, and volunteers will gain much from refugee insights as well.

We are accepting applications through mid-June and will interview RefAmerica applicants (by phone).  (If you are interested in helping welcome refugee peers, we would suggest that this is an ideal time to focus on the RefAmerica application when you are necessarily at home and practicing social distancing.)  Those accepted into the program can rest assured that so long as they qualify this year, they will have the opportunity to participate with their refugee contemporaries in the in-person program in Washington next year (health conditions permitting), and we will look to our volunteer teen participants this July to provide much-needed moral support to these refugee peers by participating in a few virtual sessions.   

 RefAmerica’s one-month, Washington-based, in-person program scheduled to be held next in 2021 will, as in previous years, will be held in July for  six – ten recently resettled refugee high school students drawn from around the U.S. and six - ten comparably aged American teens from Montgomery County, MD, and surrounding areas.

RefAmerica is a program in leadership, public-speaking, cross-cultural understanding, and the narrative method.  Participants have the opportunity to get to know Washington DC; to learn more about American immigrant stories; to engage in a unique cross-cultural program of sharing traditions, team-building experiences and personal stories; to explore their own roles within a greater American story of immigration and integration; to meet with government and legislative officials, refugee program professionals, and others; and to plan ways to welcome refugees and promote cross-cultural understanding in their home communities.  The goal of RefAmerica is to promote full inclusion of recently arrived refugees in America and provide small groups of participant refugees with the tools both to tell their stories and to help forge for themselves, their families and their fellow refugees, like generations of Americans before them, a new American story.  Volunteer participants in the  July 2021 in-person program are eligible for SSL.   

If you would like to participate in RefAmerica program (in-person July 2021 and virtually July 2020) please email refamericafoundation@gmail.com for an application.

We would also welcome hearing from anyone whose parents might want to host a recently resettled refugee high school student for the month of July 2021 or anyone who is just interested in learning more, helping in fund-raising events, or helping in any other way,

Participation in the summer program is competitive and requires an application, short bio, and resume.  For this volunteer opportunity, we are looking for friendly, outgoing, supportive students with a commitment to and record of community service.  In 2021 (and virtually in 2020), local volunteer participants will join with refugee participants in a wide array of cross-cultural exchange, team-building, and community service activities; build public speaking and leadership skills; and advocate for refugees.  They will offer their refugee contemporaries friendship, welcome, and an introduction to teen life in their new home country.  In 2021, program participants must make a full four-week commitment (including weekends).  In 2020, virtual participation will be 5-8 partial days throughout July (schedule and timing collectively TBD). 

RefAmerica is in its fourth year of bringing refugees and local teens together to tell their stories in a summer program of training, shared experience, and cultural exchange.  Check out  https://twitter.com/refugees/status/998605511833550851 for UNHCR’s animated tweet of Alaa’s story from RefAmerica 2017.  You can also check online for RefAmerica's first-prize essay in the 2018 Dream Builders contest and for various NGO postings about individual refugees who have participated in the RefAmerica program. 

The G.R.OWN Foods program for girls is in need of some experienced and Master gardeners to provide periodic instruction and guidance to our group of girl gardeners in Silver Spring.

We are also in need of carpenters to help construct raised garden beds for our garden plots in Silver Spring.

G.R.OWN Foods stands for Girls Raising Our OWN Foods, and we strive to help girls get outside and learn to tend and grow a garden for their own consumption, and sell produce in their own booth in a local farmer's market.

We want to encourage healthy food choices and use gardening as a way to understand the food chain.  Importantly, we hope to work with our girls to help establish a more reasonable pace of life by practicing patience and understanding the patterns and timing of seed-time-harvest.

If you have experience with seasonal or year-round vegetable, herb, and fruit gardening, and think you could provide hands-on instruction to a small group at your convenience, we would love for you to work with us.  Workshops would take place at our garden plot in spring/summer weather-permitting, as well as indoors at library or other community-based locations in Silver Spring, Maryland.

For the fall season, we could use some expertise in how to create small indoor gardens, and how to preserve the soil and prepare the ground for winter.

In spring, we would like to learn about how to select seeds, grow seedlings, prepare fertile ground for planting, planting strategies, and various types of gardening - in and out of soil.

We are also in need of carpenters to teach our group how to build raised beds for gardening as well as indoor gardening shelves.

We hope to partner with Home Depot or Lowe's for donations of gardening and building supplies.  We would be happy to have an adult volunteer to take on establishing that partnership and soliciting donations on our behalf.

https://bepurposefull.org/2019/10/14/girls-raising-own-foods/

SAMFSN is a non profit 501 3(c) tax-exempt organization, supported and operated by a team of dedicated volunteers to support veterans and military families The two primary focus areas for SAMFSN are outlined below 1) Advance Cultural Diversity: Conduct programs and events that help promote AAPI goals of cultural diversity, Walk Together, Embrace Differences, Build Legacies. Help create awareness and advance cultural diversity within all branches of the U.S Military. 2) Civilian Transition Services to Veterans: SAMFSN has setup civilian transition services that are available for all active duty and civilians. Please refer to our website for the online USAJobs training and the mentoring services that are available. All services are FREE to veterans and military personnel. 

1) Wreaths For America: (Approx around Dec 15th) SAMFSN participates in this event every year. Since 2015 we have been participating at the Baltimore National Cemetery rather than at Arlington Cemetery. We invite families to lay wreaths and flowers on grave stones of fallen soldiers. Since we always don't have seem to have enough wreaths we request families to bring roses to lay at the grave stones once the wreaths run out so that we can cover as many grave stones as we can. Please send an email to support@ samfsn.org. If you want to help out as a volunteer or participate in this event as a family. Age Limit: From 10 years  and over. Each volunteer will get 4 hours of SSL. This community service will be provided at the Baltimore National Cemetery

Male and female volunteers needed to help in the daily activities of our Bridal Boutique. Assistance needed carrying our designer wedding gowns and replacing them to their correct places after customer appointments. No Stock room experience needed. Work in an environment that is friendly and comfortable surrounded by other volunteers, and high school and college students. Volunteer help needed 2 to 4 hours a day or per week. Must have own transportation or be familiar with taking Metro to Twinbrook Station. Hours required varies by day. All age groups can apply! 

VisArts makes the visual arts accessible to all through education, gallery exhibitions and resident artists. Interns will assist the staff in the development and delivery of educational programs: office work, data entry, mailings, organizing and cleaning. Occasional teaching assist, marketing, and special events will be available.

Please apply online on our website. https://www.visartscenter.org/jobsinternshipsvolunteer-opportunities/

*MCPS students can earn SSL hours during non-instructional hours, such as afterschool, weekends or on no school days In high school.

Description

Elite Soccer Youth Development Academy (ESYDA) is looking for student (11th & 12th) and adult tutors to assist in academic guidance to elementary and middle school students.

This program is located at:

12301 Old Columbia Pike

Silver Spring, MD 20904

Key responsibilities include:

We ask volunteers to commit to tutoring for as much of the school year as possible. Tutors are also needed to help during the summer months.

To learn more and to apply, contact kendell.battle@esyda.org with you name and phone number.

We have many and varied opportunities for people to help us care for our campus landscape while spending time in the great outdoors. When you come to volunteer, we’ll ask you to really get your hands dirty--weeding, raking, pruning, planting trees, shrubs, and flowers, cleaning up landscapes, mulching, or replenishing footpaths--and you will feel like you have accomplished something special when you are done. We always come up with fun, active projects that enhance the beauty of campus and engage you with nature and your fellow volunteers.
 
Our volunteers come from a variety of places--service organizations, fraternities and sororities, academic departments, university alumni organizations, and local high schools. No matter what your background, the Arboretum & Botanical Garden wants to benefit from your hard work.
 
No experience is necessary, but the work involves physical labor, such as bending, lifting, and digging.

Join a fantastic Volunteer Staff at Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring. Assist in the administrative duties associated with planning, initiating, and implementing a comprehensive marketing plan including posting wedding gowns for sale and advertising boutique events to the community. Assist with managing social media sources such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and communicating with leads. Perform a variety of clerical assistant tasks such as office organization, responding to telephone, etc. Perform other related duties as needed. Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring Boutique is a non-profit 501(c)3 Bridal Boutique in the DC-VA-MD area, with prices up to 75% off retail wedding dresses. Our primary mission is to offer reduced-price designer bridal gowns and accessories , and donate our net proceeds to scholarships for Rockville H.S. students to attend Montgomery College, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Alzheimer's Association, Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center at Suburban Hospital and other charities in  and other charities in Montgomery County. Please visit our website for more information : www.fairytalebrides.org, Facebook.com/fairytalebrides.org Contact Donna Vaccarezza if you are interested or want to learn more about this exciting internship volunteer opportunity 154 Congressional Lane, Rockville MD 20852 Phone: (301) 468-2000 Business experience/Degree in Sales and Marketing, Fundraising. Must work all Saturdays or at least one Saturday or Sunday a month.

Join a fantastic and super friendly Volunteer Staff at Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring Boutique. Volunteer to be a Bridal Consultant/Receptionist who can commit time (up to 4 hours) to be at the boutique during the week and weekends. Please see boutique hours on our website www.fairytalebrides.org. Must be willing to work all or at least one Saturday ( 10 am to 3pm) or Sunday (1 to 4 pm) per month. Retail sales experience is helpful, but we also are looking for volunteers willing to learn, are enthusiastic and are reliable. Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring Boutique is a non-profit 501(c)3 Bridal Boutique in the DC-VA-MD area, with prices up to 75% off retail wedding dresses. Our primary mission is to offer reduced-price designer bridal gowns and accessories for women, and donate our net proceeds to scholarships for Rockville H.S. students to attend Montgomery College, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Alzheimer's Association, Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center at Suburban Hospital and other charities in Montgomery County. Please visit our website for more information : www.fairytalebrides.org Contact us if you are interested or want to learn more about the volunteer opportunity 156 Congressional Lane, Rockville MD 20852 Phone: (301) 468-2000 This volunteer opportunity is also for high school students - Student Service Learning (SSL)

Provide information to visitors and telephone callers; greet and escort patients and visitors entering the hospital; assist in accommodating families and loved ones of patients in various areas throughout the hospital, including Aquilino Cancer Center and the Rehabilitation Hospital; serves as assistant to the sales associate in the Gift Shop and other customer service duties as needed. 

Assist hospital staff in various administrative offices with, filing collating papers, answering phosnes, computer input, Xeroxing, facing, making/breaking down charts, etc.

Under the supervision of the clinical staff, provide fresh water, ice & & juice to patients; refill gloves containers; restock nurse servers and thermometer probes; fill out menus for patients; help patients with TV and lighting controls; assist staff with other duties as directed. 

Donations Needed:  

Lead4Life, Inc. is in need of hygiene products for the youth and adults that we serve that are also members of the homeless population of Montgomery County. We believe it takes a village to make a difference...will you help us make a difference in some young people's lives!? 

A little about Lead4Life, Inc.:  

 Lead4Life, Inc. (L4L) was founded in 2008 in an effort to reduce the number of youth entering the juvenile justice system, the number of out-of-home placements, and the youth recidivism rate. L4L’s programs are developed utilizing restorative practices, strength-based and Positive Youth Development models. These programs help youth and families address negative behaviors that all too often result in involvement with our criminal justice system. 

L4L staff, mentors, and volunteers work together to empower individuals to develop positive life, social and competency skills, enabling them to become productive community members. Services such as alternative to detention programs, diversion, and grassroots mentoring are provided both in the community and in youth detention facilities. 

How Can You Help? 

HOST A HOLIDAY SUPPLY DRIVE: 

Schedule a single day event for your organization to collect hygiene items and they can be dropped off at the Lead4Life office or our staff will come and pick them up. We also welcome monetary donations to help us purchase supplies as well. 

 ITEMS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL: 

We would like to collect the items below: We have researched the most needed and beneficial items to the homeless population we serve  

Middle school and high school students are eligible to earn SSL hours for their help with hosting a drive, while under the direct supervision of a school sponsor in a public space.

The gym volunteer would be responsible for putting out training equipment, setting up and removing tables, greeting customers by the door at our information table, operate our point of sale systems, help track inventory of shirts and uniforms. Help keep gym clean during shift.

Administrative duties i.e., answering the phone, making copies, shredding documents, setting up food trays for patients for discharge, helping patients with basic needs i.e. warm blanket, water, magazine. If you interested, visit our website, under "The Ways to Give" tab (bottom of page) to complete a volunteer application.

Greet Emergency Department patients upon arrival; effectively interact with patients, family members, ED and Registration staff; direct the patient to the proper treating area; contact pediatric staff for all pediatric patients; direct pediatric family members to Pediatric Reception area. Outstanding people skills, sensitivity and customer service skills needed. If you interested, visit our website, under "The Ways to Give" tab (bottom of page) to complete a volunteer application. Must be mobile.

LPF relies on volunteers to inventory and sort the large amounts of equipment donations we receive daily. Come to our warehouse and sort through soccer balls, baseball bats, basketballs, cleats and so much more! While not required, it is preferred that the volunteer has a basic knowledge of sports. We also recommend wearing clothing that you do not mind getting dirty.

To sign up for this opportunity, please fill out our online volunteer form and sign up for shifts on our online calendar.