Volunteering

Community Service is very rewarding

Make new friends
Improve the lives of others
Set an example for family members
Give back to the community
Create a family tradition
Meet job, school, church, or social group expectations
Explore a new career
Build self - esteem

To volunteer to serve with one of our projects or with one of our agencies, call 386-752-5604

UNITED WAY OF SUWANNEE VALLEY AND AGENCY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

United Way of Suwannee Valley, as well as each of the United Way affiliated agencies, has a volunteer board of directors and fundraising event committees. If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact the agency’s executive director to express your interest.

AGENCY	CONTACT PERSON	VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
American Red Cross of North Central Florida American Red Cross of North Central Florida	Casey Schmelz 386-376-4669 Casey Schmelz 386-376-4669	Community Disaster Education Presenter : (Weekdays, Evenings and Weekends) - Be trained to teach disaster preparedness and prevention to local businesses, organizations, schools, etc. Client Caseworker : (Office Hours, 4 hr/wk commitment) - Be trained to assist clients in their recovery process, enter cases in database and provide customer service and referrals to incoming disaster calls. Disaster Action Team Member : (24 hours a day/7 days a week) - Be trained to respond to home fires and other local disasters and assist clients with their most immediate needs. Disaster Assessment Worker: (24 hours a day/7 days a week) - Provide basic services within the Disaster Assessment activity by gathering, analyzing, interpreting and distributing accurate and timely information about the extent of damage, overall impact, scope of the incident, weather conditions and demographics of a disaster-affected community as well as providing mapping support. Emergency Response Vehicle Driver: (Available during disasters 24 hours a day/7 days a week) - Operates an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and its equipment safely and effectively to meet feeding and other service needs of people affected by disaster. Nurses and Mental Health Counselors : (Available during disasters 24 hours a day/7 days a week) - Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Physicians, Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians who have current, active professional licenses are needed in Disaster Health Services to meet the health needs of people affected by disaster and the Red Cross Staff members assigned to disaster responses. Shelter Workers and Managers: (Available during disasters 24 hours a day/7 days a week) Register shelter populations, conduct dormitory inventory, feed clients, ensure shelters are supplied. Health & Safety Services: Office Support Staff : (Office Hours) - Assist department in registering people for classes, answering phones, entering data, conducting customer service surveys, etc. Presenter/Leader : (Weekdays, Evenings and Weekends) - Be trained to do presentations to groups, including: Workplace Safety, Be Red Cross Ready, Aquatics and Water Safety. Office of Volunteers: Support Staff : (Office Hours) - Make follow-up phone calls, conduct phone interviews, data entry, and help plan volunteer recognition events, file paperwork, etc.
Annie Mattox Recreation Center	755-5076 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.	Read to children. Teach a skill to children. Instruct children in basic computer literacy.
Boys’ Club of Columbia County	Bill Caley 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.	Basic club upkeep to include painting rooms and computer room maintenance. Volunteer teams are welcome after club hours and on weekends.
Boy Scouts of America, North Florida Council	Ceciley Jeffers 288-6937	Become a Cub Scout or Boy Scout leader, assistant or summer camp volunteer.
CARC Advocates for Citizens with Disabilities	Pam Renew 752-1880 x 105	Volunteers sort, stock and hang clothing at the House of Bargains. Volunteers are needed to work with clients. There is a $38 fee for a background check.
Catholic Charities Bureau	Suzanne Edwards 7:30 a.m. to noon	Sort donations of clothing, food, etc. Assemble food bags and personal care kits. Do painting, yard work or gardening.
Catholic Charities Food Bank of Suwannee Valley	Scott Elkins 755-5683	Sort, organize and stack pallets of food; assemble food orders; help member agencies shop.
Children’s Home Society	Samantha Knuth, (866) 427-5451	Volunteers will work with programs assisting with breaking the cycle of child abuse in our area. Together, we can ensure every child is safe, healthy and prepared for life. Volunteer opportunities include: Plan holiday parties for children and their families Observe and document visits between children in foster care and their birth families at our Family Visitation Center in Lake City Participate in our Speakers' Bureau Communicate with legislators about the needs of Florida's children Help pick up donations Plan and/or implement community outreach activities *Assist with general administration
Columbia County Senior Services	Juliet Beedees 755-0264	Volunteers are needed for telephone reassurance checks on homebound seniors, supervision of the physical fitness room as well as instructors in arts and crafts, basic computer literacy, calligraphy and more.
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council	Peggy Marlatt 352-376-3004	Become a Brownie or Girl Scout leader, assistant leader or summer camp volunteer.
Guardian ad Litem Voices for Children	Niki Crawson 758-1170 or 386-364-7720	The Florida Guardian Ad Litem Program is composed of court-appointed volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who are abused or neglected. A training program will be completed prior to being assigned.
Happy House	Sheryll Walker 752-4736	Read to the children, rock the babies, or play and have fun with the kids.
Suwannee Valley 4Cs	754-2222	Volunteer in the agency’s Building Blocks Lending Library.
United Way of Suwannee Valley	Rita Dopp 752-5604 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Office volunteers are always needed to assist with general office tasks such as shredding, sorting, filing, preparing mailings, maintaining the press release notebook of newspaper clippings and maintaining a scrapbook. Volunteers are also needed for service on the various standing committees.

Fun things employees can do at their places of business :

Conduct a canned food drive.
Collect personal care items for the domestic violence shelters.
Collect old cell phones and chargers that will be used as 9-1-1 phones for domestic violence survivors.
Recycle soda cans and pop top tabs and donate the amount raised.
Collect plastic grocery store bags for use by the food bank member pantries for their use in distributing food.
Conduct a blanket drive for distribution to the homeless.
Conduct a coat or sock drive.
Conduct a back-to-school drive to collect school items and backpacks for children in need.
Donate gently used furniture and appliances for survivors of a house fire or for domestic violence shelter residents who will be beginning their life again in their own home.
Hold a penny war fundraiser. (For more information consult the United Way office)