community involvement
Area Volunteer Opportunities
Agency Opportunities
1.Norman Regional Health System – Wendy Fiebrich 307-1789
Lots of opportunities are available such as the information desk, gift shop, thrift shop, surgery waiting, and hospitality house. These are just to name a few.
Hours vary, but most are three to four hour shifts once a week from 8:00 am – noon; noon – 3:00pm; and 3:00-5:00pm
Applications are available online at : http://www.normanregional.com/en/volunteer.html
2.Big Brother Big Sister- Norman or Moore- Diane Murphree-701-2073
Half Day or Full Day
Join together with another small group and be a “Big for a Day”. You will have the opportunity to interact with a child of a single family household for half a day. Play at the park, have lunch, etc;
Fall event or Spring event
Bowl for Kids Sake- BBBS will set up a specific time for your small group to bowl with each other and bowl with some of the children of BBBS. This does require fundraising on some level.
3.Center for Children and Families, Inc.- Tanna Thompson (405) 364-1420
On-Going Support:
- Center for Children & Families has a diaper closet to store diapers to give to families in need. A volunteer is needed on a weekly basis (1-2 hours) to come in to sack diapers and organize the diaper closet
- Volunteers needed for playground upkeep and clean-up. This is a great volunteer opportunity for youth off from school for the summer that may want to help. The agency’s playground is used for therapeutic play space. Tasks would include airing up basketballs, sweeping sidewalk area, and collecting toys left out from play to be kept in playground storage.
- Grocery Shopper: Volunteer needed to grocery shop (with agency funds) on a monthly basis for items for sack meals that are then bagged for children’s programs in Parents Assistance and Trauma Focused Services.
Direct Service Opportunities:
- Neighborhood Centers: Fall & Spring (school calendar year) - Volunteers work with team leader and a group of 7-10 children and youth in a neighborhood school setting. Playing games, making crafts, etc. Requires at least a 4 month commitment. You could be the difference made in the life of a child just with a few hours of your attention! See days and times below.
- Locations & Volunteer needs for Neighborhood Centers:
- Mondays & Wednesdays; from 5:45-8p at Kennedy Elementary (4 volunteers needed each day)
- Tuesdays & Thursdays; 5:45-8p at Wilson Elementary (4 volunteers needed each day)
- Monday thru Thursday; 3:30-5:30p at Irving Middle School (2 volunteers needed each day)
- Monday thru Thursday; 3:30-5:30p at Longfellow Middle School (2 volunteers needed each day)
- Parents Assistance Program: Tuesday evening from 6-9pm
Volunteers help with therapeutic children's play groups. Children range from infants to 13 year olds and are in play groups while their parents are in parenting education classes. Staff trains volunteers for this position. Requires at least a 4 month commitment.
Other Opportunities:
- Ready by 21 Volunteer: helping CCFI’s volunteer coordinator with activities and events revolving around the Ready by 21 Initiative: By changing the way we do business, we change the odds for youth to be ready for work, life, college by the age of 21.
4.Caregiver Solutions- South OKC- Melva Knoakes- 691-9955
Anytime
This agency would love for a small group to come and just visit with their clients, provide hand massages and love on them. They are very flexible and are open to any new ideas or suggestions. In the near future they will be moving and could use help with moving and painting.
5.Community Services Building- Becky Aguilar-701-2009
Anytime
The Community Service Building is located on East 12th and Main right across from Wal-Mart. They house many of the non-profit organizations and only have someone who helps with the grass. They would love to have help cleaning the flower beds, planting bulbs, interior painting and recycling.
6.Eden Clinic- Leona Chapman-579-4673
September
Groups can participate in the upcoming Walk-a-thon, help with set-up, clean-up and parking attendance.
April 1st, 2009
Groups can help with their annual Fundraiser event with set-up, clean-up and decorating the OU Ballroom.
Anytime
Groups can sponsor an expectant mom who is participating in the agency’s Wellness Program. Once a client has completed the classes, they are gifted with a layette set from the group.
7.Full Circle Adult Day Center- Jennifer- 447-2955
Anytime
Groups of 6-10 can organize their game room for the clients, participate in the monthly birthday party, lead a group Bible Study and help landscape the small courtyard. This is one of the most flexible places a group can serve!
8.Habitat for Humanity- Maui Beinke- 360-7868
Anytime
Volunteers with construction skills needed to serve as “Crew Leaders.” Skills needed include framing, sheet rock installation, taping and mudding, siding installation, tile, cabinetry and trim work.
Ongoing
Volunteers needed to serve on Family Selection and Support committee. This committee is responsible for interviewing and selecting prospective Habitat homeowners and is currently in the process of developing a family support program. This program will provide prospective homeowners and current homeowners with referrals to necessary community support groups and/or services as needs are identified, helps new homeowners with learning house maintenance and repair, and plans wall raising, roof raising, and dedication ceremonies for homeowners.
Ongoing
Volunteers needed to serve on Development committee. This committee plans and coordinates fundraising activities and special events.
Monday-Saturday, 10:00-6:00
Volunteers needed to work in ReStore for sorting donations, stocking, cleaning, and assisting customers with loading and unloading items.
Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00: (hours flexible)
Volunteers able to lift up to 50lbs needed to accompany driver to pick-up and unload donations of furniture, used appliances, and other household items.
Monday-Friday
Volunteers needed to answer phones, schedule donation pick-ups, and assist with office administration.
9.Friends to International Students- Claudia Robertson- 579-1685
Families commit to an international student at OU. Families commit to the student for the semester or year depending on how long he/she is here. There are also FIS sponsored events once or twice a semester. This is a great way to reach out to others without traveling to another country.
10.Meals on Wheels- Lynn Miller-321-7272
Afternoon, Evening or Weekends
Meals on Wheels would like help delivering food, selling poinsettia’s, loading poinsettia’s, check and install smoke detector’s for their clients, twice a month deliver blizzard bags, deliver dog food to clients for their pets.
11.Norman Housing Authority- Bobbe Feher-Nist- 329-0933
Rose Rock Villa
Court yard maintenance, paint benches, build gazebo in court yard, paint curbs, lobbies on floors cleaned and decorated, ground maintained such as: plants, trees, weeding, flowers, etc; provide monthly music program, provide monthly party or activity, help with Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, Easter lunch, paint outside building, monthly manicure’s for women tenants, if you have a special skill or talent and would like to come share information with them (you are a meteorologist and can explain what to look for in bad weather, etc;)
Other sites
playgrounds need mulch, playground equipment needs painted, basketball court needs lines painted, tear down brick walls and two sites, plant something at front of duplexes, ground maintained such as: plants, trees, weeding, flowers, etc;
12. Bridges- Debra Krittenbrink- 579-9280
High-School students
Empowering high school students in family crisis to pursue education without obstacles. You can partner with high-school students to become a career coach, help maintenance such as landscaping; painting or various projects as they become available.
13. Carter Health Care- Adam Colvin- 947-7700
Nursing Homes
We have a great opportunity to partner with the five nursing homes in Norman and serve the seniors who reside there. This is an opportunity to bring your gifts or talents to the table as they are very flexible in serving opportunities. Carter has many nursing homes/ assisted living centers throughout the Metro as well.
Church Wide Opportunities
1. April- ShareFest-
Mark your calendars now for the biggest serving opportunity in Journey’s history as we partner together with Norman Public School, Norman Parks and Recreation and Norman Housing Authority. We will have 500-1000 volunteers serving THAT DAY!
2. August- Cans 4 Kids Food Drive
Collect Cans for Kids in the Cleveland county area who participate in the free and reduced meal plan during the year. This allows them to have access to backpacks filled with food during the summer months when school is out.
3. November- Christmas Store Toy Drive
Collect toys for those in the Cleveland county area who need assistance during the holidays. Each family must complete an application and serve two hours during the Christmas Store.
