*Will accept high school service hours
America and Roby Anderson Center: Needs four volunteers to staff the America and Roby Anderson Center, 421 McClure Road, Columbus. Volunteers will greet people, take messages and do light cleaning. Times and days are flexible. Information: Julie Bilz at 812-371-7459 or [email protected].
Child Abuse Prevention program – Kids on the Block: Needs volunteer puppet show performer for local elementary students on subjects of abuse, safety, bullying and peer pressure. Information: Arriann Custer at 812-314-2319 or [email protected].
The Columbus Salvation Army: Seeks one or two volunteers to sign up clients for the Christmas Assistants Program. Hours: 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Commitment: A few hours a day in November. Applications accepted through Nov. 11. Information: Capt. Jodi Sladek at 812-372-7118, [email protected].
Your Local American Red Cross: Needs client caseworkers to meet with clients after a disaster and help them establish a recovery plan and connect them with community resources. Skills required: Excellent customer service and communication, ability to be empathetic with clients, good writing skills; computer skills are a plus. Volunteers will be meeting with clients through their entire recovery process. Must be 18 or older and pass a background check. Information: 888-684-1441 or [email protected].
Bartholomew County Triad: Needs two to three volunteers to help distribute a community needs assessment. Time commitment: Five to ten hours over a two-month time span. Information: Leah Boas at [email protected] or call 812-376-9241 ext. 210.
United Way 2-1-1 Holiday Helpline Registration: Seeks volunteers to answer phones and enter information into a database to register local children and families for gift/food assistance. When: Oct. 17 to Dec. 16. Hours: Shifts vary 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Information: Dede Parker at 812-376-0011, [email protected].
FFY Great Girls Wonderful Women Luncheon: Needs volunteers for registration and tear down at the luncheon, which raises funds to support youth programming. Time commitment: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24. Information: [email protected] or 812-348-4558, ext. 207.
Thrive Alliance: Needs volunteers to help with setup, registration, hospitality and tear down at the Aging the Boomer Way Conference Nov. 2 at Columbus Learning Center, 4555 Central Ave., Columbus. Hours: Two- to four-hour shifts between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Information: Kashmira Mehta or Tracey Heaton de Martinez at [email protected] or 812-372-6918.
Foundation For Youth 5K: Running Buddies are needed for the Nov. 12 FFY Youth 5K. If running is not for you, volunteers are also needed for registration, pre-race activities, water and post-race snacks. Volunteers must be screened and pass a background check. Information: [email protected] or 812-348-4558, ext. 207.
DSI Cooking Classes: Seeking community mentors to lead cooking classes on the first Wednesday of every month. Ongoing commitment preferred. Training provided to volunteers.
World AIDS Day: The Granny Connection needs knitted red scarves to be placed in the designated box at Mill Race Center before Dec. 1. The scarves will be tied around town on event day and will be made available to the public afterwards to those who need them. Information: Ann Jones at 812-342-4680, [email protected].
National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): Seeks several volunteers over the age of 21 to provide child care during foster parent support groups twice a month. Must be able to pass background checks and may be asked to assist in events for foster families and youth throughout the year. Hours: Varies, usually 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m. Information: Danielle Nickerson at [email protected] or 812-344-6317.
The Columbus Salvation Army: Needs volunteers in several areas, including food pantry stocking, food trucks and working with youth. Help with Gleaner’s Food Trucks is needed on the second Tuesday and Friday of each month. Volunteers interested in working with youth are needed for youth programs Wednesday evenings, teaching musical instruments or singing and more. Volunteers must go through a Safe From Harm training before working with the youth. Information: Capt. Jodi Sladek, 812-372-7118 or [email protected].
Engage Columbus: Seeks an international tea coordinator to plan monthly tea events. Individual should be creative, detail-oriented and a leader who can plan, prepare and present monthly themed teas. When: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Wednesday of the month. Location: Engage Columbus, 431 Sixth St. Information: Lara Hodson at [email protected] or 765-318-1384.
Thrive Alliance: Has open volunteer opportunities for office clerical tasks such as filing, copying, data entry and phone calling. Times and days are flexible with the volunteer’s schedule. Hours: Two to four hours per week. Also need volunteers willing to do activities and visit with senior residents who are home-bound due to medical issues. Information: Kashmira Mehta or Tracey Heaton de Martinez at [email protected] or 812-372-6918.
Bartholomew County Historical Society: Needs volunteers to help make costume patterns, sewing simply projects, pressing and related efforts. No experience necessary. Volunteers will receive a background check. Time: Two to three hours per week, Wednesday through Friday. Information: 812-372-3541.
*Bartholomew County Humane Society: Needs volunteers for animal feeding, cleaning and other tasks. Sometimes need foster homes for special needs or recovering animals. Information: 812-372-6063, [email protected].
Columbus Animal Care Services: Needs volunteers for tasks such as walking dogs, socializing cats, cleaning and occasional events. Especially need midday volunteers. Time commitment: varies, two-hour time periods are typical. Information: Alyssia Burriss at 812-376-2505.
Columbus Regional Health: Volunteers needed in gift shop, information desk, reception areas and patient-care areas. Information: crh.org (click Foundation and Community, then volunteer opportunities). Information: Mary Campbell at 812-376-5305 or [email protected].
Community Animal Rescue Effort: Needs volunteers to provide in-home care for dogs and/or cats in need until pets are adopted by new owners. All veterinary care is paid by CARE Food and litter may also be provided. Information: [email protected].
Developmental Services, Inc.: Seeks community mentors and education and enrichment support. Community mentors share talents and hobbies in cooking, sewing, pottery, music, theater, sports, gardening, carpentry, computer literacy, visual arts and more with clients. Also need help preparing materials for education and enrichment programming. Hours depend on each volunteer’s availability. Information: Amy Kleinert, 812-376-9404, ext. 130, or [email protected].
Horizon House: Needs help with sorting, stocking, child sitting, light maintenance and other tasks. Information: Michele Lee at [email protected], 812-372-8407.
Just Friends Adult Day Service: Seeking volunteer senior companions to assist with activities, conversation and games and walking coaches to walk with participants within the center during inclement weather and outside the facility in nice weather. Hours: One to two hours between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Information: Marilyn Clerc, executive director, at [email protected] or 812-372-6415.
*Love Chapel: Needs help with truck delivery, food stocking, janitorial, food stocking and sorting, client intake, information and technology and other areas of the nonprofit outreach. Information: Jane at 812-372-9421, [email protected].
Mill Race Center: Needs four or five volunteer drivers to pick up patients at their homes and bring them to their doctor appointments. Must use their own vehicles and be available for three-hour shifts. Information: Dan Mustard at [email protected].
*Orphan Grain Train: Needs volunteers for range of tasks at Jonesville warehouse, including unloading and sorting donated items for families in need. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays. Information: Gene Ernst at [email protected].
Our Hospice of South Central Indiana: Needs caring volunteers to provide companionship to patients/families living with advanced illnesses, help with clerical office tasks or as support at fundraising events. Volunteers participate in an orientation program, training and ongoing education. Information: Jennifer Pasyanos at 812-314-8054, [email protected].
*Sans Souci: Needs helpers to hang clothing, sort donations and assist with stocking shelves at the thrift store. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Information: 812-314-2930 or [email protected].
Turning Point: Volunteers needed for 90-minute weekly childcare. Information: Anne Courtney at 812-379-9844, ext. 107, [email protected].
FFY PAAL basketball coaches, assistant coaches, scorekeepers: Help teach the fundamentals of basketball, the importance of teamwork and the value of good sportsmanship to kids at FFY. All volunteers must be screened and pass a background check ran prior to volunteering. Hours: Two hours, twice per week through February. Information: [email protected] or 812-348-4558, ext. 207.
FFY Boys and Girls Club STEM Teacher: Seeks volunteers with a background in STEM to teach to grades K-6. All volunteers must be screened and a background check ran prior to volunteering. Hours: One hour or more, after school and/or during school breaks. Commitment: Flexible. Information: [email protected] or 812-348-4558, ext. 207.
Thrive Alliance: Needs adults interested in demonstrating a youth-related hobby or activity to the Teen Talk group once a week at 4:30 p.m. during school year or 1 p.m. during summer. Information: Kashmira Mehta or Tracey Heaton de Martinez at [email protected], 812-372-6918.
Advocates for Children: Volunteers needed for case work and court case preparation. Hours: 10 to 15 per month, working with everyone involved in an abused or neglected child’s case and preparing reports for the court. Must be 21 or older and have a passion for serving children. Information: Rick Scalf at 812-372-2808, ext. 3312, or [email protected].
*Book Buddies program: Needs volunteers for an hour per week to listen to a child reading in public elementary schools. A one-hour training session and background check is provided. Information: 812-376-4461 or [email protected].
Boy Scouts of America: Needs help with a range of tasks involving program development and operations, fundraising and membership. Information: Jon Ochletree at 812-336-6809 or [email protected].
Community Education Coalition: Latino mentor volunteers needed to partner with guidance staff to support Latino students in high school completion and with the college-entry process. Must complete an application and pass a criminal background check. Information: Luz Elena Michel at 812-314-8636, [email protected].
Family Service: Needs volunteers to assist in making purple knitted or crocheted hats to be given to families upon completion of the Caring Parents Program. Information: Arriann Custer at [email protected], 812-314-2319.
FFY Big Brothers Big Sisters: Needs volunteers to become a Big Brother or Big Sister and spend a few hours each month with a child. All volunteers must be screened and a background check ran prior to volunteering. Hours: School-based, one hour per week; community-based, six to eight hours per month. Commitment: One year. Information: [email protected] or 812-348-4558, ext. 207.
