Volunteers Needed to Help Host an Annual Chai Tea Fundraiser

The Springfield Jewish Federation is hosting its Annual Chai Tea Fundraiser on February 13, 2011 from 3pm to 5pm and they need about 10 volunteers from 2pm until 5:30pm to help serve food and drinks.  If you are interested, you need to RSVP to 217-787-7223 extension 11 and ask for Rachel Hinkle.

February Volunteer Opportunities

February Volunteer Opportunities

Saturday, February 19 - Fight for Air Climb
7:00 am to 2:00 pm

The Volunteer and Civic Organization Center Service Splash for February will be the Fight for Air Climb event put on by the American Lung Association. The event is on Saturday, February 19, 2011. We will leave campus at 7:00 am and we will be back by 2:00 pm. The volunteers will be either helping participants figure out where they are supposed to be going, work at a water table, or they will be greeters. Contact the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center by Friday, January 28th if you are interested in volunteering for this event. You can call 217-206-7716 or email volunteer@uis.edu to RSVP.


Ongoing - The Progressive Youth Foundation Mentors

The Progressive Youth Foundation is looking for volunteers to help with boxing and fitness classes. The classes are part of an athletic and mentoring program designed to give male and female youth a positive environment in which to become responsible adult men and women. The program stresses the importance of education, goal setting, and community building. They are looking for one male to help out with the male classes and two females to help out with the female classes. For more information about times and dates that they need volunteers for, you can contact the center at 217-670-0814. You can also stop by in person and find out what the program is all about. The Center is located at 2130 Clear Lake Ave, Springfield IL, 62703.

January Volunteer Opportunities

January Volunteer Opportunities

Tuesday, January 4 - APL Pet Therapy Training
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

This is a training that the Animal Protection League in Springfield, IL is putting on so volunteers can participate in the Pet Therapy Program.  Volunteers for the Pet Therapy Program take animals into area nursing homes to visit with the residents.  Volunteers will be providing good therapy for the residents while also getting to have fun with the animals themselves.  If you would like more information about this training or about the program, you can contact Angie Antonucci at aantonucci@Apl-shelter.org.


Friday, January 7 - APL "Paws to Read" Training
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

This training is to train volunteers for the Animal Protection League "Paws to Read" Program. Every week, APL dogs and their human volunteers go to area elementary schools. They help students practice their oral reading skills in a friendly and non-judgmental way. Dogs and their handlers sit in the library and students come to them, one at a time, for about 10 minutes each. The volunteers will be helping the children be more comfortable reading in front of people as well as letting the dogs get out and have some fun.  If you would like more information about this training or about the program, you can contact Angie Antonucci at aantonucci@Apl-shelter.org.   


Saturday, January 8 - APL Pet Therapy Training
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

This is a training that the Animal Protection League in Springfield, IL is putting on so volunteers can participate in the Pet Therapy Program. Volunteers for the Pet Therapy Program take animals into area nursing homes to visit with the residents. Volunteers will be providing good therapy for the residents while also getting to have fun with the animals themselves. If you would like more information about this training or about the program, you can contact Angie Antonucci at aantonucci@Apl-shelter.org.


Friday, January 21 - Ronald McDonald House
10:00 am - 3:00 pm

The UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center will be taking students to the Ronald McDonald House to volunteer.  This is the service splash for the month of January and we will be doing it in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Volunteers will be doing various activities throughout the time there.  Some of those activities include cleaning and cooking. Transportation will be provided, but students that are interested in going must RSVP because there is limited spaces in the vans. To RSVP call the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at 217-206-7716.

Internship Opportunity

The American Red Cross in Springfield, IL is looking for a student to intern with the Meals on Wheels Program.  The coordinator of the program will work around your schedule and will work with you on the number of hours that you want to work a week.  If you are interested, you can contact Faraji Martin, the Meals on Wheels Coordinator, by email at fmartin@il-redcross.org or you can call him at 217-787-7602. 

Staff Changes

There have been some recent staff changes in the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center.  Kelly Thompson has taken a position at Ronald McDonald House Charities and Jordan Jeffers will be attending graduate school in the spring.  The contacts for the center until a new director is hired will be Pam Hammond-McDavid and Brittany Elder. If you need any assistance in finding volunteer opportunities, feel free to contact us at 217-206-7716.

Mentors Wanted - Progressive Youth Foundation and Athletic League

The Harriett Tubman and Susan B. Anthony Community Center is starting a new program called the Progressive Youth Foundation and Athletic League, an athletic and mentoring program designed to give male youth a positive environment in which to become responsible adult men. The program stresses the importance of education, goal setting, and community building. Male volunteers (college age and up) are needed to act as mentors.

If you are interested, please call the Center at 217-670-0814. You can also stop by in person and find out what the program is all about. The Center is located at 2130 Clear Lake Ave, Springfield IL, 62703.

December Volunteer Opportunities

December Volunteer Opportunities

Friday, November 26 – Monday, December 27 - Holiday Outlet Store
Multiple Shifts Available

Springfield-based Design Ideas is teaming up with Sparc, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Illinois Capital Region, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Junior League, to open the Design Ideas Holiday Outlet Store.

This is located at White Oaks Mall (in the previous World Market location). Products that will be available will include home, office, kitchen décor, organizational products and GelGems, all at drastically reduced pricing.

During store hours (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and Noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays), volunteers are needed to help at the store. To volunteer, contact Todd Spann at 217-726-2206 Ext. 145 or at tspann@spfldsparc.org.

Saturday, December 11 – Habitat for Humanity
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to paint at one of the homes built by Habitat for Humanity in Springfield. If you are interested in volunteering, you can arrive at the site (1001 Knoll Pointe in Springfield) during the build times noted above. When you get there, you can sign the appropriate volunteer forms. The training and supplies will be provided. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothes to paint in. By doing this, volunteers will be helping a family in Springfield gain a home. If you have any questions you can contact Sarah Mackey at smackey@habitatsangamon.com. 

Wednesday, December 15 Deadline – Spring Mission Trip to Honduras

SIU Medical School is planning a mission trip to Honduras. They will work in a small village and set up a medical center for that week and provide primary care services.

More volunteers are needed; they can be studying a medical field or not. The cost for the entire trip will be around $1200-$1500. This is a great opportunity to give a helping hand to someone from another country. If you are interested please let Lynne Price know by December 15. You can email her at lpric1@uis.edu, and she will help you get in contact with SIU Medical School.

Saturday, December 18 – Habitat for Humanity
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to paint at one of the homes built by Habitat for Humanity in Springfield. If you are interested in volunteering, you can arrive at the site (1001 Knoll Pointe in Springfield) during the build times noted above. When you get there, you can sign the appropriate volunteer forms. The training and supplies will be provided. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothes to paint in. By doing this, volunteers will be helping a family in Springfield gain a home. If you have any questions you can contact Sarah Mackey at smackey@habitatsangamon.com.

Ongoing – Girl Scouts HERO Program

Girl Scouts has a 6 week program within elementary schools in the Springfield 186 schools. This program is called HERO (Helping Everyone Respect Others). Girl Scouts takes this program in the schools during the lunch hour/recess for students. The program teaches the girls about self-esteem, building positive relationships, avoiding cliques, and making good choices. Girl Scouts is still looking for volunteers to help with this program. If you are interested, you can contact Jamie Osborne at josborne@girlscouts-gsci.org.

Ongoing – Girl Scouts Series Program

There is a new way to join Girl Scouts, called series. This program was created because so many girls are too busy for a year round troop opportunity, and they want to join just for a focused topic. This 6 week opportunity allows girls to focus on a specific topic such as community service, arts, travel, events, etc. Girl Scouts is just starting to customize their programs and they need people to help them to get this up and going. The volunteers would need to recruit girls to join, and offer the 6 week series. The volunteers would work 10 hours a week for each of the 6 weeks. Girl Scouts would provide the curriculum, supplies and everything else needed. If you are interested, you can contact Jamie Osborne at josborne@girlscouts-gsci.org.