January 2017 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

January 2017 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 
January 2017  - Silicon Valley 
 
San Jose Rose Garden Annual Pruning Event
City of San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services
 
Date/Time: Saturday January 7, 8:45am - Noon
 
Location: San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, Naglee Ave. & Dana Ave. San Jose. There is free parking on surrounding city streets.

Volunteers will be helping to prune 3,500 rose bushes at the Rose Garden. Many helping hands are needed, so please bring your family and friends! Or simply come and meet others who enjoy volunteering at the Rose Garden. Everyone is welcome (6 years old and up) to participate in this dynamic San Jose volunteer event! No experience necessary--we'll begin with a training on how to prune roses.
  • If you have hand pruners and garden gloves, please bring them. We will have a limited amount of tools available.
  • Please wear closed-toe shoes and dress in layers, as the early morning dampness can be chilly.
  • Roses are naturally thorny--wear long sleeves and clothes that can get a bit dirty!
  • Bring a filled water bottle--we like to be 'green'!
  • Please wear sunscreen as the roses are in the full sun.
  • High School community service hours will be given.
  • Food Trucks will be available afterwards. Stay and enjoy the peacefulness of the barren park.
The event goes on, rain or shine!

Ages: Volunteers age six and up are welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Three hours maximum
 
Contact: City Volunteer Management Services, parkvolunteer@sanjoseca.gov, 408.595.3483
 
 
Team 222 Clean-Up Event
South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition
 
Date/Time: Saturday, January 14, 8:45 - 11am
 
Location(s): 
  • Los Gatos Creek (Bascom Ave.) Parking is just north of Hooter's Restaurant in the business complex at 1475 S. Bascom Avenue. Please park on the north end of lot and take bike trail access down to the creek trail and sign-up table.
  • Los Gatos Creek (Auzerais Ave.) Parking is on the street. The cross streets are Wright Place and Auzerais Avenue where our sign-up table will be adjacent to the entrance of the bike trail next to Los Gatos Creek.
Volunteers will participate in a creek and trail cleanup at one of two locations. Please bring your own water container, which we will fill for you. SBCCC supplies gloves, pick-up sticks and miscellaneous tools. Please wear long pants, hat, and sunscreen - be ready to spend the morning in light to moderate work. We have work for all ages and physical ability levels.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Two to three hours
 
Contact: Carol, 408.529.4460. Registration is available online.
http://sbcleancreeks.myevent.com
 
 
MLK Day of Service & East Palo Alto Mayor's Tree Planting
Canopy
 
Date/Time: Monday, January 16, 9am - noon
 
Location: Jack Farrell Park, 2509 Fordham St, East Palo Alto

Volunteers are key to maintaining our community's urban forest and shaping neighborhood character. We welcome everyone with an interest in community and trees; no green thumb or previous experience required! Join Canopy to plant trees in honor of Martin Luther King Day of Service at Jack Farrell Park. The planting event will also include a Ceremonial Mayor's Tree Planting with the East Palo Alto mayor.

Ages:
All ages are welcome with an adult
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Uriel Hernandez, Community Forestry Coordinator, uriel@canopy.org, 650.964.6110. Registration is available online.
http://canopy.org/
 
 


Learn more about
helping the earth

 
10th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Day of Service
Oshman Family Jewish Community Center (OFJCC)
 
Date/Time: Monday, January 16, 8:30am - 12:30pm
 
Location: Variety of locations from the Peninsula to San Jose

Join hundreds of your neighbors for a community-wide day of "tikkun olam" ("repair of the world") as part of a National Day of Service to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This intergenerational event will feature a range of hands-on service projects; participants will work in small groups on projects addressing issues of poverty, hunger, housing and homelessness, aging, the environment and more. We look forward to working with you to promote Dr. King's legacy of tolerance, peace and equality and increase our community's commitment to service and justice. This fun and inspirational day will leave you feeling accomplished and energized!
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate. Come on your own or with your family and friends! We ask that a parent accompany any volunteers under the age of 15. Volunteer projects are organized by age, please check website for details.
 
Time Commitment: Four hours
 
Contact: Robin Vasilakos, rvasilakos@paloaltojcc.org,  650.223.8791. Pre-registration is required and space is limited in each service project. Registration is available online.
https://paloaltojcc.org
 
 
Project READ Story Hour
Redwood City Friends of Literacy
 
Date/Time: Story hours are held the 2nd Tuesday and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:30 - 8:30pm
 
Location(s):
  • Downtown Branch Library: 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City
  • Fair Oaks Branch Library: 2510 Middlefield Road, Redwood City
Project READ fuels the fire of hope through literacy. We believe literacy is not only a human right, but also a necessity - a gift of opportunity and hope for the future. Our innovative intergenerational programs bring literacy to the adults, youth and families in our community. Our programs are designed to break the cycle of illiteracy by surrounding families with literacy services that promote education and a lifelong love of learning. Project READ provides a fun night for families with puppet shows, songs, crafts, snacks and a book to take home. Volunteer duties include anything from preparing craft samples and snacks to helping a child pick a book to add to his/her home library.

Ages: Ages six and up with adult
 
Time Commitment: Two hours

Contact: Events Volunteer Coordinator, rclread@redwoodcity.org, 650.780.7077
http://www.projectreadredwoodcity.org 
 
 
Organize a Basic Necessities Drive
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Deliver to Sunday Friends, 625 South 7th Street, San Jose

You and your family can help Sunday Friends by organizing and running a Basic Necessities Drive throughout your school, club, church, synagogue, neighborhood, family or other community. Sunday Friends makes it possible for very low-income families in our community to earn tickets and then select and purchase their own items! They need diapers, toiletries, dish soap, laundry detergent, school supplies, etc. Sunday Friends can provide child-decorated collection boxes, customizable flyers, party ideas, prizes and more to help you with your drive. Check their website for more ideas.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Lilly Perez-Ngo, lillyp@sundayfriends.org, 408.217.9587
https://www.sundayfriends.org
 
 
Host Food Drives
Town Cats of Morgan Hill
 
Date/Time: Varies, depending on location
 
Location: Varies

Town Cats is looking for volunteers of any age to host food drives. Volunteers identify a storefront in their area (such as a grocery store, pet store, or hardware store) where they can hand out flyers to raise awareness about Town Cats, and tell people that we are collecting cat food and kitty litter to benefit both our kitties that are in foster care in private homes or in one of our adoption centers. Town Cats also needs volunteers of any age to distribute flyers. You may post these in store windows (with management permission), post on public bulletin boards, or walk around and hand them out to people on the sidewalk at shopping centers, etc. NOTE: It is illegal to leave these in people's mailboxes or on car windshields, so please don't do that.

Ages:
All ages with an adult
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Marcie Monteleone, volunteercoordinator@towncats.org. If interested, please fill out the Volunteer registration form.
www.towncats.org

 


Learn more about
helping animals

 
Bring Joy through Flowers
Random Acts of Flowers
 
Date/Time: Varies. The normal volunteer schedule is Monday through Thursday, with most shifts during daytime hours. Evening and weekend shifts are scheduled occasionally.
 
Location: Varies depending on delivery area and/or volunteer assignment

Random Acts of Flowers recycles flowers from the floral industry, as well as local companies, florists, grocery stores, funeral homes, and events like weddings. We turn these flowers into beautiful bouquets and deliver them to those struggling with injury, illness and the aging process every week in neighborhoods all over the country. Random Acts of Flowers improves the emotional health and well being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement, and personal moments of kindness. Volunteering at Random Acts of Flowers helps us spread joy and allows people to nurture a culture of compassion and care. Volunteers range in age from elementary students to retirees. Individuals and groups - including schools, church groups, civic groups, businesses and even sports teams - make up the more than 2,000 people who share their time and talent to bring flowers and moments of joy to those in area hospitals, hospices, and health care facilities.
 
Ages: Ages seven and up with adult present. Most volunteer opportunities are best suited for children 12 and older but younger children can attend with an adult. An adult must accompany all children under 16. Every child must have a signed Youth Waiver before volunteering. We ask that anyone interested in volunteering attend an orientation. During orientation, new volunteers will meet our team, learn about volunteer opportunities, and have hands-on training working with the flowers.
 
Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: AnneLynn So, Program Coordinator, annelynn@rafsiliconvalley.org, 650.852.1450
http://siliconvalley.randomactsofflowers.org 
 
 

DIY Kindness Journal
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: This is a great project to begin in the New Year, but you can start anytime.
 
Location:  Your home
 
Keeping a compassion-themed journal is a wonderful way to build kindness into busy weeks and shine a spotlight on acts of kindness. Plus, you'll have a place to record family volunteering memories! Decorate a composition notebook with duct tape. Scatter compassion-themed prompts and quotes throughout it. Then make time periodically to discuss, draw, and write about those kindness prompts as a family. Visit the Doing Good Together DIY Kindness Journal page to find printable Family Service Memory Sheets, Kindness Journal Prompts, and ideas for keeping your kindness journal.
 
Ages: Everyone in the family can participate
 
Time Commitment: We suggest scheduling at least fifteen to thirty minutes each week to discuss the journal prompts and write or draw together.
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.doinggoodtogether.org
 
 
New Year's Resolution Idea: Join Our Membership Circle for just $24.99!

Whether you're new to family volunteering and want to stay focused on your service goals, or you've gotten started but want expert help on how to expand your family's kindness practice, DGT's Big-Hearted Families™ Membership Circle is a great way to make 2017 a year of kindness and service! Learn more today, and sign up any time throughout the year.
 
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

January 2017 - Boston Family Volunteer Opportunities

January 2017 Boston Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

January 2017 - Boston

 
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Boston Cares
 
Date/Time: Monday, January 16, 10am - 1pm. Kick off is at 10am sharp
 
Location: Boston Latin School, 78 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston. (T-Accessible, Green Line- E Train at Longwood Medical Area)

For MLK Day 2017, Boston Cares has created opportunities for 750 volunteers to support Boston youth through STEM education tools and beds for kids in need. 650 MLK Day volunteers will create "make your own robot kits", engineering kits, science-themed murals, math games and math flash cards for Boston Public Schools, providing classrooms with exciting tools for learning. Additionally, 100 volunteers will join us in launching our new twin bed design, for children who do not have a bed of their own. Volunteers will select a STEM tool activity station based on age and interest. There is a project for all ages! Completed STEM tools will be distributed to Boston Public Schools, and beds will be distributed to agency partners serving low-income and homeless families in our community.

Ages: Children as young as five and their families are welcome to attend.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Allegra Marra, amarra@bostoncares.org or 617.422.0910 ext.206. Pre-registration is required and available online. Space is limited so sign-up soon!
www.bostoncares.org/mlk_day

 
The 7th Annual Cambridge MLK Day of Service
Many Helping Hands 365
 
Date/Time: Monday, January 16, 2 - 5 pm
 
Location: Central Square, Cambridge City Hall, Senior Center, YWCA, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church
 
Come spend an afternoon making a difference in the lives of others. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lend your hands and come work with your children, friends and neighbors for hands-on service projects that will touch the lives of thousands of people in need. Projects include:
  • Making fleece scarves and blankets for homeless children and adults.
  • Making Valentines for elders and veterans.
  • Sorting food, winter clothing, books and toiletries for people in need and more.
Don't come empty handed! Bring a can of food, a children's book or a gently used item of winter clothing.

Ages:
 All ages can participate. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
 
Time Commitment: Flexible, up to three hours
 
Contact: info@manyhelpinghands365.org. Registration is available online .
www.manyhelpinghands365.org
 
 
Operation Sock Drop
Friends of Boston's Homeless
 
Date/Time: Anytime (we need socks all year round)
 
Location: Anywhere (at your school, place of worship, club, or with friends, family, and neighbors)

Fresh, clean socks (and underwear!) are vital for people's health, warmth, comfort, and dignity and are the least donated items to people in the greatest need. The shelters we support give out over 8,000 pairs of socks each year. By participating in Operation Sock Drop you not only help keep our community's neediest, most vulnerable citizens safe, warm, and healthy, but you'll them help maintain their dignity and comfort during this most difficult time in their lives. Friends of Boston's Homeless supports the Woods Mullen Women's Shelter and the 112 Southampton Men's Shelter in the South End. These shelters serve over 800 homeless individuals every day.  To get started, just download this flyer and share it with everyone you'd like to participate.

Ages:
Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Mariann Bucina Roca, mariannbucina@fobh.org
 www.fobh.org 
 


Learn more about
helping the homeless
 
Make Housewarming Baskets for Newly Housed People
Friends of Boston's Homeless
 
Date/Time: Anytime (we're helping 150 people a year move beyond homelessness into their own safe, dignified housing)
 
Location: Anywhere (at your school, place of worship, club, or even with friends, family, and neighbors)

You and your family can help people who've spent years living on our streets and in shelters feel warmth and excitement as they move into their new place and get started on their new lives by providing the essential items we all need to make our house a home. By assembling and donating Housewarming Baskets, you'll be an important part of welcoming people into their new homes where they'll find the stability and serenity they need to begin their journey to hopeful, peaceful futures. It's as simple as assembling new (not used) items like cleaning supplies, dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, a set of sheets or towels, in a basket to be given as a housewarming gift to someone about to move into a place of their own- many for the first time in their lives. And please include a welcome note, it means a lot to the person who receives it.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Mariann Bucina Roca, mariannbucina@fobh.org
www.fobh.org

 
 
Family Table Distribution
Jewish Family & Children's Service
 
Date/Time: Sunday, January 8 or Sunday, February 5; 9am - 1:30pm
 
Location: 1430 Main Street, Waltham

Family Table provides healthy food on a monthly and emergency basis to individuals and families in need. Their mission is to offer food in a way that meets nutritional and spiritual needs. Family Table serves more than 100 towns across Greater Boston, the North Shore, and the South Area. Currently, Family Table is helping more than 450 families each month with groceries and connections to other services. Volunteers are needed to help with the following tasks:
  • Setting up the pantry
  • Packaging and delivering food orders to recipient families
Ages: All ages are welcome and encouraged to volunteer when accompanied by an adult.
 
Time Commitment: One to four hours depending on the activity.
 
Contact: familytable@jfcsboston.org, 781.693.5593. Please note that advance sign up is required and all adult volunteers must complete a JF&CS administered CORI background check.
www.jfcsboston.org/Our-Services/Community-Services/Center-for-Basic-Needs-Assistance/Family-Table
 
 
Donation Sorting and Kitchen Help
Daily Table
 
Date/Time: Monday - Saturday, 9am to 8pm; Sunday, 11am-6pm
 
Location: 450 Washington St., Dorchester
 
The Daily Table is a not-for-profit retail store that offers a variety of tasty, convenient, and affordable foods. The store offers both "grab-n-go" ready to eat meals, and a selection of produce, bread, dairy and grocery items at prices designed to fit every budget. Daily Table receives donations of surplus produce that must be sorted and organized for quality assurance. Volunteers are needed to sort through donations and triage produce for use in the commissary kitchen, for sale on the floor, and for composting. Volunteers may also help in the kitchen with food preparation, packaging, and labeling, or preparing and distributing samples in our engagement zone. Plan to be busy and on your feet! By volunteering, you and your family will be helping to address the wastefulness of our food system, and actively contributing to increasing food security and improving diets in Boston.
 
Ages: Youth 14 and up with parental supervision; 16 and up may volunteer independently.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours (or more if you'd like!)
 
 
 

DIY Kindness Journal
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: This is a great project to begin in the New Year, but you can start anytime.
 
Location:  Your home
 
Keeping a compassion-themed journal is a wonderful way to build kindness into busy weeks and shine a spotlight on acts of kindness. Plus, you'll have a place to record family volunteering memories! Decorate a composition notebook with duct tape. Scatter compassion-themed prompts and quotes throughout it. Then make time periodically to discuss, draw, and write about those kindness prompts as a family. Visit the Doing Good Together DIY Kindness Journal page to find printable Family Service Memory Sheets, Kindness Journal Prompts, and ideas for keeping your kindness journal.
 
Ages: Everyone in the family can participate
 
Time Commitment: We suggest scheduling at least fifteen to thirty minutes each week to discuss the journal prompts and write or draw together.
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.doinggoodtogether.org
 
 
New Year's Resolution Idea: Join Our Membership Circle for just $24.99!

Whether you're new to family volunteering and want to stay focused on your service goals, or you've gotten started but want expert help on how to expand your family's kindness practice, DGT's Big-Hearted Families™ Membership Circle is a great way to make 2017 a year of kindness and service! Learn more today, and sign up any time throughout the year.
 
 

 

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If you received this email from someone else and would like to subscribe, please click here.

 

 
This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

December 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteering

December 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

December 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Adopt A Family 2016 Holiday Giving Program
Bill Wilson Center
 
Date/Time: Adopt-A-Family Donor Pledge forms are due by December 1
 
Location: 3490 The Alameda, Santa Clara

The Bill Wilson Center provides services to more than 5,100 children, youth, young adults and families in Santa Clara County through our various programs. Join us in providing holiday cheer to local foster youth and their families through the 2016 Adopt-A-Family Holiday Giving Program. More than 1,500 foster youth and their families will be served through our Adopt-A-Family program. Churches, school groups, local businesses, corporations, individuals, and families are encouraged to participate. Bill Wilson Center's annual Adopt-A-Family Program works directly with the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children's Services linking caring donors to local foster youth who would otherwise receive few, if any, gifts for the holidays.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: 408.850.6143 or adoptafamily@billwilsoncenter.org. The Donor Pledge form is available online.
www.billwilsoncenter.org
 
 
ESL Conversation Club
Mountain View Public Library
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 5 - 6pm
 
Location: 585 Franklin St., Mountain View

The library's ESL Conversation Club welcomes English speakers interested in helping those who are learning. The Club meets every Wednesday, and welcomes all ages and levels. Native English speakers participate in the week's exercises, which may include conversation groups, short one-on-one conversations, and other activities such as potlucks and photo scavenger hunts. Native speakers provide the encouragement that helps learners gain confidence and understanding.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: One hour
 
Contact: Maynard Martinez, maynard.martinez@mountainview.gov, 650.526.7043. No commitment is required, simply drop-in and participate.
www.library.mountainview.gov
 
 
No Sew Blankets for Children in Need
Project Linus
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Schedule a time to bring completed blanket(s) to one of the following Project Linus volunteers:
  • Sharon Lee (Cupertino) - sjlinus@comcast.net
  • Barbara Ross (Rose Garden) - sjlinus@gmail.com
  • Mary Kelly (Willow Glen) - mary@gofigureinc.com
  • Deb Bragen (South San Jose) - bragen@sbcglobal.net
Project Linus provides homemade blankets to children in need. Our blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life and many different sources. Volunteer blanket makers help provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans. You and your family can make easy, warm, cozy, no sew blankets to donate to children in need. Click here for blanket making instructions. Though most 'blanketeers' choose to work on their own, some organizations have hosted their own "Make A Blanket Day"' for their group.  It can be a fun team-building event and Project Linus can help you with planning and preparation.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Sharon Lee, sjlinus@comcast.net, 408.252.1858
 
 
Family Volunteering Opportunities with SCS
Sunnyvale Community Services
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: 725 Kifer Rd., Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale Community Services works to prevent homelessness and hunger by providing emergency services to our neighbors in need. Exposing children to the concept of giving back is very important to many families and to SCS.  We encourage and appreciate the following family activities, which are very helpful to SCS and can stimulate great conversation and discovery for you and your children. See our wish list page for specific donation needs. Feel free to bring your children with you when you donate items to SCS.
  • Monthly family shopping trips to purchase items specifically for donation to SCS.
  • Establish a relationship with a local retailer to pickup damaged food, cleaning products, toilet paper, or other staple household items on a regular basis.
  • Collect hotel/motel toiletries while traveling or on vacation. We distribute hygiene kits of toothpaste, shampoo, soaps, lotions, and disposable razors to low-income and homeless clients.
  • Buy new books for low-income children. Feel free to wrap them and include a personal note (first names only please).
  • Buy new socks and or gloves for the homeless. Feel free to wrap them and include a personal note (first names only please).
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: SCS Volunteer Manager, 408.738.4321 ext. 211, volunteer@svcommunityservices.org
www.svcommunityservices.org

 


Learn more about
how to help fight poverty

 
Collect Diapers for Families in Need
Help A Mother Out
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Deliver to Earth Baby Warehouse, 3250 Victor St., Santa Clara

Help a Mother Out works to improve baby and family well being by increasing access to diapers for families in need. A family's access to a reliable supply of clean diapers reduces the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, improves baby's health and comfort, and enables baby's participation in early care and education programs. Our vision is a day when every baby has a healthy supply of diapers. To host a diaper drive, feel free to use the online diaper drive toolkit!
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Anu Menon, anu@helpamotherout.org, 415.938.6667
www.helpamotherout.org/
 
 
Embrace-A-Family 2016
Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley
 
Date/Time: Now through December 23
 
Location: Varies. Dreidel gifts can be delivered to 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos

Jewish Family Services invites you to be a part of our 9th annual Embrace-A-Family program, which brings hope and smiles to those in need. Your gifts will help ease holiday pressures and stress for needy families, senior citizens, and adults. Frail, isolated seniors are often overlooked at this time of year. Providing gifts for them is a special mitzvah that will make a huge positive difference in their lives.

What You Can Do to Help:
  • Look for JFS SV dreidel boards in the community from November 17th through December 23rd. The boards will be at these locations. Select a gift dreidel, purchase the gift listed, and bring your unwrapped gift to the JFS SV office at the Levy Family Campus, 14855 Oka Rd, Suite 202, Los Gatos. Your gift will bring a smile - and be a blessing - to someone in need.
  • You can buy online through the Embrace-A-Family Target Gift Registry.
  • Purchase gift cards (gas station, supermarket and discount department store) for struggling families and isolated seniors to help them throughout the year.
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Lori Cinnamon, Manager of Community and Volunteer Engagement, 408.357.7467 or loric@jfssv.org
http://www.jfssv.org/home.html  
 
 
Family Activities for the 2016 Holiday Season
Second Harvest Food Bank
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Deliver completed projects to one of their three office locations between 8am - 4pm
  • 750 Curtner Ave., San Jose
  • 4001 North First St., San Jose
  • 1051 Bing St., San Carlos
This holiday season, your family can help the Food Bank make the holidays brighter for your neighbors in need. Prepare an at-home family project or youth group project and bring to any of the three Food Bank locations. Once you choose an activity, fill out this form and bring it with you when you come to drop off your donation.

Activities and Projects:
  • Create colorful grocery bags for seniors with glitter, color crayons, holiday themes, etc.
  • Make holiday cards for seniors and families
  • Prepare comfort kits that contain toothpaste, toothbrush, hair comb, brush, travel-sized shampoo, soap, etc. to be given to the homeless or other individuals in need. Place items in clear plastic bags and decorate!
  • Do mini food drives that focus on collecting specific items like meals in a can, peanut butter or tuna
  • Create family food baskets for a family of 4 to 6. Fill it with lots of goodies that you and your family would enjoy. Food items need to be non-perishable and consist of a meal for each breakfast, lunch and dinner. Suggested nutritious menu items:
    • Breakfast: cereal, canned fruit, breakfast bars, pancake mix, maple syrup, canned or dehydrated milk
    • Lunch: canned chili, soup, tuna, crackers, healthy snack bar, 100% juice 
    • Dinner: Pasta, marinara sauce (canned or in jars), canned vegetables, muffin mix, canned fruit 
  • Create lunch bags - including nutritious menu items such as: cheese & cracker packets, 100% juice boxes, granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, pop-top cans of ready-to-eat foods such as tuna, meals in a can, fruit cocktail
Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Volunteer Services, volunteer@shfb.org, 408.266.8866.
http://www.shfb.org/



Learn more about
helping the hungry

 
Assist Older Adults With Activities
Webster House Health Center - Episcopal Senior Communities
 
Date/Time: Varies
 
Location: 437 Webster St. Palo Alto

Webster House welcomes volunteers of all ages to come spend time with residents doing various therapeutic recreation activities such as singing, reading, arts and crafts, jewelry making, bowling, gardening, and much more. We also have volunteer opportunities for one-on-one visits to residents in their rooms, dining room assistance, assisting residents with their meals, and musical performances.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies. Webster House would like to have volunteers weekly or more if possible.

Contact: Enrichment and Volunteer Director, Natalie Bedell, at 650.617.7355 or nbedell@jtm-esc.org
http://www.jtm-esc.org/webster-house-health-center/volunteer/  
 
 

Giving Plates
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location:  Your own home or community location


Making some baked goods to bring along to a holiday gathering? You and your family can bake up some extra treats to share as a holiday gift with new or isolated neighbors, sick or stressed friends, or even service providers you meet on a regular basis, like the mail carrier or school bus driver. Then your family can design giving plates to place your home baked goodies on as part of your gift! Visit the Doing Good Together Design a Giving Plate for directions to make your plates and for additional ideas and reflection questions
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.DoingGoodTogether.org
 
 
Thank You for Your Giving
 
During this season of thanks, we want to thank each one of you for your commitment to making a positive difference in your communities. We are especially thankful for all the families who are living our mission of kindness and volunteering by using these monthly lists to find local volunteering opportunities. These free offerings would not be available if it weren't for the generosity of our donors. If you believe these lists are a value to you and your family, please include Doing Good Together in your #GivingTuesday donations tomorrow or in your year-end giving.
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

November 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

November 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

November 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Monthly Saturday Workday and Weekly Garden Maintenance
Collective Roots
 
Date/Time:
  • Monthly Saturday Workday and Potluck: Third Saturday of each month, 10:30am - 12:30pm
  • Weekly Garden Maintenance: Thursdays, 5 - 6pm (Winter hours, will extend to 7pm in March)
Location: 1785 Woodland Ave., East Palo Alto

Collective Roots aims to cultivate a healthier, stronger, more connected East Palo Alto community (EPA) by working together to build a robust community-based food system. EPA's deep history of agriculture shows cultivation of food strengthens people and fortifies communities. As part of the industrious EPA community, we seek to foster more communal growing, sharing, and eating of fresh, local produce through our three pillars:
  • Growing (Gardening)
  • Sharing (Education)
  • Eating (Healthy Food Access)
Join us to plant, maintain, and harvest our community and educational garden in East Palo Alto, while enjoying being part of our community. Monthly Saturday Workdays are also a potluck so bring a dish to share and enjoy lunch under the oak trees!
 
Ages: Families with children ages five and older are welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: One to two hours
 
Contact: Najiha Alasmar, (650) 324-2769, najiha@collectiveroots.org
http://www.collectiveroots.org

 
Weekly Dinner Servers
Family Supportive Housing
 
Date/Time: Ongoing Mondays or Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:30pm. Dinner is served from 5 to 6:30pm
 
Location: 692 North King Rd., San Jose

Family Supportive Housing helps homeless single- and two-parent families with children remain intact, while addressing their needs for food, shelter, employment and education. We offer families a respite, an opportunity to make life-altering changes, and a system to aid in finding permanent housing. Volunteers are responsible for setting up and serving dinner to our resident families. Without our volunteer dinner servers,  residents would be required to serve the families as a chore. Thank you for allowing a resident to sit and enjoy dinner with his/her family and for your commitment to our vision of empowering homeless families.
 
Ages: Ages 12 and up with an adult present. Ages 16 and up without adult present.
 
Time Commitment: Once a week for three months
 
Contact: Sara Tran, 408.926.8885, volunteer@familysupportivehousing.org
http://familysupportivehousing.org

 
Lighten a Load - Deliver Groceries to Families of Critically-Ill Children
There With Care of the Bay Area
 
Date/Time: Dates and times are flexible
 
Location: Menlo Park Pantry, 3475 Edison Way, Suite H, Menlo Park

There With Care's mission is to provide a wide range of thoughtful and fundamental services to children and families during the critical phases of a medical crisis. We serve families referred by medical agencies, by building a network of services and people who ease the burden of life's day-to-day obligations with compassion and care. You and your family can help care for the families of critically ill children in your community by delivering groceries and needed items to them. Volunteers attend a one-time mandatory 90-minute training before heading out with grocery and supply deliveries from our pantry in Menlo Park to families on the Peninsula, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, and Ronald McDonald House.
 
Ages: Licensed driver must be 18 or older. A background check and orientation is required for drivers meeting with families, but please bring your children!
 
Time Commitment: Flexible, orientation required
 
Contact: Volunteer Director, 650.268.8555, volunteer.bayarea@therewithcare.org
http://bayarea.therewithcare.org


Learn more about
helping people with
serious illnesses 

 
PAWS 2 PAHS
Palo Alto Humane Society (PAHS)
 
Date/Time: Varies, depending on the event
 
Location: Varies, generally in the mid-Peninsula area

The Palo Alto Humane Society is one of the few humane societies nationwide with no animal shelter. Instead of managing animals inside a shelter, they work to keep animals out of the shelter through humane programs in intervention, advocacy, and education. Their mission has been to alleviate the suffering of animals, increase public sensitivity to animal issues, and elevate the status of animals in our society. Volunteers are needed to visit classrooms, Scout meetings, and senior homes with humane society educators to talk about your family's animal.

Ages: Families with children ages ten and older are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Leonor Delgado, Education Manager, Palo Alto Humane Society, 650.424.1901, leonor.delgado@paloaltohumane.org
www.paloaltohumane.org
 
 
Kiddies 2 Kitties
Palo Alto Humane Society (PAHS) in partnership with Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA)
 
Date/Time: First and third Wednesdays of the month, 3:30 - 5pm
 
Location: SVACA, 3370 Thomas Road, Santa Clara

Volunteers are needed to read aloud to cats and kittens and to help socialize cats and kittens.

Ages: Families with elementary school age children are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: 30 to 45-minute sessions
 
Contact: Leonor Delgado, Education Manager, Palo Alto Humane Society, 650.424.1901, leonor.delgado@paloaltohumane.org
www.paloaltohumane.org, www.svaca.com

 
 
Sunday Friends Annual Shopping Spree
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Friday November 11, 6:30 - 9:30pm and Friday November 19, 6:30 - 9pm
 
Location: Target, 1811 Hillsdale Ave. San Jose

Every year, when November turns into December, Sunday Friends invites volunteers to its annual Holiday Shopping Spree to benefit the families of Sunday Friends. The Shopping Spree helps make it possible for our families to experience a meaningful and memorable holiday of giving. Gifts purchased through the Shopping Spree will help stock our Treasure Chest, where children and their parents can earn, select and wrap special gifts to give each other. This volunteer event is perfect for small groups and individuals who want to get into the spirit of the season of giving. Join us as a volunteer shopper with a store discount! Volunteers are invited to bring their friends and family to shop for toys and holiday gifts for girls or boys or dads or moms. Prizes are awarded to the shopping teams in several fun categories. If you want to bring money to help purchase toys you can, or you will use donations of others to shop.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate
 
Time Commitment: One and one-half hour shifts
 
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, 408.217.9587, volunteer@sundayfriends.org. Please contact mail@sundayfriends.org or sign up online now for yourself or your group if you would like to participate in this year's Holiday Shopping Spree.  
 
 
Sew gift bags for new shoes for homeless and low-income children
My New Red Shoes
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Sew at home and send or deliver your finished items to:
My New Red Shoes
330 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, 94065

My New Red Shoes provides homeless and low-income children with a new pair of shoes and clothing gift card so they can start the school year with confidence! These gifts are packaged in a hand sewn gift bag and signed by the volunteer who made it. All you need is a sewing machine and some fabric to get started! Please use a sewing machine, no hand stitching. Measurements and sewing instructions can be found at www.mynewredshoes.org/sew-gift-bags.html. Please use 100% cotton or cotton-poly blends in any kid or teen-friendly print or solid. We will provide you with the "Made By" iron-on labels. Email outreach@mynewredshoes.org to let us know how many you'll need.

Ages: All ages who can sew or help sew (sewing machine only)
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Outreach Coordinator, 650.375.2648, outreach@mynewredshoes.org.
www.mynewredshoes.org
 
 
Team 222 Clean Up
South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition (SBCCC)
 
Date/Time: Saturday November 12, 8:45am - 11am
 
Location(s): Two locations:
  • Los Gatos Creek Bascom Ave: Parking is just north of the restaurant and business complex at 1475 S. Bascom Avenue. Please park on the north end of lot and take the bike trail access down to the creek trail and sign-up table.
  • Los Gatos Creek Auzerais Ave: Parking is on the street. The cross streets are Wright Place and Auzerais Avenue where our sign-up table will be adjacent to the entrance of the bike trail next to Los Gatos Creek.
Volunteers will participate in a creek and trail cleanup. Please bring your own water container, which we will fill for you. SBCCC supplies gloves, pick-up stick and miscellaneous tools. Please wear long pants, hat, sunscreen and be ready to spend the morning doing light to moderate work. We have work for all ages and physical ability levels.

Ages: Elementary school age and up with an adult present.
 
Time Commitment: Two to four hours
 
Contact: Carol, 408.529.4460. Registration is available online.


Learn more about
helping the earth

 
Heritage Rose Garden Volunteer Days
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Every Wednesday and Saturday from 8:30 - 11:30am
 
Location: 412 Seymour Street, San Jose

Come support the largest diverse rose garden on the western hemisphere! Despite having over 3,000 varieties of roses, the Heritage Rose Garden is maintained entirely by volunteers. Volunteers may spread wood chips around the drip lines of the roses in order to prevent weeds and improve water retention, deadhead or prune and work on irrigation fixes. In the meantime, don't be afraid to smell the roses! 

Ages: 13+ (minors are required to bring a waiver and anyone 15 and under must volunteer with responsible and active parents or guardian)
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Jessica Gonzalez, Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica@grpg.org. No registration required for groups of three or fewer.
http://www.grpg.org
 
 
Sponsor a Family  
The Box Project
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: The Box Project will match you with a family that lives in an area of rural poverty in the Mississippi Delta.
 
You and your family can make a difference by sponsoring a family with The Box Project. You'll enrich the lives of a family living in poverty in rural America by establishing a meaningful, long-term relationship and providing needed supplies. The Box Project helps to create supportive, personal relationships directly between a sponsor family and a family in need living in rural America. The Box Project acts as matchmaker, pairing sponsors with carefully screened individuals or families that need help. The sponsors offer long term, meaningful interactions including encouragement, advice, and boxes of needed supplies about once a month. Box items will vary from family to family and month to month, but typically include household supplies, food, school supplies, clothing or seasonal items.
 
Ages: Families are welcome to participate.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: info@boxproject.org, 662.449.5002 or 800.268.9928. Sponsorship registration is available online.
 
 
NEW FROM DGT™:  OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFLECTION FROM DGT™
 
Whether you use our listings monthly, occasionally, or are a new subscriber, you probably already know about the awesome benefits that come with family volunteering. Now you can increase those benefits by reflecting on the experience with your children. DGT™ REFLECTION SHEETS offer useful stats, reading recommendations, and conversation starters for
big-hearted discussions. We have sheets on a variety of topics such as Helping the Hungry, Caring for Animals, Healing the Earth, and more! Look for the LEARN MORE symbol on select volunteer opportunities to download your free clickable/printable PDF sheets.
 
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

October 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

October 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

October 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Help Out Sacred Heart Community Services
Sacred Heart Community Services
 
Date/Time: Saturday October 8, 9am - noon
 
Location: 1381 South 1st St, San Jose

Since 1964 Sacred Heart Community Service has served Santa Clara County residents in need. They provide food, clothing, job training, legal services, housing assistance, and educational classes free of charge to more than 1500 clients each day. Join us to support Sacred Heart's programs by building food baskets, sorting clothing and food donations and preparing educational materials for the clients. Volunteers must wear appropriate clothing (pants, no bare midriff or low cut shirts) and closed-toed shoes. The parking lot is often available for volunteers on Saturdays, please do not park in Wendy's or Denny's.

Ages:
 Kids ages 14 and under must have a parent or trusted adult present to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Sergio Gonzalez, sergiog@sacredheartcs.org, 408.278.2171. Please contact Sergio to sign-up for this volunteer opportunity.
 
 
2016 Kara Walk n' Run to Remember
Kara
 
Date/Time: Saturday, October 15, 8am - 2pm
 
Location: Mitchell Park, 600 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto

Kara's mission is to provide grief support for children, teens, families, and adults. Our guiding value is empathy. Every day we provide compassion and support to children and adults impacted by loss and grief. This special event is a unique and wonderful opportunity to walk in memory of a loved one...to walk to support friends, family or someone grieving the loss of a loved one.... and to secondarily help Kara sustain its crucial services for the greater Bay Area. Volunteers are needed to help with set up and registration, energetic cheerleaders for along the walk/run route, water station support, fun zone game attendants, and cleanup.

Ages: All ages welcome with parent supervision.
 
Time Commitment: Varies by volunteer assignment.
 
Contact: Please contact Sarah, sarah@kara-grief.org, 650.321.5272 x 23, to register your family as volunteers for the event so they can make age appropriate placements. Walk registration is available online.
www.kara-grief.org/
 
 
Volunteer at Emma Prusch Farm Park
HandsOn Bay Area and the Silicon Valley LIFT Team
 
Date/Time: Saturday October 15, 9:45am - 1pm
 
Location: Emma Prusch Farm Park, 647 South King Road, San Jose

Join HandsOn Bay Area and the Silicon Valley LIFT team to help preserve and beautify the community orchard. Emma Prusch Farm Park features community gardens, a rare fruit orchard, and acres of open grass for people to enjoy freely. San José's largest barn is home to everything from sheep, steer, and chicken, to rabbits. It also offers a variety of educational programs for school children and other groups. Volunteers will do some mulching, gardening, and landscaping in the park's historic orchard and rose garden. Volunteers will also have the chance to tour the park and learn more about the stories of San Jose's agricultural past. Registration starts at 9:45am and the event ends at 1pm. Coffee and light snacks will be provided.
 
Ages: All ages welcome and encouraged. Children under 14 must have adult present.
 
Time Commitment: Three to four hours. Registration is available online.
 
Contact: Michelle Fang, michjun@gmail.com, 310.721.1405
www.pruschfarmpark.org/, www.handsonbayarea.org/
 
 
12th Annual Bay Area Buddy Walk
Silicon Valley Down Syndrome Network
 
Date/Time: Saturday October 15, 8am - 2:30pm
 
Location: Lake Cunningham Park (Cypress Pavillion), 2305 S. White Road, San Jose

The Silicon Valley Down Syndrome Network (SVDSN) is a community of families with family members with Down syndrome. They are completely volunteer-run and rely on fundraising efforts to support their activities and programs. The National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk is an international event to raise awareness and acceptance of individuals with Down syndrome and serves as our largest annual fundraiser.

Ages: All ages can participate in the event.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Bill O'Dea, 650.690.2321, bayareabuddywalk@gmail.com. Walk registration is available online
www.svdsn.org
 
 
Collect Basic Necessities for Low Income Families in San Jose
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Your home or group meeting place

Organize and run a Basic Necessities Drive - with our help - throughout your school, club, church, synagogue, neighborhood, family, or other community. Sunday Friends makes it possible for very low-income families in our community to earn tickets and then select and purchase their own items! They need diapers, toiletries, dish soap, laundry detergent, school supplies, etc. Visit the Sunday Friends website for child-decorated collection boxes, customizable flyers, party ideas, prizes and more. Please remember families in need in our community when you are bargain hunting.
 
Ages: All ages, great activity for any family!
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: Karen Robles,karen@sundayfriends.org, 323.809.0932

 
Sunday Friends' Programs for Very Low-Income Families
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Sundays: Shifts available between 10:30am and 5:30pm. There are also some after-school shifts on weekdays at Sunday Friends special store.
 
Location: 
  • Santee Elementary, 1313 Audubon Dr., San Jose, on the 2nd Sunday of every month
  • Lowell Elementary, 625 South 7th St., San Jose, on the 4th Sunday of every month. In November and December this will be switched to the 3rd Sunday of the month due to holidays
  • Sunday Friends special store, 730 Story Rd. Ste. 3, San Jose; weekdays from 4 - 7pm 
Volunteers are needed to work directly with children, and maybe also their parents, to facilitate service and learning projects, including: craft gift making, healthy food preparation, letter and essay writing, hands-on science projects, math and other learning games, computer education, English as a Second Language classes, reading and book report writing, exercise class, parents' classes and more. Because children and parents earn tickets for their participation, redeemable for basic necessities in our special stores, you might also assist with the banking, store setup or shopping.

Ages: Teens, adults, families and groups are all welcome. An adult must accompany children under age 14.
 
Time Commitment: No predetermined number of hours, but if you sign up to come to a program, you are expected to come.
 
Contact: Volunteers should begin with New Volunteer Registration. Please register to volunteer a couple of weeks in advance of the date. Contact Lilly, lillyp@sundayfriends.org, or Vanessa, volunteer@sundayfriends.org, with questions or call 408.217.9587
www.SundayFriends.org

 
Cedar Creek Halloween Carnival
Cedar Creek Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Center
 
Date/Time: Saturday, October 29, 1- 4pm
 
Location: 15245 National Avenue, Los Gatos

Cedar Creek Alzheimer's & Dementia Care is holding their first annual Halloween Carnival and we would love to have kids come in costume and have fun in the carnival with our residents. There will be games, prizes, a musical performer, and a balloon lady for everyone to enjoy! Volunteers will play games with the residents, dance with them, sing with them, and just overall have a good time! Kids must be under 18 to participate. Please no revealing or overly scary costumes, as our residents are sensitive.

Ages: Families with children are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Kim Diaz, kdiaz@the-creeks.com, 408.356.5636
www.the-creeks.com/locations/cedar-creek/
 
 
The Ultimate Hike: Create Your Own Adventure
CureSearch for Children's Cancer
 
Date/Time: Flexible - on your own time
 
Location: Choose your own location

CureSearch raises funds for children's cancer research to ensure that more children have access to life-saving treatments today and into the future. Ultimate Hike: Create Your Adventure is your chance to plan your lifesaving adventure from start to finish. You pick the trail, the distance, the date, and you set your own fundraising goals. All you need is a trail and your own two feet, and every step you take will make a difference! From the main Create Your Adventure page, click Register in the navigation bar at the top of the page and choose whether you want to register "As an individual", "As a Team Captain" (to start a new team), or "As a Team Member" (if the team already exists). You will then have the chance to start a new adventure!
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Courtney Bollman, 240.235.2286, courtney.bollman@curesearch.org
www.curesearchevents.org
 
 
Meal-Serving Program
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
 
Date/Time: Monday - Friday (See location information for times)
 
Location(s): 
  1. Goodwill Building (3:30 - 6pm): 1080 N. 7th St., San Jose
  2. Eastside Neighborhood Center (3:30 - 6pm): 2150 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose
Volunteer help with meal preparation, set-up of the dining hall, serving of the food and drinks, and clean up. Wear comfortable "work" clothes and closed-toed shoes (i.e., jeans, walking shorts, tennis shoes, etc.) Please do not wear sandals, halter or tank tops, short shorts, etc. For those with longer hair, please wear your hair up and off your face.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. An adult must accompany children 14 and younger.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Hyru Gau, 408.998.1500 or volunteer@loavesfishes.org. Registration is available online.
www.loavesfishes.org
 
 
Watch the Wild
Nature Abounds
 
Date/Time: Ongoing
 
Location: Your own neighborhood and local area

Watch the Wild needs your help! As a Watch the Wild volunteer, you observe and report the "wild" in your community, from trees and plants to lakes and streams to weather and wildlife activity. In as little as ten minutes, your observations help us to understand how our eco-systems are changing and help us to adapt for the future. Becoming a Watch the Wild volunteer is very easy. All you need to do is sign-up to be a volunteer with Nature Abounds, choose a location to observe, whether it be your backyard, a local park, your favorite beach spot, or an area that you visit or hike in regularly, record your observations and report your observations to us online, via mail, or email. Your observations will then be entered into a database and shared with interested scientists.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: Melinda, info@natureabounds.org, 814.765.1453
www.natureabounds.org
 
 
Trick or Treat for UNICEF
UNICEF
 
Date/Time: The 2016 UNICEF campaign runs from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
 

Location:
Check the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF website for donation instructions

Add a giving component to your child's trick or treat experience! When children Trick or Treat for UNICEF, the donations they collect help add up to lifesaving change for children. UNICEF helps improve the health and wellness of children in over 150 countries and territories. You can help your children learn about issues facing other kids around the world including education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation. Visit the Doing Good Together Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF project page for more ideas and reflection questions.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
 
 
The United States 2016 Election is underway, and kids may have questions about American democracy. Start big-hearted conversations and lessons with the teaching tools in our DGT™ Resource Collection. Our ever-growing collection for both children and adults includes books, websites, and, of course, service projects.

 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

September 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

September 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

September 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Help Out Sacred Heart Community Services
Sacred Heart Community Services
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 10, 9am - noon
 
Location: 1381 South 1st St, San Jose

Since 1964, Sacred Heart Community Services has served Santa Clara County residents in need. They provide food, clothing, job training, legal services, housing assistance, and educational classes free of charge to more than 1500 clients each day. Join us to support Sacred Heart's programs by building food baskets, sorting clothing and food donations and preparing educational materials for the clients. Volunteers must wear appropriate clothing (pants, no bare midriff or low cut shirts) and closed-toed shoes. Parking lot is often available for volunteers on Saturdays, please do not park in Wendy's or Denny's.

Ages: Ages 12 and up with an adult
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: 408.278.2171, volunteers@sacredheartcs.org
www.sacredheartcs.org/volunteer/
 
 
Coyote Creek Cleanup in Honor of Coastal Cleanup Day
Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 17, 9am - noon
 
Location: Tully Ball fields, 850 Tully Rd., San Jose

Coastal Cleanup Day is a terrific way to show your support for your California waterways, not just the Coast. Spend a few hours at Coyote Creek and help beautify our creek through a community cleanup. Be sure to wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toed shoes since you will be near poison oak and around loose or muddy soil.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to participate (those under 13 must be accompanied by an adult). Volunteers under age 18 must have a signed waiver (available upon completed registration). Community service hours are available.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Deb Kramer, 408.372.7053, deb@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org. Registration is available online.
www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org
 
 
Color the Track 5K and 10K
Truploy Foundation
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 24, 7:30am - noon
 
Location: Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, 438 Coleman Ave. San Jose

Register your family for the run/walk or sign up your family to volunteer and help coordinate kids games, guide runners and or operate water stations. Color the Track 5K/10K is a competitive run and a fun run/walk. The event was created to raise funds for foster youth in Santa Clara County and raise awareness of the youth in our communities at their time in need. The event will consist of a competitive run and walk, face painting, fun kid activities, and more.
 
Ages: All ages are welcome to participate; volunteers under 18 must have parent or guardian present.
 
Time Commitment: Up to five hours, depending on volunteer station.
 
Contact: Mark Martinez, co-founder, mmartinez@baarsllc.com or 408.874.5969
www.runsignup.com/Race/CA/SanJose/ColortheTrack5K10K
 
 
Hip Hop Run Benefiting Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen and Make a Wish Foundation
Hip Hop Run
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 24, all day events
 
Location:  588 E Alma Ave, San Jose

The Hip Hop Run brings entertainment to running in a fun, family-friendly environment suitable for all ages. Enjoy DJ's throughout the course, playing all of the songs you know and love. Participants have the option to take part in the 10k run, 5k run/walk, or the 5k-challenge race. Be entertained after the run with a star-studded lineup of musicians and DJ's at our main stage finish line. Be part of an exciting blend of competitive exercise and stellar music. Proceeds from the event go to Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen and the Make A Wish Foundation of the Greater Bay Area.

Ages: All ages are welcome to walk for a great cause!
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Denise Chaisson, 406.360.4154, hiphoprun10k@gmail.com
www.hiphoprun.com
 
 
The Canary Challenge
The Canary Foundation
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 24, 5 - 8pm
 
Location: Hewlett Packard Campus, 1501 Page Mill Rd, Palo Alto

The Canary Challenge is an annual cycling event and 5km walk/run in Palo Alto, and a pioneer in fundraising in the San Francisco Bay Area. Unlike many organized charity bike rides, the Canary Challenge ensures that 100 percent of all funds raised are directed to the event beneficiary, the Canary Foundation, and do not cover the cost of the event operations. Founded in 2004, the Canary Foundation is the world's first nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the funding, discovery and development of tests for early cancer detection Last year, over 1000 riders and 190 volunteers participated in the event and raised $1.1 million for the Canary Center at Stanford. The Canary Challenge is a fully supported bike ride, offering a 5km walk/ride/run, 50km, 50-mile, 75-mile, and 100-mile rides -- all with multiple food and water stops, mechanical and medical assistance, and plenty of SWAG. The rides cater to all levels of cycling strength -- from children, to fixed gear bikes and tandems, to time trial champions, the Canary Challenge is a ride for everyone! Over 200 volunteers are needed to make the Challenge a fun-filled family affair. Volunteer tasks include helping with village setup, rider registration, kid's zone, information booth, spin-to-win, beer and wine garden, village greeters, parking lot monitors and much more. All volunteers will receive a volunteer t-shirt, food and beverages, and that warm, fuzzy feeling from doing a great thing!

Ages: All ages are welcome. Volunteers under 18 must complete a waiver to volunteer with a parent or guardian.
 
Time Commitment: Varies depending on volunteer station or ride chosen.
 
Contact: Gabriella, gabi@canaryfoundation.org, 650.468.3385. Click here to register to volunteer and here to register as a participant.
www.canarychallenge.org
 
 
Lincoln's 50th Anniversary Beautification Day
Lincoln PALS Club
 
Date/Time: Saturday, September 24, 9am - 1pm
 
Location: Lincoln Elementary School, 36111 Bettencourt St., Newark

Volunteers will be pulling weeds, spreading bark, repainting decorative features, and giving the school a much-needed refresher. Bring along gloves, shovels, rakes, trowels, wheel barrels, etc. Wear hat/sunscreen and sturdy shoes. No power tools, please.

Ages: Bring the whole family - all ages are welcome!
 
Time Commitment: Two to four hours
 
Contact: Danielle Koberstein, leopard.choir@gmail.com, 510.363.5515. Registration is available online
www.lincolnpalsclub.com/
 
 
Host a 'Shoe Cutting Party' or Hold a Collection Drive
Sole Hope
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Shoes and donations can be mailed to:
605 East Innes St. #3263
Salisbury, NC 28145

Sole Hope is an organization working to create a positive difference in the lives of individuals in impoverished communities of Uganda to combat diseases that enter through the feet. Jiggers are small sand fleas that live in the dust, and are found on the dirt floors in schools and the homes of many families in Uganda and other similar climates. Female jiggers can burrow into the skin and these wounds are painful, and cause difficulties for victims in daily activities such as walking, playing, and attending school. In addition to shoe making events and collections, Sole Hope holds medical clinics, and provides education and jobs for the beautiful souls of Uganda. Volunteers can help by holding a Shoe Cutting Party or by Coordinating a Collection Drive. If you're holding a shoe cutting party, start by deciding approximately how many people you're going to invite. You can then purchase the corresponding shoe cutting kit from their website. Kits come with an instructional DVD, pictures, shoe sponsorship cards, bookmarks, stickers, a pattern, and much more! You can hold a collection for simple items to help with jigger removals and to assist the Outreach House in Africa. Sole Hope will ensure they go with the next bunch of shoe uppers and medical supplies to Uganda.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: info@solehope.org
www.solehope.org
 
 
St. Francis' Hot Meals and Ecumenical Hunger Program
Ecumenical Hunger Program at St. Francis of Assisi Church
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 5 - 6pm for the Hot Meal Program, other volunteer opportunity days and times vary.
 
Location: St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto

Ecumenical Hunger Program, along with the St. Vincent De Paul Society, prepares and serves hot meals to needy individuals and families every Wednesday night at St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto. At St. Francis, you'll be serving pre-made food to the less fortunate. When volunteers arrive, they sign in, grab aprons and gloves to either prepare the plates or go out and serve the plates to the guests. Some of those served are homeless, while others are families with children who take advantage of this program to conserve the limited funds they have. There are also opportunities for families to volunteer in the Food Closet (sorting, packing and distributing boxes) and in the warehouse (sorting clothing, shoes and other items).

Ages: All ages welcome, please make sure that you are not sick.
 
Time Commitment: One to two hours
 
Contact: Lakesha Roberts, info@ehpcares.org, 650.323.7781
www.ehpcares.org/food-services.html
 
 
Full Circle Farm Education Garden - Sustainable Community Gardens
Full Circle Farm
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm or dark, whichever comes first.
 
Location: Our West Gate at 955 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale

Full Circle Farm's Education Garden is a one-acre patch of green at the west end of the farm. The Education Garden meets several community needs while the production fields are focused on food production. Volunteer garden tasks are different everyday; you might be harvesting, planting, weeding, composting, digging and more. No experience is necessary. All volunteers are encouraged to take home some veggies with them. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

What to Bring/Wear
  • Water bottle
  • Closed toed shoes
  • Hat
  • Snacks and/or a lunch
  • Garden gloves (if you have them)
Ages: All ages, families are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment:  Come when you can and leave whenever you need to.
 
Contact: Dan Hafeman, danh@fullcirclesunnyvale.org
www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org
 
 
Neighborhood Cleanup
Downtown Streets Team
 
Date/Time: Three Saturday mornings each month, 9:30am to noon.
  • First Saturday, Santee Neighborhood
  • Second Saturday, McKinley Neighborhood
  • Third Saturday: Mayfair Neighborhood
Location:  
  • Santee: Santee Community Center - 1535 Santee Drive, San Jose
  • McKinley: McKinley Community Center - 651 Macredes Avenue, San Jose
  • Mayfair: Mayfair Community Center - 2039 Kammerer Avenue, San Jose
Beautify San Jose's most blighted neighborhoods with homeless Downtown Streets Team Members who are working hard to get housing and employment. The mission of Downtown Streets Team is to eradicate homelessness by empowering homeless individuals to be part of the solution to homelessness. Join your community by beautifying the Santee, McKinley or Mayfair neighborhoods with Downtown Streets Team Members. Not only will you be beautifying one of the most blighted neighborhoods in San Jose, fostering a safe place for people to live and play, you will be volunteering side-by-side with people who are volunteering their way out of homelessness. Feel free to ask them questions and get a new perspective on what it's like to be homeless and living on a low income in Santa Clara County.

What to wear and bring:
  • Please wear covered shoes, pants, long sleeves and work gloves.
  • Wear sunscreen and bring water to stay hydrated.
  • For safety reasons please do not wear these items: no red or blue, no logos on hats/shirts and no numbers. Blue jeans are okay.
  • All that's left to bring is your "Can-do" attitude and we'll be on our way to making our neighborhoods safer and more beautiful places.  
     
Ages: Youth under 18 are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Cliff Navales, San Jose Project Manager; cliff@streetsteam.org. Registration is available online
www.streetsteam.org/
 
 
Magic Mail Center
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: Anytime
 
Location: Set up in your own home

Creating a Magic Mail Center in your home can make it easy to keep kindness part of your family's fall routine! As your fall family schedule gets busy, keep this simple worksheet on hand. When you have unexpected free time, send a letter and make a difference. Visit the Doing Good Together project page to for more ideas and reflection questions.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.doinggoodtogether.org
 
 
As we start Back-To-School Season, let's remind our kids about the importance of kindness. We're making it easy to deliver this message with our new Doing Good Together™ Infographic that offers insight and ideas for making kindness a priority! 

Presented in a problem/solution format, with relevant stats, fun graphics, and easy-to-find links, we encourage you to post, pin, tweet, and share this graphic with your circle of friends, family, and educators. You can find this graphic on our website, along with other compelling articles on why kindness matters and why DGT matters too. Thanks for sharing DGT™ with others!
 
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

August 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

August 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

August 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Kids Helping Kids Donation or Drive
San Jose Cityteam Ministries
 
Date/Time: Assemble on your own schedule and drop off to the Cityteam Community Services Office in San Jose
 
Location: Cityteam Community Services, 1297 North 13th St., San Jose

Many kids look forward to summer vacation and a break from school. But other kids dread the summer months when they don't have school breakfasts and lunches. Usually in low-income families, the parents are working and the kids are home during the summer. Hunger doesn't take a summer vacation. Our goal is to equip these kids with Kid Approved Food Boxes that they can safely eat and enjoy. Here's how you can help:
  • Host a drive: Ask your friends, neighbors, work place, school or church to donate certain kid-friendly items from our shopping list or pick one item like macaroni and cheese or boxes of cereal that we know all kids love. Then bring your donations to Cityteam. 
  • Go shopping: You can take our shopping list and purchase a few items to put together a Kid Approved Food Box and drop it off at Cityteam. This is a great project to do with kids of any age.
  • Donate online: Kids can do chores around the house and earn funds to donate. Parents can help their kids make a donation online or mail/deliver your donation to Cityteam. We would love to meet you in person and give you a tour.
  • Donate items: You can donate gently used or new kids clothing or backpacks with supplies to help kids go back to school this fall equipped with what they need to succeed.
Ages: All ages can participate in helping other kids in need!
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Kids Helping Kids Program Coordinator, 408.293.4657
www.cityteam.orgwww.cityteam.org/kidshelpingkids/index.php

 
District 5 National Night Out
Organized by Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco
 
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 2, 5 - 9pm
 
Location: Emma Prusch Park, 647 South King Rd., San Jose

National Night Out is designed to:
  • Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
  • Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime prevention efforts
  • Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships
  • Send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back
Ages: All ages are welcome with an adult.
 
Time Commitment: Two hours, specific times depend on shift/duties
 
Contact: National Night Out Program Coordinator at 408.277.4133, volunteer registration is available online
www.sjpd.org/BFO/Community/Crimeprev/NationalNightOut.asp
 
 
Summer Rose Garden Session & Ice Cream
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 9, 5:30 - 7:30pm
 
Location: The Heritage Rose Garden near Taylor and Spring Streets, San Jose

The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy needs volunteers to remove spent blooms. Come join a talented volunteer group, learn about roses, and join us for a free ice cream! Please come prepared with clothes you can get dirty: long pants, closed toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen as well as a pre-filled reusable water bottle. Tools and pre-worn work gloves will be provided or you can bring your own.
 
Ages: All ages are welcome; children under 15 must have an adult present.
 
Time Commitment: Two hours
 
Contact: Jessica Gonzalez, Volunteer Coordinator, 408.298.7657, jessica@grpg.org. Registration is available online. Volunteers under 18 years of age must have a signed parental waiver.
www.grpg.org
 
 
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2016
San Jose Jazz
 
Date/Time: Friday August 12 - Sunday August 14, times vary by shift
 
Location: Plaza de César Chavez Park Downtown San Jose, 194 South Market St., San Jose

Since 1986, San Jose Jazz (SJZ) has been committed to celebrating one of America's most distinct and beloved art forms. We seek to enrich the community through local music education, local concerts and events, and by hosting one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the country. Our goal is not only to help jazz continue to thrive in Silicon Valley, but also to enrich our community through K-12 education programs and live music performance year-
round. San Jose Jazz's 27th annual Summer Fest represents a unique opportunity to volunteer. Tens of thousands of music lovers will converge on the heart of Silicon Valley to enjoy three days of jazz, blues, salsa, Latin, and many other forms of contemporary music. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, drink tickets good for soda or water, and a wristband that allows free access to the festival on the days that you work. Volunteers are needed to help with: admission and check-in, beverage and retail sales, California Theater House support, area ushers, main stage set-up, info team, main stage family area, and VIP Pavilion hospitality.
 
Ages: Volunteers must be ages 13 and older.
 
Time Commitment: Varies, depending on task
 
Contact: Tracey Ferraro, 408.288.7557 x2310, volunteer@sanjosejazz.org. Registration is available online
www.summerfest.sanjosejazz.org
 
 
Help Out Sacred Heart Community Services
Sacred Heart Community Services
 
Date/Time: Saturday August 13, 9am - noon
 
Location: 1381 S 1st St, San Jose

Sacred Heart Community Service has served Santa Clara County residents in need since 1964. They provide food, clothing, job training, legal services, housing assistance, and educational classes free of charge to more than 1,500 clients each day. You and your family can help to support Sacred Heart's programs by building food baskets, sorting clothing and food donations, and preparing educational materials for the clients. Volunteers must wear appropriate clothing (pants, no bare midriff or low cut shirts) and closed-toed shoes. Parking lot is often available for volunteers on Saturdays, please do not park at Wendy's or Denny's.

Ages: Ages 12 and up with an adult
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: 408.278.2171, volunteers@sacredheartcs.org
www.sacredheartcs.org/

 
San Jose Double Road Race
Double Road Race Federation
 
Date/Time: Saturday, August 20, 5am - 2pm
 
Location: 6024 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose

Join the fun! The Double Road Race® benefits nonprofit youth running programs that help combat childhood obesity and its related illnesses. Volunteers are needed to help in many areas such as set up, clean up, packet pickup, water stations, bag check, finish line, and recovery zone. You can sign up with your family to participate in the race itself which includes options of half marathon, 15K, 5K, A 'Double Hike' (4 miles), Sprint Double (1.5 miles) and a Kids Cup Double (1.5 miles).

Ages: Must be at least 7 to volunteer, minors under 15 must attend with an adult.
 
Time Commitment: Shifts are four to eight hours depending on the volunteer position
 
Contact: Waitman Gobble, 650.948.4901, waitman@doubleroadrace.com
www.doubleroadrace.com/run/asj/home
 
 
Relay For Life Events August 2016
American Cancer Society
 
Volunteer opportunities at local Relay for Life events can include, but are not limited to: Luminaria set up, trash pick up, track signs and general signage, set up/tear down, registration, and staffing the Fight Back Tent. The following Relay for Life events are happening in August:
 
Relay For Life of East Valley
Date/Time:
Saturday, August 6, 10am - 10pm
Location:
EastRidge Center Shopping Mall, 2200 Eastridge Loop, San Jose
Contact:
Mary Beth Muscarella, Marybeth.muscarella@cancer.org, 408.688.0120
www.relayforlife/eastvalley
 
Relay For Life of Berryessa
Date/Time:
Saturday, August 20, 2 - 6pm
Location:
Piedmont Hills High School, 1377 Piedmont Rd, San Jose
Contact: 
Leah Arceneaux, leah.arceneaux@cancer.org, 408.688.0088
www.relayforlife/berryessa
 
Ages: There are volunteer opportunities for all ages

Time Commitment:
 Varies depending on event, but Relay For Life is flexible for you!
www.relayforlife.org

 
Meal-Serving Program
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
 
Date/Time: Monday - Friday, 3:30 - 6pm
 
Location(s):
  • Goodwill Building, 1080 N. 7th St., San Jose
  • Eastside Neighborhood Center, 2150 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose
Volunteers help with meal preparation, set-up of the dining hall, serving of the food and drinks, and clean up. Wear comfortable "work" clothes and closed-toed shoes (i.e., jeans, walking shorts, tennis shoes, etc.) Please do not wear sandals, halter or tank tops, short shorts, etc. For those with longer hair, please wear your hair up and off your face.
 
Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. An adult must accompany children 14 and younger.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours

Contact: Hyru Gau, 408.998.1500 or volunteer@loavesfishes.org. Registration is available online.
www.loavesfishes.org 
 
 
Veggielution's Youth Garden
Veggielution Community Farm
 
Date/Time: Every Saturday, 10am - 12:30pm
 
Location: 647 S. King Road, San Jose; located in the back of Emma Prusch Park

Come join Veggielution farms for weekly Youth Garden Activities. Every Saturday the whole family can enjoy gardening, crafting, and learning together in the Youth Garden. Participating in our Youth Garden activities is a great way to spend time with your children while exploring the garden, learning about healthy lifestyle choices, and discovering the exciting processes of the natural world - not to mention making new friends. This is a unique opportunity to get your hands dirty and become better stewards of the environment as a family. Veggielution volunteer activities encourage exploration and play-based learning for the whole family.
 
Ages: Families with children ages three and up are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Jennifer Aguilar, jena@veggielution.org or Dana Shinners, danas@veggielution.org
www.veggielution.org/youth-garden

 
Feed Hungry Minds One Book at a Time
Family-to-Family
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Your home
 
As your family gets ready to go back to school, signing up for this unique, monthly, bookish service opportunity will set the stage for a year of learning and kindness. Family-to-Family is a  national nonprofit hunger and poverty relief organization dedicated to connecting, one-to-one, families with enough to share to impoverished American families with profoundly less. You and your family can sponsor a child with one book a month through Family-to-Family's One Book at a Time program. Part pen pal, part book club, the One Book at a Time program will inspire both the young readers who give the books and the ones who receive them. Family-to-Family will match you to a child living in poverty in one of the communities they serve, give you the child's name, age and reading level, and ask you to send him or her one new book, along with a letter, each month. Your family will commit to the program for one year, sending a total of 12 books and 12 letters. The child who receives the books will be encouraged to write back to you. Visit the DGT™ Feed Hungry Minds project page for reflection ideas, book suggestions, and ways to take this project further.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: One year
 
Contact: Email books@family-to-family.org with your name, address and phone number and you will be matched with a child.
www.family-to-family.org
 
 
Add good news and good ideas to your family-focused newsletter or website!

If your organization has a newsletter or website that targets families, DGT™ can help you share kindness and service ideas with them. Once again, we've compiled a school year's worth of Service and Smiles Kindness Tips that you can dole out once a week from September 2016 through May 2017. You'll find service projects, kindness practices, and other simple ideas that teach children about giving, caring, and compassion. They're free to use with attribution to Doing Good Together, of course. Visit our Service and Smiles web page to sign up! Already signed up? Please share your stories or examples with DGT!
 
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

July 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

July 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

July 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Blossom Valley Neighborhood Association 4th of July Carnival
Blossom Valley Neighborhood Association
 
Date/Time: Monday, July 4, 9am - 12:30pm
 
Location: Miner Park, 29 Copco Lane, San Jose

Volunteers are needed to help set up and run games at the annual Blossom Valley Neighborhood Celebration. The event includes a patriotic program and old-fashioned carnival. Tasks include setting up and running games and other activities. Please dress for hot weather, wear sunscreen and a hat (optional).

Ages: All ages are welcome with adult.
 
Time Commitment: Approximately three hours
 
Contact: Deborah Torrens, 408.281.3070, torrens@sbcglobal.net
www.facebook.com/blossomvalleyna/

 
 
Annual Bike 4 Breath Charity Ride
Breathe California Golden Gate Public Health Partnership
 
Date/Time: Saturday, July 9, 7am - 2pm
 
Location: Encinal Elementary School, 195 Encinal Ave., Atherton

Each summer, Breathe California's Bike 4 Breath charity ride offers the opportunity to fight lung disease, while enjoying a beautiful ride along the peninsula. Funds raised by riders will support lung health in our local communities and will help ensure that breathing is not a struggle, or a risk, for anyone. Volunteers will assist in event set-up, provide technical support to riders, and prepare breakfast/lunch services for riders and guests.
 
Ages: Children ten years and older are welcome to volunteer with an adult.
 
Time Commitment: Between five and seven hours, depending on the tasks.
 
Contact: Christopher Ndubuizu, christophern@ggbreathe.org, 650.994.5868
www.ggbreathe.org/b4b-volunteer/
 
 
Park Beautification - Los Gatos Creek County Park
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
 
Date/Time: Saturday July 16, 8:30am  - 12:30pm
 
Location: Los Gatos Creek Park, 1250 Dell Ave., Campbell. Volunteers will meet park staff at 8:30 a.m. at the Los Gatos Creek parking lot.

Come help keep the Los Gatos Creek trail healthy and native plants flourishing through the removal of invasive plants. No special skills are required. Please wear long pants and hiking boots and bring a long-sleeved shirt, sun or rain protection and a water bottle and snack. All necessary tools and work gloves are provided.

Ages: Kids, teens and adults are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Up to four hours
 
Contact: volunteer@prk.sccgov.org or call 408.918.4930. Preregistration is required.
www.parkhere.org
 
 
Relay For Life Events July 2016
American Cancer Society

Volunteer opportunities at local Relay for Life events can include, but are not limited to: Luminaria set up, trash pick up, track signs & general signage, set up/tear down, registration, and staffing the Fight Back Tent. The following Relay for Life events are happening in July:

Relay For Life of Milpitas
Date/Time:
 Saturday, July 9 - Sunday July 10, 10am - 10am
Location: Murphy Park, 1601 Yellowstone Ave, Milpitas
Contact:
Tima Maharaj, tima.maharaj@cancer.org or 408.688.0126
 www.relayforlife/milpitas

Relay For Life of Cupertino
Date/Time:
 Saturday, July 16, 10am
Location: Cupertino High School, 10100 Finch Avenue, Cupertino
Contact: Tima Maharaj, tima.maharaj@cancer.org or 408.688.0126
www.relayforlife/cupertino 

Relay For Life of Campbell
Date/Time:
 Saturday, July 16 - Sunday July 17, 10am - 10am
Location: Campbell Community Center, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell
Contact: Miranda Glaser, Miranda.glaser@cancer.org or 408.688.0087
www.relayforlife/campbell

Relay For Life of Saratoga
Date/Time: Saturday, July 23 - Sunday July 24, 10am - 10am
Location: St. Andrews Episcopal School and Parish,
13601 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga
Contact: Tima Maharaj, tima.maharaj@cancer.org or 408.688.0126
www.relayforlife/saratoga

Ages: There are volunteer opportunities for all ages

Time Commitment: Varies depending on event, but Relay For Life is flexible for you!
 
 
Team Citizen Scientists and Community Service
Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge
 
Date/Time: Flexible, works with your schedule!
 
Location: 1751 Grand Blvd. Alviso

From sand dunes to salt marsh, from rocky, offshore islands to golden beaches, the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex offers a glimpse into the biological wonders of the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite booming industries and growing populations, these National Wildlife Refuges preserve an incredibly complex ecosystem.

Become a citizen scientist - help monitor plants, birds, monarchs, reptiles, and/or the weather! Come help monitor native plants and animals at the refuge and contribute to eBird and the California Phenology project. You will be contributing with thousands of other citizen scientists to monitor climate change. Changes in phenological events like flowering and bird migrations are among the most sensitive biological responses to climate change.
 
Ages: Ages nine and up with an adult present. Without an adult, ages 15 and up.
 
Time Commitment: One monitoring field per month, times and dates are flexible. An orientation and one hour instructional in the training with biologists and experienced volunteers is required.
 
Contact: Julie Kahrnoff, 408.262.5513 ext. 104 or julie.kahrnoff@sfbws.com
www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay/
 
 
Swim for MS
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
 
Date/Time: Any date or time
 
Location: Any pool
 
Swim for MS is a national fundraiser in which volunteers create their own swim challenge while recruiting online donations to support the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA). Swim for MS is unique because you can create and arrange your own special swim activity, participating individually or recruiting other swim enthusiasts to form a team. Swim for MS is perfect for: all levels of swim enthusiasts; swim clubs or teams; social clubs such as fraternities, sororities, youth groups, etc.; students seeking volunteer service hours for school; and families enjoying the summer. You can participate in Swim for MS as an individual or with a team. You can create an on going challenge or a one-day event. For example swim 300 laps in 30 days and raise $1,000 or do one cannonball for every dollar raised. Think of something that will work best for you and your schedule! Prizes are given to the top fundraiser each month. Through the participation of Swim for MS, you will help spread awareness of multiple sclerosis and promote the positive benefits of swimming for people of all ages and skill levels.
 
Ages: Everyone who can swim!
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: SwimForMS@mymsaa.org, 1.800.532.7667. Register online at www.SwimForMS.org
www.swimforms.org
 
 
Adopt-a-Park in San Jose
City of San Jose Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Varied - Current areas in need of adoption are: Almaden Meadows Park, Parma Park, Los Alamitos Creek Trail from Almaden Lake to Harry Rd, and Almaden Lake Park.

The mission of Adopt-a-Park is to protect and enhance San José's neighborhood parks and open spaces by ongoing volunteer support and special events, and to educate San José residents about the importance of parks and open spaces. You and your family can adopt your local park! You can adopt the entire park, trail or a particular area in a park, including: courts, exercise courses, flower beds, playgrounds, sports fields, trails, trees and shrubs, undeveloped park land.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible and ongoing
 
Contact: Adopt-a-Park Volunteer Coordinator, 408.793.4190,
adopt-a-park@sanjoseca.gov. Print and fill out the Adoption Proposal and Agreement and fill out the Volunteer Service Agreement for the group leader and any other initial group members. Volunteers under 18 years of age must use the Volunteer Service Agreement - Minor form and must have a parent/guardian signature. All forms and information are on the San Jose PRNS website.
www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/

 
 
St. Francis' Hot Meals and Ecumenical Hunger Program
Ecumenical Hunger Program at St. Francis of Assisi Church
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 5 - 6pm for the Hot Meal Program, other volunteer opportunity days and times vary.
 
Location: St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto

Ecumenical Hunger Program, along with the St. Vincent De Paul Society, prepares and serves hot meals to needy individuals and families every Wednesday night at St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto. At St. Francis, you'll be serving pre-made food to the less fortunate. When volunteers arrive, they sign in, grab aprons and gloves to either prepare the plates or go out and serve the plates to the guests. Some of those served are homeless, while others are families with children who take advantage of this program to conserve the limited funds they have. There are also opportunities for families to volunteer in the Food Closet (sorting, packing and distributing boxes), and in the warehouse (sorting clothing, shoes and other items).

Ages: All ages welcome, please make sure that you are not sick when you come to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: One to two hours
 
Contact: Lakesha Roberts, info@ehpcares.org, 650.323.7781
www.ehpcares.org/food-services.html
 
 
Sunday Friends' Programs for Very Low-Income Families 
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Sundays: Shifts available between 10:30am and 5:30pm. There are also some after-school shifts on weekdays at Sunday Friends special "store".
 
Location: 
  • Santee Elementary, 1313 Audubon Dr., San Jose, on the 1st Sunday of every month
  • Anne Darling Elementary, 333 North 33rd St., San Jose, on the third Sunday of every month
  • Lowell Elementary, 625 South 7th St., San Jose, on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month
  • Sunday Friends special store, 730 Story Rd. Ste. 3, San Jose, open weekdays from 4 to 7pm.
Sunday Friends empowers families to break the generational cycle of poverty by fostering positive development in children while educating and guiding parents to support their children's life success. Since 1997, Sunday Friends has been offering day-long programs on Sundays that bring together whole families to work together, learn together, earn together, make spending decisions together and share in the healthy, warm, productive, mutually-supportive community together. Families volunteer together to facilitate service and learning projects, including: craft gift making, healthy food preparation, letter and essay writing, hands-on science projects, math and other learning games, computer education, English as a Second Language classes, reading and book report writing, exercise class, parents' classes, and more. Because children and parents earn tickets for their participation, redeemable for basic necessities in our special stores, volunteers might also assist with the banking, store setup or shopping.
 
Ages: Teens, adults, families and groups are all welcome. An adult must accompany children under age 14.
 
Time Commitment: No predetermined number of hours, but if you sign up to come to a program, you are expected to come.
 
Contact: Lilly, lillyp@sundayfriends.org or Vanessa, volunteer@sundayfriends.org, with questions or call 408.217.9587. Volunteers should begin by completing the New Volunteer Registration. Please register to volunteer a couple of weeks in advance of the date you'd like to come.
www.SundayFriends.org
 
 
Host a Fundraiser
 
Date/Time: Anytime this summer!
 
Location: Anywhere in your community
 

Support a cause that's special to your family by holding a family fundraiser. Your children will learn about working together to make a real difference, and they'll love to brainstorm themes for their fundraiser. Visit the Doing Good Together Host a Fundraiser Project Page for ideas for your next family fundraiser!
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible, whatever fits in your schedule
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
 
 
School is OUT, but summer reading is IN. We've got big-hearted story ideas for your family.

Summer is a great time for big-hearted reading! Encourage your child to expand their reading with titles carefully selected by DGT™. Whether you find books at the library, your local bookstore, or online*, we've got recommendations on discussion-worthy topics, such as gratitude, diversity, mindfulness, citizenship, and nature. Our Read Together page not only features picture book and chapter book lists, we also include Conversation Starters For Any Story.

To round out our selection of children's books, we offer adult-oriented titles, along with website and video recommendations on our Complete DGT™ Resource Collection pages.

*Please note: Our DGT™ website features affiliate links to Amazon, which allows DGT™ to earn advertising fees on purchases made from those pages. Thank you!

 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

June 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

June 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

June 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
The Ultimate Hike: Create Your Own Adventure
CureSearch for Children's Cancer
 
Date/Time: Flexible - on your own time
 
Location: Choose your own location

CureSearch raises funds for children's cancer research to ensure that more children have access to life-saving treatments today and into the future. Ultimate Hike: Create Your Adventure is your chance to plan your lifesaving adventure from start to finish. You pick the trail, the distance, the date, and you set your own fundraising goals. All you need is a trail and your own two feet, and every step you take will make a difference! From the main Create Your Adventure page, click Register in the navigation bar at the top of the page and choose whether you want to register "As an individual", "As a Team Captain" (to start a new team), or "As a Team Member" (if the team already exists). You will then have the chance to start a new adventure!

Ages: Any age can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible

Contact: Courtney Bollman, 240.235.2286, courtney.bollman@curesearch.org 
www.curesearchevents.org
 
 
Pregnant Mare Horse Rescue
Pregnant Mare Rescue Foundation
 
Date/Time: Flexible for your family! Contact Carolyn to schedule (see below).
 
Location: Gilroy

Pregnant mare horse rescue in Gilroy is looking for volunteers to help clean stalls, sweep the barn, groom the horses, clean their feet, help with light exercise, and other duties. Pregnant Mare Rescue is a horse sanctuary committed to rescuing pregnant mares and orphan foals from abuse, advocating for the humane treatment of all horses through education while enriching the human experience. Pregnant Mare Rescue is a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries verified, 501(c)(3) certified nonprofit.

Ages: All ages are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: Carolyn, 408.859.3269 (preferred) or lacoel@aol.com.
www.pregnantmarerescue.org
 
 
Program and Entertainment Assistance for Seniors
Live Oak Adult Day Services
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: 1147 Minnesota Ave, San Jose

Live Oak Adult Day Services is a loving and compassionate adult day care - a nonprofit, community-based agency that provides a specialized program of adult day care for frail elderly dependent adults who are residents of Santa Clara County. The Center organizes various fun activities and programs to meet the needs of the seniors. Volunteers are needed to befriend these seniors and/or assist with the activities. You can also offer your talents and skills at anytime to enrich their experience.
 
Ages: Most ages are welcome with a parent/guardian present.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Anna Jones or Marcus Ransom, 408.971.9363 or willowglen@liveoakadultdaycare.org. To register, visit the Volunteer page.
www.liveoakadultdaycare.org

 
 
Relay For Life Events June 2016
American Cancer Society

Volunteer opportunities at local Relay for Life events can include, but are not limited to: Luminaria set up, trash pick up, track signs & general signage, set up/tear down, registration, and staffing the Fight Back Tent. The following Relay for Life events are happening in June:
 
Relay For Life of Sunnyvale
Date/Time:
Saturday and Sunday, June 11 & 12. Event times TBD
Location: Sunnyvale Middle School, 1080 Mango Ave, Sunnyvale
Contact:
Mary Beth Muscarella, MaryBeth.Muscarella@cancer.org or 408.688.0120
www.relayfor life/sunnyvale
 
Relay For Life of Berryessa
Date/Time:
Saturday, June 11, Event times TBD
Location: Piedmont Hills High School. 1377 Piedmont Rd, San Jose
Contact:
Leah Arceneaux, leah.arceneaux@cancer.org or 408.688.0088
www.relayforlife/berryessa

Relay For Life of Los Altos
Date/Time: Sunday, June 12, 5 - 9pm
Location:
Hillview Park, 97 Hillview Avenue, Los Alto
Contact:
Steve Yodz, steve.yodz@cancer.org or 408.688.0104
www.relayforlife/losaltos
 
Ages: There are volunteer opportunities for all ages
 
Time Commitment: Varies depending on event, but Relay For Life is flexible for you!  
www.relayforlife.org
 
 
Summer Scamper 5K/10K
Lucille Packard Children's Hospital
 
Date/Time: Sunday June 19, 6:30 -11:30am
 
Location: Stanford campus. The Start/Finish line is on Galvez Street between Campus Drive and Memorial Way, in front of the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center.

The annual Summer Scamper is a family-friendly fundraising walk/run benefiting Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. The courses on the beautiful Stanford campus are designed for participants of all ages. They offer a 5k walk/run, 10k run, Kid's Fun Run (ages 3-10), as well as the option to participate as a virtual racer for out-of-town supporters. Event participators fundraise for a child health program of their choice. You can register your family as runners/walkers, or as volunteers! Volunteer tasks will include registration facilitation, monitoring start/finish lines, handing out water, food prep/distribution, Kid's Fun Run cheering and event cleanup. All volunteers will receive a volunteer t-shirt, plenty of coffee, breakfast and snacks!

Ages: Volunteers should be age 13 and up with an adult present. Volunteers ages 13-16 must fill out the waiver included in the volunteer registration process. Families with younger children can participate in the event.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Robin Nelson, robin.nelson@lpfch.org, 650.725.2970. To register as a participant or volunteer, visit the registration page.
www.summerscamper.org

 
Duck Pond-looza
The Duck Pond, part of Gateway Community Outreach Center
 
Date/Time: Saturday, June 4, 8:30am - 2pm
 
Location: 5884 Eden Park Place, San Jose

The Duck Pond is a nonprofit, safe, clean indoor play space designed for infants and toddlers where they can learn while playing! The Duck Pond-looza needs volunteers to help with ticket sales, manning activity tables, taking tickets, directing cars for parking, table set-up, decorations and tear down. The Duck Pond is always looking for volunteers to help with craft prep, story time, to help during open play, and with other needs that arise.

Ages: Volunteers should be 14 or older
 
Time Commitment: One or two 3 1/2 hour sessions
 
Contact: Sarah Jimenez, DuckPond@gcosj.org. To volunteer for the Duck Pond-looza on June 4 please fill out the registration form.
www.theduckpondsj.org

 
 
Silicon Valley Tour de Cure
American Diabetes Association
 
Date/Time: Saturday and Sunday, June 11 & 12. Shift times vary depending on assignment.
 
Location: 3000 Hanover Street, Palo Alto

The mission of the American Diabetes Association is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Volunteer duties for this event can include set-up, signage, greeters, cheering crew, and rest stop assistance.

Ages: Recommended for ages 10 and up, but can accommodate younger volunteers (with parents) if spots for kid-friendly duties are still available.
 
Time Commitment: Varies, depending on shift
 
 
 
Historic Orchard Garden Clean Up
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Saturday June 4, 8:30 - 11:30am
 
Location: The Historic Orchard is a 3.3-acre site, planted in 1994, located in Guadalupe Gardens just south of Taylor Street and adjacent to the River Park trails in San Jose.

Help preserve a portion of the old Santa Clara Valley that pays homage to when orchards stretched across the valley floor. Volunteers are needed to help maintain the Historic Orchard in the garden area of the Guadalupe River Park. Today, with very few orchards remaining, this is a place where adults and children can come to experience a piece of local history. Fruit harvested from the Historic Orchard is donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
 
Ages: Families with children ages 10 and older are welcome to volunteer. Children under 16 must have a signed waiver form.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Monica Floyd, 408.298.7657. Registration is available online.
www.grpg.org
 
 
Neighborhood Cleanup
Downtown Streets Team
 
Date/Time: Three Saturday mornings each month, 9:30am to noon.
  • First Saturday, Santee Neighborhood
  • Second Saturday, McKinley Neighborhood
  • Third Saturday: Mayfair Neighborhood
Location(s):
  • Santee: Santee Community Center - 1535 Santee Drive, San Jose
  • McKinley: McKinley Community Center - 651 Macredes Avenue, San Jose
  • Mayfair: Mayfair Community Center - 2039 Kammerer Avenue, San Jose
The mission of Downtown Streets Team is to eradicate homelessness by empowering homeless individuals to be part of the solution to homelessness. Join your community by beautifying the Santee, McKinley or Mayfair neighborhoods with Downtown Streets Team Members. Not only will you be beautifying one of the most blighted neighborhoods in San Jose, fostering a safe place for people to live and play, you will be volunteering side-by-side with people who are volunteering their way out of homelessness. Feel free to ask them questions and get a new perspective on what it's like to be homeless and living on a low income in Santa Clara County. 

What to wear and bring:
  • Please wear covered shoes, pants, long sleeves and work gloves.
  • Wear sunscreen and bring water to stay hydrated.
  • For safety reasons please do not wear these items: no red or blue, no logos on hats/shirts and no numbers. Blue jeans are okay.
  • All that's left is your "Can-do" attitude and we'll be on our way to making our neighborhoods safer and more beautiful places.
Ages: Youth under 18 are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Cliff Navales, San Jose Project Manager; cliff@streetsteam.org. Registration is available online.
www.streetsteam.org
 
 
Full Circle Farm Education Garden - Sustainable Community Gardens
Full Circle Farm
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm or dark, whichever comes first.
 
Location: Our West Gate at 955 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale

Full Circle Farm's Education Garden is a one-acre patch of green at the west end of the farm. The Education Garden meets several community needs while the production fields are focused on food production. Volunteer garden tasks are different everyday-you might be harvesting, planting, weeding, composting, digging and more. No experience is necessary. All volunteers are encouraged to take home some veggies with them. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

What To Bring/Wear
  • water bottle
  • closed toed shoes
  • sunblock
  • hat
  • snacks and/or a lunch
  • garden gloves (if you have them)
Ages: All ages, families are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Come when you can and leave whenever you need to.
 
Contact: Dan Hafeman, danh@fullcirclesunnyvale.org
www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org
 
 
Host a 'Shoe Cutting Party' or Hold a Collection Drive
Sole Hope
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Shoes and donations can be mailed to:
605 East Innes Street #3263, Salisbury, NC 28145

Sole Hope is an organization working to create a positive difference in the lives of individuals in impoverished communities of Uganda to combat diseases that enter through the feet. Jiggers are small sand fleas that live in the dust, and are found on the dirt floors in schools and the homes of many families in Uganda and other similar climates. Female jiggers can burrow into the skin and these wounds are painful, and cause difficulties for victims in daily activities such as walking, playing, and attending school. In addition to shoe making events and collections, Sole Hope holds medical clinics, and provides education and jobs for the beautiful souls of Uganda. Volunteers can help by holding a Shoe Cutting Party or by Coordinating a Collection Drive. If you're holding a shoe cutting party, start by deciding approximately how many people you're going to invite. You can then purchase the corresponding shoe cutting kit from their website. Kits come with an instructional DVD, pictures, shoe sponsorship cards, bookmarks, stickers, a pattern, and much more! You can hold a collection for simple items to help with jigger removals and to assist the Outreach House in Africa. Sole Hope will ensure they go with the next bunch of shoe uppers and medical supplies to Uganda.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: info@solehope.org
www.solehope.org
 
 
Make this a Summer of Kindness with DGT's Summer Bucket List
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: All summer long
 
Location: Your home or community
 
Print and post one or both of DGT's two innovative Summer of Kindness bucket lists. These creative kindness projects will keep your family making big-hearted memories all summer long.
 
Ages: Preschool to teen
 
Time Commitment: 15 minutes to 1 hour per week depending upon the activities you choose to complete.
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.doinggoodogether.org
 
 
DGT™ in the News
 
Looking for a media source to quote in your blog or print article or to feature in your upcoming podcast, radio show, or TV report?  Contact DGT™ for tips, insight, and wisdom on a variety of topics including parenting kind kids and family volunteering tips. To see DGT's vast array of past media appearances, visit our IN THE NEWS page.

 
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

May 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

May 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

May 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Watch the Wild
Nature Abounds
 
Date/Time: Ongoing
 
Location: Your own neighborhood and local area

Watch the Wild needs your help! As a Watch the Wild volunteer, you observe and report the "wild" in your community, from trees and plants to lakes and streams to weather and wildlife activity. In as little as ten minutes, your observations help us to understand how our eco-systems are changing and help us to adapt for the future. Becoming a Watch the Wild volunteer is very easy. All you need to do is sign-up to be a volunteer with Nature Abounds, choose a location to observe, whether it be your backyard, a local park, your favorite beach spot, or an area that you visit or hike in regularly, record your observations and report your observations to us online, via mail, or email. Your observations will then be entered into a database and shared with interested scientists.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: Melinda, info@natureabounds.org, 814.765.1453
www.natureabounds.org
 
 
St. Francis' Hot Meals and Ecumenical Hunger Program
Ecumenical Hunger Program at St. Francis of Assisi Church
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 5 - 6pm for the Hot Meal Program, other volunteer opportunity days and times vary
 
Location: St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto

Ecumenical Hunger Program, along with the St. Vincent De Paul Society, prepares and serves hot meals to needy individuals and families every Wednesday night at St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto. At St. Francis, you'll be serving pre-made food to the less fortunate. When volunteers arrive, they sign in, grab aprons and gloves to either prepare the plates or to go out and serve the plates to the guests. Some of those served are homeless, while others are families with children who take advantage of this program to conserve the limited funds they have. There are also opportunities for families to volunteer in the Food Closet (sorting, packing and distributing boxes) and in the warehouse (sorting clothing, shoes and other items).
 
Ages: All ages welcome. Please make sure that you are not sick.
 
Time Commitment: One to two hours
 
Contact: Lakesha Roberts, info@ehpcares.org, 650.323.7781
www.ehpcares.org/food-services.html

 
Activity Time Helpers
White Blossom Care Center - Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation
 
Date/Time: Ongoing
 
Location: 1990 Fruitdale Avenue, San Jose

Volunteers are needed to help staff during activity time. You can assist individual seniors or the whole group. You can also share any talents or skills you may have to educate, entertain or empower the seniors. White Blossom Care Center is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility that strives to serve the greatest generation. The White Blossom Care Center healthcare professionals strive to help patients reach their maximum potential in a caring and supportive environment.
 
Ages: All ages welcome, good cheer and any talents to share are helpful!
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Pele, info@whiteblossomcarecenter.com, 408.998.8447. A Volunteer Application and brief orientation is required before starting.
www.whiteblossomcarecenter.com
 
 
PLAY: Family Connections
Family Connections
 
Date/Time: Thursday, May 19, 6 - 8pm
 
Location: Redwood City and East Palo Alto Locations. Details and directions will be sent after signing up.
 
Spend time with a lively group of preschoolers! Family Connections, a parent-participation preschool, serves low-income families. Once a month, volunteers help with crafts and snacks for the kids while parents participate in a parent education class. Some Spanish is preferred but not necessary. There are a limited number of spots so be sure to sign up early for this month or for the following month!
 
Ages: Ages eight and older with an adult present
 
Time Commitment: Two hours
 
Contact: Betsy Carter, bcarter@familyconnections.org, 650.556.9503 x112. Registration is available online through HandsOn Bay Area.
www.familyconnections.org
 
 
Human Race Walkathon & Fun Run
Santa Cruz County Human Race
 
Date/Time: Saturday, May 7. Shift times vary depending on volunteer position.
 
Location: Santa Cruz
 
The Santa Cruz County Human Race Walkathon & Fun Run is a nationwide community fundraising event for nonprofit organizations and schools. In Santa Cruz County, the Human Race is the largest collaborative community fundraiser and has helped address the needs of local nonprofit agencies, schools, religious, social and arts groups over the past 30 years. Volunteers can help many of our local agencies that depend on the Human Race to raise their operating funds for the year. Volunteers are needed for: set-up, check-in, signage, leading games for kids, volunteer registration, greeters, water stations, serving breakfast/lunch, cheering stations and greeters.
 
Ages: All ages are welcome to participate. A parent must accompany children under 14.
 
Time Commitment: Two hours or more. Time commitment varies by shift.
 
Contact: Anna Bontrager, engagement@scvolunteercenter.org. Registration is available online.
 
 
National River Clean Up Day
Creek Connections Action Group
 
Date/Time: Saturday May, 21, 9am - noon
 
Location: Multiple Locations throughout the South Bay in San Jose, Milpitas, Cupertino, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Los Gatos, Campbell, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale.

Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants, sturdy shoes, gloves, sunscreen and to bring their own pick-up sticks. Trash bags, extra gloves and first aid supplies will be available on site. The goal of our cleanup events is to remove as much trash, debris, and recyclables as possible out of our waterways. For most events we hold a "Most Unusual Item" contest and includes prizes donated by local businesses!
 
Ages: All youth under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian signature on their Waiver of Liability (English) (Spanish), and also need adult supervision for the entire event.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: volunteer@valleywater.org (individual locations have specific contact information - see website)
www.cleanacreek.org
 
 
Morgan Hill Sprint Triathalon
Lazarex Cancer Foundation
 
Date/Time: Sunday May 15, 6 - 11am
 
Location: UVAS Reservoir Morgan Hill

Team for Life partners with a number of local race companies and helps to recruit volunteers for local races. In exchange, Team for Life spreads the word about the Lazarex Cancer Foundation and receives a charitable donation to the Foundation from the races to help cancer patients. Volunteers are needed to help out with water stations, registration, and cheering on the participants. This is a great way to get outside, have fun, and get some service hours!

Ages:  Families with children six and up are welcome to volunteer. Younger children with parents will be guided mostly toward cheering and water stations and families with older kids can help with organized race activities.
 
Time Commitment: Two to five hours
 
Contact: Susan, sblick@lazarex.org, 925.820.4517
www.teamforlife.org
 
 
Relay For Life Events May 2016
American Cancer Society
 
Volunteer opportunities at local Relay for Life events can include, but are not limited to: Luminaria set up, trash pick up, track signs and general signage, set up/tear down, registration, and staffing the Fight Back Tent. The following Relay for Life events are happening in May:

Relay For Life of Almaden
Date/Time:
 Saturday May 7. Event runs from 9am to 9pm.
Location: Bret Harte Middle School, 7050 Bret Harte Drive, San Jose
Contact:
Steve Yodz, Steve.Yodz@cancer.org, 408.688.0104.
www.relayforlife/almaden
 
Relay For Life of Willow Glen
Date/Time: Saturday, May 14 & Sunday, May 15. Event runs from 10am Saturday to 10am Sunday.
Location: Willow Glen High School, 2001 Cottle Ave, San Jose
Contact: Mary Beth Muscarella, Marybeth.muscarella@cancer.org, 408.688.0120
www.relayforlife.org/willowglenca
 
Relay For Life of Morgan Hill
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 14 & Sunday, May 15. Event runs from 10am Saturday to 10am Sunday.
Location:
Morgan Hill Community Park, 171 W Edmundson Ave, Morgan Hill
Contact:
Tima Maharaj, tima.maharaj@cancer.org, 408.688.0126
www.RelayForLife.org/morganhillca
 
Relay For Life of Blossom Valley
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 21 & Sunday, May 22. Event runs from 10am Saturday to 10am Sunday.
Location:
Stratford School, 6670 San Anselmo Way, San Jose
Contact:
Kristi Cole, Kristi.cole@cancer.org, 408.688.0089
www.RelayForLife.org/blossomvalleyca
 
Ages: There are volunteer opportunities for all ages
Time Commitment: Varies depending on event, but Relay For Life is flexible for you! 
www.relayforlife.org
 
 
Silicon Valley Kidney Walk
National Kidney Foundation
 
Date/Time: Saturday June 4, 6:30am - 1pm (shift times vary)
 
Location: Cityview Plaza, 125 South Market St., San Jose
 
Volunteers are needed to set up, register walkers, cheer along the route, and help with cleanup. We hope to see you there!
 
Ages: Youth middle school age and up can volunteer. Families with children can participate in the walk.
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: Darneesha Polee, darneesha.polee@kidney.org, 415.543.3303 ext. 510
www.kidney.org/

 
 
Sunday Friends' Programs for Very Low-Income Families
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Sundays: Shifts available between 10:30am and 5:30pm. There are also some after-school shifts on weekdays at the Sunday Friends special "store."
 
Location(s):
  • Santee Elementary, 1313 Audubon Dr., San Jose, on the 1st Sunday of every month
  • Anne Darling Elementary, 333 North 33rd St., San Jose, on the third Sunday of every month
  • Lowell Elementary, 625 South 7th St., San Jose, on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month
  • Sunday Friends special store, 730 Story Rd. Ste. 3, San Jose, open weekdays from 4 to 7pm
Sunday Friends empowers families to break the generational cycle of poverty by fostering positive development in children while educating and guiding parents to support their children's life success. Since 1997, Sunday Friends has been offering day-long programs on Sundays that bring together whole families to work together, learn together, earn together, make spending decisions together and share in the healthy, warm, productive, mutually-supportive community together. Families volunteer together to facilitate service and learning projects, including: craft gift making, healthy food preparation, letter and essay writing, hands-on science projects, math and other learning games, computer education, English as a Second Language classes, reading and book report writing, exercise class, parents' classes and more. Because children and parents earn tickets for their participation, redeemable for basic necessities in our special stores, volunteers might also assist with the banking, store setup or shopping.
 
Ages: Teens, adults, families and groups are all welcome. An adult must accompany children under age 14.
 
Time Commitment: No predetermined number of hours, but if you sign up to come to a program, you are expected to come.
 
Contact: Lilly, lillyp@sundayfriends.org or Vanessa, volunteer@sundayfriends.org, with questions or call 408.217.9587. Volunteers should begin with New Volunteer Registration. Please register to volunteer a couple of weeks in advance of the date
www.SundayFriends.org
 
 
Meal-Serving Program
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
 
Date/Time: Monday - Friday; see location information for times
 
Location(s): 
  • Goodwill Building, 3:30 - 6pm, 1080 N. 7th St., San Jose
  • Eastside Neighborhood Center, 3:45 - 6pm, 2150 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen provides nutritious prepared meals that are delivered and served to disadvantaged individuals with a special concern for families, seniors and the homeless. Volunteers help with meal preparation, dining hall set-up, serving food and drinks, and clean up. Wear comfortable "work" clothes and closed-toed shoes (i.e., jeans, walking shorts, tennis shoes, etc.) Please do not wear sandals, halter or tank tops, short shorts, etc. For those with longer hair, please wear your hair up and off your face.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. An adult must accompany children 14 and younger.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Hyru Gau, 408.998.1500 or volunteer@loavesfishes.org. Registration is available online.
www.loavesfishes.org
 
 
Veggielution's Youth Garden
Veggielution Community Farm
 
Date/Time: Every Saturday 10am - 12:30pm
 
Location: 647 S. King Road, San Jose; located in the back of Emma Prusch Park

Come join Veggielution farms for weekly Youth Garden Activities. Every Saturday the whole family can enjoy gardening, crafting, and learning together in the Youth Garden. Participating in our Youth Garden activities is a great way to spend time with your children while exploring the garden, learning about healthy lifestyle choices, and discovering the exciting processes of the natural world - not to mention making new friends. This is a unique opportunity to get your hands dirty and become better stewards of the environment as a family. Veggielution volunteer activities encourage exploration and play-based learning for the whole family.

Ages: Families with children ages three and up are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Jennifer Aguilar, jena@veggielution.org or Dana Shinners, danas@veggielution.org
www.veggielution.org/youth-garden
 
 
Host Families for High School International Exchange Students
International Student Exchange
 
Date/Time: Students arrive in August and January, and stay five months, ten months or one year and attend local public high schools.
 
Location: Your home and community

ISE is seeking families to host incoming international exchange students. This is a fantastic opportunity for families who wish to enrich their families' culture, to build memories and friendships, and to showcase their culture and values. Host families are expected to provide basic room and board. Students coming to the United States through ISE will arrive with spending money and health insurance. Students may share a room with siblings of the same sex. International students are between the ages of 15 and 18 ½. Host families are assigned a supervising area representative to help you through the entire process from beginning to end. The supervising representative will be with you every step of the way providing extensive guidance and support during the student's exchange program.

Ages: Families of all shapes and sizes are welcome. An adult over the age of 25 must be part of the household.
 
Time Commitment: Five months, ten months or one year.
 
Contact: Lisa, 800.766.4656x103 for additional information or referral to a local representative. Click here for the link to becoming a host family.
www.iseusa.org
 
 
Download DGT's Feelings Flashcards and Play Empathy-Building Games
Doing Good Together
 
Date/Time: Anytime
 
Location: Your home or community
 
Download and print our Feelings Flashcards and use them to play a variety of games that help kids of all ages recognize and converse about different emotions.
 
Ages: Preschool on up
 
Time Commitment: Games will take 15 to 60 minutes.
 
Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org
www.doinggoodtogether.org
 
 

For your next reunion, company party, or school gathering, help your organization help others! Doing Good Together™ Family Service Fairs allow groups of all ages to serve others in a two-hour fair-style event. Attendees come together to do simple and fun hands-on projects that benefit nonprofit organizations. Want to host a fun fair of your own? Our Family Service Fair Manual with Online Toolkit has everything you need to get started.

 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

April 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

April 2016 Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

 

April 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Sheltering the Unhoused
Winter Faith Collaborative
 
Date/Time: Now through April 2016
 
Location: Multiple churches throughout San Jose
 
The Winter Faith Collaborative is an interfaith movement that was formed to share ideas and advocate for the houseless community. The Collaborative has engaged over 40 faith communities across San Jose with the collective aim to serve and shelter those in the houseless community who are living outdoors this El Nino winter. Your willingness to volunteer at the shelters is critical in this community effort to house the unhoused and save lives this winter. Volunteers are needed to staff the temporary shelters, perform services such as laundry, and provide meals. Each shelter has its own rules for volunteer eligibility, but there are multiple options for serving with children. Volunteer positions for each shelter can be found on the sign up page.
 
Ages: Varies by shelter, check the Volunteer Spot sign up page for details by location.
 
Time Commitment: Varies by position
 
Contact: winterfaithcollaborative@gmail.com or 408.345.5351. Registration is available online.
www.faithcollaborative.wordpress.com/
 
 
Neighborhood Cleanup
Downtown Streets Team
 
Date/Time: Three Saturday mornings each month, 9:30am to noon.
  • First Saturday, Santee Neighborhood
  • Second Saturday, McKinley Neighborhood
  • Third Saturday: Mayfair Neighborhood
Location(s):
  • Santee: Santee Community Center - 1535 Santee Drive, San Jose
  • McKinley: McKinley Community Center - 651 Macredes Avenue, San Jose
  • Mayfair: Mayfair Community Center - 2039 Kammerer Avenue, San Jose
Beautify San Jose's most blighted neighborhoods with homeless Downtown Streets Team Members who are working hard to get housing and employment. The mission of Downtown Streets Team is to eradicate homelessness by empowering homeless individuals to be part of the solution to homelessness. Join your community by beautifying the Santee, McKinley or Mayfair neighborhoods with Downtown Streets Team Members. Not only will you be beautifying one of the most blighted neighborhoods in San Jose, fostering a safe place for people to live and play, you will be volunteering side-by-side with people who are volunteering their way out of homelessness. Feel free to ask them questions and get a new perspective on what it's like to be homeless and living on a low income in Santa Clara County.  
What to wear and bring:
  • Please wear covered shoes, pants, long sleeves and work gloves.
  • Wear sunscreen and bring water to stay hydrated.
  • For safety reasons please do not wear these items: no red or blue, no logos on hats/shirts and no numbers. Blue jeans are okay.
  • All that's left to bring is your "Can-do" attitude and we'll be on our way to making our neighborhoods safer and more beautiful places.  
Ages: Youth under 18 are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Cliff Navales, San Jose Project Manager; cliff@streetsteam.org. Registration is available online
www.streetsteam.org/
 
 
Great American Litter Pick Up
City of San Jose
 
Date/Time: Saturday April 23, 8:30 - 11:30am. Event will occur rain or shine
 
Location: Various neighborhood options in San Jose
 
Celebrate Earth Day by doing your part in keeping San Jose clean and green. Each District in San Jose is hosting its own event - please contract your local District office or check out this flyer for more details! On the day of the event, register at your meeting location and receive litter cleanup supplies. There will be a celebration lunch at noon at your Council District's Event Kickoff Location. Lunch is free for volunteers.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Bernie Rosales, bernie.rosales@sanjoseca.gov, 408.975.7233
www.sanjoseca.gov/

 
Full Circle Farm Education Garden - Sustainable Community Gardens
Full Circle Farm
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm or dark, whichever comes first.
 
Location: Our West Gate at 955 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale

Full Circle Farm's Education Garden is a one-acre patch of green at the west end of the farm. The Education Garden meets several community needs while the production fields are focused on food production. Volunteer garden tasks are different everyday; you might be harvesting, planting, weeding, composting, digging and more. No experience is necessary. All volunteers are encouraged to take home some veggies with them. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

What To Bring/Wear
  • water bottle
  • closed toed shoes
  • sunblock
  • hat
  • snacks and/or a lunch
  • garden gloves (if you have them)
Ages: All ages, families are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Come when you can and leave whenever you need to.
 
Contact: Dan Hafeman, danh@fullcirclesunnyvale.org
www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org

 
 
GRPC River Clean up
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Every third Saturday each month (weather permitting)
 
Location: Meet at 438 Coleman Ave,  San Jose

Alongside the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, take a visit to the Guadalupe River Park, a gem in the heart of downtown San Jose. The Guadalupe River acts as a flood control channel; meaning trash from the streets is often destined to run off into the sewer straight to the river. With Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout, and California Golden Beaver, we cannot afford to allow litter to deplete such critical habitat. Volunteers help collect any loose debris along the riverbank and keep the litter from making it to The Bay.
 
Ages: Volunteers 7 and older are welcome to participate. Volunteers 15 and under must volunteer with responsible and active parents or guardian. Minors are required to bring a completed and signed waiver.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica Gonzalez, Jessica@grpg.org. Registration is required and is available online.
www.grpg.org/
 
 
Beautiful Day Projects
Beautiful Day
 
Date/Time: Weekends throughout the month of April
 
Location: All locations are listed on the Beautiful Day Projects page

Since its inception in 2004, Beautiful Day has sought to invest in communities with simple, direct and unyielding kindness. Each project is an act of no strings attached service for those who are otherwise unable to help themselves. Our goal is to aggressively spread compassion, to discard apathy in favor of activity, and to light fires of good will in the neighborhoods we work and live in. Have a direct effect on our community. Service projects take place at multiple local organizations from San Martin to San Jose. Most projects involve helping beautify and improve local non-profits, city parks or schools.
 
Ages: Many projects are family friendly for those that are between the ages of 5-12 years old, and will be listed in the description. At this time there isn't a way to sign those kids up so please just bring them with you to the project site, with a minor waiver that will be attached in your confirmation email. Childcare is available at Westgate Church for children 6 weeks to 6 years old. Click here  for details about childcare.
 
Time Commitment: Each shift is approximately four hours
 
Contact: info@beautifulday.org
www.beautifulday.org
 
 
Fremont Adult School Campus Cleanup
Hosted by the Fremont Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 
Date/Time: Saturday, April 9, 8:30 - 11:30am
 
Location: 4700 Calaveras Avenue, Fremont

Join members of the community in cleaning and organizing preschool classrooms, prepping and painting building eaves, weeding and cleaning up landscape areas throughout the campus. Helpful skills are weeding and painting. Bring gardening gloves, tools (rakes, shovels, brooms, clippers, hoes, etc.), wheelbarrows and water; wear a hat, long sleeves, long pants, and sunscreen.
 
Ages: All ages are welcome
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Teri Topham, t.topham@comcast.net, 510.299.3644. Sign up is
 
 
Downtown Spring Family Parade
City of Mountain View
 
Date/Time: Saturday, April 23, 9am - noon
 
Location: Castro and Villa streets, Downtown Mountain View

Volunteers are needed to help organize parade participants (time and place); act as block monitors, help pedestrians, and assist others with special needs (i.e., baby strollers, handicapped, etc.). Dress in comfortable clothes; prepare for the sun.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Flexible
 
Contact: Bill Mykytka, 650.903.6331 or Bill.Mykytka@mountainview.gov. Sign up is available online.
www.mountainview.gov
 
 
De Anza Park - Beautify the Park
City of Sunnyvale
 
Date/Time: Saturday, April 30, 9am - noon
 
Location: 1150 Lime Drive, Sunnyvale

Beautify the park through general trimming and cleanup. Tools, water, and gloves will be provided. If you have a pair of gloves you like, please bring them. Dress for regular yard work and bring sun protection.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Matt Ashee, 408.718.2656 or parks@sunnyvale.ca.gov. Sign up is available online
www.sunnyvale.ca.gov
 
 
City of Campbell Litter Pick-Up Event
Campbell City Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department
 
Date/Time: Saturday, April 23, 9am - noon.
 
Location: Los Gatos Creek County Park, 1220 Dell Ave., Campbell. This location is where volunteers will sign-in and be dispersed into groups. Instructions on safety and debris removal will be discussed, and supplies such as gloves, vests and other tools will also be distributed at check-in.

The Great American Litter Pick Up event is a national event wherein volunteers across our nation participate in a volunteer cleanup program. The City of Campbell cleanup will focus on five locations: Los Gatos Creek County Park, the Los Gatos Creek Trail, the freeway on and off ramps at Camden and Highway 17, and along the railroad tracks adjacent to Winchester Boulevard at Hacienda Avenue. Volunteers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the event. Refreshments will be provided in the morning and the event will conclude at noon with a luncheon. This event will take place rain or shine.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Diana Johnson, 408.866.2749, dianaj@cityofcampbell.com. Sign up is available online
www.ci.campbell.ca.us/
 
 
San Jose Family Camp Work Weekend or Fish Camp
Friends of San Jose Family Camp
 
Date/Time: April 15-17 (work weekend) or April 29-May 1 (fish camp). Check in time begins noon Friday (lunch is not served). Dinner is served from 6 to 8pm to accommodate late arrivals. Volunteers work Saturday all day, and Sunday morning. The weekend ends with lunch on Sunday.
 
Location: San Jose's Family Camp is located in the heart of the Sierras near Yosemite National Park, just east of Groveland. The camp address is 11401 Cherry Lake Road, Groveland, CA  Click for directions.

Family Camp at Yosemite provides an all-inclusive camping experience where guests of all ages can fish, hike, swim, participate in organized programs, or just sit back, relax and take it easy. At a Family Camp work weekend you and your family will help prepare the camp for the summer season. There are a variety of jobs to be done at camp, including carpentry, plumbing, clean up, electrical, planting, painting, concrete, and more. Children eight and older will be given a job assignment according to their abilities.

The Friends of San Jose Family Camp is a volunteer organization dedicated to providing and preserving a quality, family oriented Sierra camping experience. You must be a member of the Friends of San Jose Family Camp to participate in work weekends. An annual membership is only $20 per family. The cost to participate in work weekends is $10 per person, age three and older, with a maximum of $40 per family. There is no cost other than a Friends of San Jose Family Camp membership to help out at Fish Camp.
 
Ages: All ages are welcome. Some childcare is available for children under six years old as needed. Children under eight will not be allowed in areas where there are power tools being used.
 
Time Commitment: Full weekend for most dates.
 
Contact: Tom Bonsack, wash2tub@gmail.com, 408.603.5498. Click here for sign-up form. Forms can be sent to Friends of San Jose Family Camp at 21472 Almaden Rd. San Jose, CA 95120.
www.friendsofsanjosefamilycamp.org/wp/
 
 
Relay for Life Events April 2016
American Cancer Society
 
Volunteer opportunities at local Relay for Life events can include, but are not limited to: Luminaria set up, trash pick up, track signs & general signage, set up/tear down, registration, and staffing the Fight Back Tent. The following Relay for Life events are happening in April:
 
Relay For Life of Santa Clara University
Date/Time:
Saturday & Sunday, April 16 - 17. Event runs from 1pm Saturday to 9am Sunday.
Location:
Benson and Kenna Lawns, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
Contact: 
Steve Yodz, Steve.Yodz@cancer.org
www.relayforlife.org/scuca
 
Relay For Life of Cambrian
Date/Time:
Friday & Saturday, April 29 - 30, Event runs from 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday.
Location:
Dartmouth Middle School, 5575 Dartmouth Drive, San Jose
Contact:
Miranda Glaser, Miranda.Glaser@cancer.org
www.RelayForLife.org/cambrianca

Relay For Life of Santa Clara
Date/Time:
Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1. Event starts at 10am Saturday.
Location:
Townsend Field, 111 Bellomy St, Santa Clara
Contact:
Steve Yodz, Steve.Yodz@cancer.org
www.relayforlife.org/santaclaraca

Relay For Life of UC Santa Cruz
Date/Time:
Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1. Event runs from 10am Saturday to 10am Sunday
Location:
Opers Field, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz
Contact:
Leah Arceneaux, Leah.Arceneaux@cancer.org
www.RelayForLife.org/ucsantacruzca

Ages:
There are volunteer opportunities for all ages
 
Time Commitment: Varies depending on event, but Relay For Life is flexible for you!
 www.relayforlife.org
 
 
Seeds for Change
Family-to-Family
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location:  Seeds can be sent to one of the locations on the Family-to-Family Seeds for Change page

You and your family can help a family in need to grow their own food by starting a collection of seed packets. You can raise money through a yard sale or a bake sale and purchase the seeds from your local gardening or hardware store. Visit the Doing Good Together Send Seeds for Change Project page for more ideas and reflection questions.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: kids@family-to-family.org
www.doinggoodtogether.org, www.family-to-family.org
 
 

Have you and your family worked on a Project of the Month from our monthly listings? Please tell us about it using our Good Stories form!  Here's a quote from Noah who participated in the Assemble CWS Kits project:

"I bet in the places the [Syrian] refugees have to stay, they don't have a school, so they need the same things I do like notebooks and pencils."

Noah's mom added: "This was a great project for Noah for two reasons: First, he has been very interested and concerned about the Syrian refugees, so it was nice to have something proactive for him to do; and second, he loves his schooling so much, the idea that refugees would not have the supplies to keep doing their schooling was very upsetting to him. With this project, he was able to help. "
 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

Doing Good Together, 5141 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Sent by mail@doinggoodtogether.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

March 2016 - Silicon Valley Family Volunteer Opportunities

View as a webpage

 

March 2016 - Silicon Valley 

 
Sunday Friends' Programs for Very Low-Income Families
Sunday Friends
 
Date/Time: Sundays: Shifts available between 10:30am and 5:30pm. There are also some after-school shifts on weekdays at the Sunday Friends special "store."
 
Location(s):
  • Santee Elementary, 1313 Audubon Dr., San Jose, on the 1st Sunday of every month
  • Anne Darling Elementary, 333 North 33rd St., San Jose, on the third Sunday of every month
  • Lowell Elementary, 625 South 7th St., San Jose, on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month
  • Sunday Friends special store, 730 Story Rd. Ste. 3, San Jose, open weekdays from 4 to 7pm
Sunday Friends empowers families to break the generational cycle of poverty by fostering positive development in children while educating and guiding parents to support their children's life success. Since 1997, Sunday Friends has been offering day-long programs on Sundays that bring together whole families to work together, learn together, earn together, make spending decisions together and share in the healthy, warm, productive, mutually-supportive community together. Families volunteer together to facilitate service and learning projects, including: craft gift making, healthy food preparation, letter and essay writing, hands-on science projects, math and other learning games, computer education, English as a Second Language classes, reading and book report writing, exercise class, parents' classes and more. Because children and parents earn tickets for their participation, redeemable for basic necessities in our special stores, volunteers might also assist with the banking, store setup or shopping.
 
Ages: Teens, adults, families and groups are all welcome. An adult must accompany children under age 14.
 
Time Commitment: No predetermined number of hours, but if you sign up to come to a program, you are expected to come.
 
Contact: Lilly, lillyp@sundayfriends.org or Vanessa, volunteer@sundayfriends.org, with questions or call 408.217.9587. Volunteers should begin with New Volunteer Registration. Please register to volunteer a couple of weeks in advance of the date
www.SundayFriends.org
 
 
Meal-Serving Program
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
 
Date/Time: Monday - Friday; see location information for times
 
Location(s): 
  • Goodwill Building, 3:30 - 6pm, 1080 N. 7th St., San Jose
  • Eastside Neighborhood Center, 3:45 - 6pm, 2150 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen provides nutritious prepared meals that are delivered and served to disadvantaged individuals with a special concern for families, seniors and the homeless. Volunteers help with meal preparation, dining hall set-up, serving food and drinks, and clean up. Wear comfortable "work" clothes and closed-toed shoes (i.e., jeans, walking shorts, tennis shoes, etc.) Please do not wear sandals, halter or tank tops, short shorts, etc. For those with longer hair, please wear your hair up and off your face.

Ages: Everyone is welcome to volunteer. An adult must accompany children 14 and younger.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Hyru Gau, 408.998.1500 or volunteer@loavesfishes.org. Registration is available online.
www.loavesfishes.org
 
 
GRPC River Clean up
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Every third Saturday each month; weather permitting
 
Location: Meet at 438 Coleman Ave. San Jose

Alongside the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, take a visit to the Guadalupe River Park, a gem in the heart of downtown San Jose. The Guadalupe River acts as a flood control channel; meaning trash from the streets is often destined to run off into the sewer straight to the river. With Chinook Salmon, Steelhead Trout, and California Golden Beaver, we cannot afford to allow litter to deplete such critical habitat. Volunteers help collect any loose debris along the riverbank and keep the litter from making it to The Bay.
 
Ages: Volunteers 7 and older are welcome to participate. Volunteers 15 and under must volunteer with responsible and active parents or guardian. Minors are required to bring a completed and signed waiver.
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica Gonzalez, Jessica@grpg.org. Registration is required and available online
http://www.grpg.org/
 
 
Heritage Rose Garden Volunteer Days
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
 
Date/Time: Every Wednesday and Saturday from 8:30 - 11:30am
 
Location: 412 Seymour Street San Jose, CA

Come support the largest diverse rose garden on the western hemisphere! Despite having over 3,000 varieties of roses, the Heritage Rose Garden is maintained entirely by volunteers. Volunteers may spread wood chips around the drip lines of the roses in order to prevent weeds and improve water retention, deadhead or prune and work on irrigation fixes. In the meantime, don't be afraid to smell the roses! 

Ages: 13+ (minors are required to bring waiver and anyone 15 and under must volunteer with responsible and active parents or guardian)
 
Time Commitment: Three hours
 
Contact: Jessica Gonzalez, Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica@grpg.org. No registration required for groups of three or fewer. For larger groups please call 408.298.7657 to register.
http://www.grpg.org

 
Relay For Life
American Cancer Society
 
Date/Time: Visit the Relay For Life website to find the closest event near you! First events in Silicon Valley begin in April and go through September 2016.
 
Location: Various locations in Silicon Valley

Each year, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer through the Relay For Life movement. You can volunteer at a Relay For Life or sign up to start/join a team to participate in the relay. Volunteer opportunities include, but are not limited to, registration, setup/cleanup, decorating, activities/games, etc.

Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies depending on event
 
Contact: Check website for contact info based on event location
www.RelayForLife.org
 
 
Host a 'Shoe Cutting Party' or Hold a Collection Drive
Sole Hope
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Shoes and donations can be mailed to 605 East Innes St. #3263,
Salisbury, NC 28145

Sole Hope is an organization working to create a positive difference in the lives of individuals in impoverished communities of Uganda to combat diseases that enter through the feet. Jiggers are small sand fleas that live in the dust, and are found on the dirt floors in schools and the homes of many families in Uganda and other similar climates. Female jiggers can burrow into the skin and these wounds are painful, and cause difficulties for victims in daily activities such as walking, playing, and attending school. In addition to shoe making events and collections, Sole Hope holds medical clinics, and provides education and jobs for the beautiful souls of Uganda. Volunteers can help by holding a Shoe Cutting Party or by Coordinating a Collection Drive. If you're holding a shoe cutting party, start by deciding approximately how many people you're going to invite. You can then purchase the corresponding shoe cutting kit from their website. Kits come with an instructional DVD, pictures, shoe sponsorship cards, bookmarks, stickers, a pattern, and much more! You can hold a collection for simple items to help with jigger removals and to assist the Outreach House in Africa. Sole Hope will ensure they go with the next bunch of shoe uppers and medical supplies to Uganda.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies
 
Contact: info@solehope.org
www.solehope.org
 
 
Veggielution's Youth Garden
Veggielution Community Farm
 
Date/Time: Every Saturday 10am - 12:30pm
 
Location: 647 S. King Road, San Jose; located in the back of Emma Prusch Park

Come join Veggielution farms for weekly Youth Garden Activities. Every Saturday the whole family can enjoy gardening, crafting, and learning together in the Youth Garden. Participating in our Youth Garden activities is a great way to spend time with your children while exploring the garden, learning about healthy lifestyle choices, and discovering the exciting processes of the natural world - not to mention making new friends. This is a unique opportunity to get your hands dirty and become better stewards of the environment as a family. Veggielution volunteer activities encourage exploration and play-based learning for the whole family.

Ages: Families with children ages three and up are welcome to volunteer.
 
Time Commitment: Two and one-half hours
 
Contact: Jennifer Aguilar, jena@veggielution.org or Dana Shinners, danas@veggielution.org
www.veggielution.org/youth-garden
 
 
Full Circle Farm Education Garden - Sustainable Community Gardens
Full Circle Farm
 
Date/Time: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm or dark, whichever comes first.
 
Location: Our West Gate at 955 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale

Full Circle Farm's Education Garden is a one-acre patch of green at the west end of the farm. The Education Garden meets several community needs while the production fields are focused on food production. Volunteer garden tasks are different everyday - you might be harvesting, planting, weeding, composting, digging and more. No experience is necessary. All volunteers are encouraged to take home some veggies with them. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

What To Bring/Wear:
  • water bottle
  • closed toed shoes
  • sunblock
  • hat
  • snacks and/or a lunch
  • garden gloves (if you have them)
Ages: All ages, families are welcome to volunteer
 
Time Commitment: Come when you can and leave whenever you need to
 
Contact: Dan Hafeman, danh@fullcirclesunnyvale.org
www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org
 
 
Sheltering the Unhoused
Winter Faith Collaborative
 
Date/Time: Now through the end of March
 
Location: Multiple churches throughout San Jose
 
The Winter Faith Collaborative is an interfaith movement that was formed to share ideas and advocate for the houseless community. The Collaborative has engaged over 40 faith communities across San Jose with the collective aim to serve and shelter those in the houseless community who are living outdoors this El Nino winter. Your willingness to volunteer at the shelters is critical in this community effort to house the unhoused and save lives this winter. Volunteers are needed to staff the temporary shelters, perform services such as laundry, and provide meals. Each shelter has its own rules for volunteer eligibility, but there are multiple options for serving with children. Volunteer opportunities at each shelter can be found on the sign up page.
 
Ages: Varies by shelter, check the Volunteer Spot sign up page for details by location
 
Time Commitment: Varies, depending on opportunity
 
Contact: winterfaithcollaborative@gmail.com or 408.345.5351. Registration is available online
https://faithcollaborative.wordpress.com/
 
 
Birthday Giving Project  
Family-To-Family
 
Date/Time: Flexible
 
Location: Contact birthdays@family-to-family.org to ask for the name of a shelter or pantry where you can deliver the birthday boxes or call your local food pantry to ask if they accept birthday in a box donations
 
It's hard for many of us - adults or children - to imagine celebrating a child's birthday without a party or presents. Family-to Family's Birthday Giving Project is designed to help families by providing a small "party in a box" for a child in need, and at the same time gives children with "more" the opportunity to learn empathy in a concrete way by helping another child. You and your children can decorate and fill shoeboxes with everything needed for a small birthday party. Each box goes to a different child. If you are making a lot of boxes, please make them for different ages!

Directions:
  • Pick an age (or ages), and choose either boy(s) or girl(s) to send your box to.
  • Find a large sneaker-sized shoebox or party bag and buy the things needed for a party.
Include: 
  • Box of cake mix and a can of frosting
  • Birthday candles (no matches please!)
  • Wall decoration (like streamers, or a happy birthday banner)
  • New or gently used children's book
  • Small $5-$10 gift appropriate to the age and gender of child.
  • Optional: goody bag filled with small surprises
Then:
  • Wrap the book and the gift in birthday paper.
  • Wrap the top and bottom of the shoebox separately (so that even wrapped, the box can be opened), and fill the wrapped box with the birthday items.
  • If you want to give your recipient a chance to write you back, include a stamped postcard with your name, c/o Family to Family, P.O. Box 255, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, 10706. Then email kids@family-to-family.org, put "birthday postcards" in the subject line, say you may get a return postcard, and provide your name and address.
  • You can also make a birthday card to put inside the box. Then tie the box closed with ribbon, and label it with the age and "boy" or "girl". (For example, you might write "6-7 year old boy" or "10-11 year old girl".)
  • Ship or deliver the box(es) you've assembled
Visit the Doing Good Together Birthday Giving Project page for more ideas and reflection questions.
 
Ages: Everyone can participate
 
Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: mail@doinggoodtogether.org or birthdays@family-to-family.org 
 
DGT FAMILY SERVICE FAIR MANUAL WITH ONLINE TOOLKIT

We've got a great way for you to help your organization help others!
Doing Good Together Family Service Fairs allow groups of all ages to serve others in a two-hour fair-style event. Attendees come together to do simple and fun hands-on projects that benefit non-profit organizations. Want to host a fun fair of your own? Our DGT Family Service Fair Manual with Online Toolkit has all you need to get started.

 

 

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This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org)
 When calling to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together.™ Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations. 
                                                                            

                                                                                                     © 2016 Doing Good Together™

                                                                                    

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