MLK Event Staff Needed on January 16 - Are you interested in being Event Staff for Montgomery County's MLK Day of Service?  We need your help in all areas -- including set up and tear down, working at the registration table, leading project tables, and answering participants' questions. Training provided.

• Event Staff volunteers are still needed at the Marriott from 11:30am - 4pm.
• Event Staff volunteers are  still needed at The Universities of Shady Grove from 8am - 1pm

To join the Event Staff for either location, click here to sign up.

Since 1982 Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County Maryland, Inc. (HFH-MC) has been building homes and changing lives in Montgomery County.  Through a unique partnership model, HFH-MC builds, rehabilitates or weatherizes homes for families in need of simple, decent and affordable housing solutions in our community. 

HFH-MC relies on volunteer support to make the dream of sustainable affordable housing a reality. Volunteers provide basic labor on HFH-MC construction sites, serve on organizational support committees and staff Habitat ReStore - a retail outlet whose profits support home building. Volunteers have the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, build new skills, and improve existing ones all while supporting an important mission. 

HFH-MC is excited to announce their newest project- Maple Hill- a 19 townhome community that will be located in Gaithersburg. Construction will begin this spring.  Now is an excellent time to become a HFH-MC volunteer, and there are many ways to get involved:

• ReStore: HFH-MC is going green!  ReStore provides a valuable community resource by diverting thousands of tons of reusable materials from area landfills each year and reintroducing them to the marketplace to find a new use.  ReStore is open to the public for shopping, donating and volunteering. 

• Committees: Volunteer for the CAUSE not just the DAY.  Volunteers can put their specialized skills to work while making a lasting impact on a mission they care about. HFH-MC's working and advisory committees support the daily operations of the organization and move the mission forward!  Volunteers will engage directly with other like-minded individuals and build their personal and professional networks.  Opportunities include family services; special events; fundraising; financial management; faith outreach;  ReStore marketing and operations; advocacy and board of directors.  

• Construction: At the construction site, HFH-MC builds build more than a home; they build community, foster understanding, encourage cooperation and bring diverse populations together to work towards a common goal.  Volunteers will work with each other, HFH-MC crew leaders and often the future homeowner to accomplish a tangible goal while working to improve their community.  

• Tell Someone!  HFH-MC is hosting information sessions in January and February 2012 for those interested in learning more about how to purchase one of 19 affordable townhomes in Gaithersburg, Maryland through Habitat's zero interest loan program.  Many employers in Montgomery County have employees on staff that fit HFH-MC's income requirements; household incomes ranging from $30,000 to $70,000 (based upon household size) may be eligible.  Current homeowners may also be eligible for FREE weatherization services.

For more information, or to sign up for a volunteer orientation, visit www.habitat-mc.org. For more information on how affordable housing affects you, visit  www.yimbymoco.org.   

One-Time Volunteer Opportunities 

Check the January calendar for the latest opportunities.

Denotes opportunities that are approved to provide 

MCPS Student Service Learning (SSL) Hours

January 7 & 14 - Help Pack Books.  The Baltimore Washington Center For Psychoanalysis is moving to a new suite at their current address (14900 Sweitzer Lane, Suite 102, Laurel, MD 20707). We need three or four volunteers to help us pack books as we remove them from bookshelves in preparation for our move later in January. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 and Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days. Pizza for lunch! Volunteers must be able to read English, as the book titles are in English. Must be able to move small boxes (copier paper sized boxes) of books around a large room to keep boxes organized.

January 16 -  Write Letters to Service Personnel.  Brighten up the day of a military service member stationed overseas. They are looking for a letter that reminds them of the good ol' USA. We'll provide the paper and even a sample. We just need your creativity. Service personnel will welcome your letter-and you will brighten up the day of someone who is serving the USA far away from home.

January 16  - Rock Creek Conservancy is hosting the following events at various locations:

• Save Trees along Rock Creek Parkway
  Join NPS Park Rangers and weed warriors in cutting invasive English ivy on "Shoreham Hill" along Rock Creek Parkway. Training and tools will be provided. Dress warmly in layers with hat and gloves. Help free the trees from the chokehold of thick arborized vines. You must be 16 or older to handle sharp tools and saws.  
• Clean Up South Mill Creek in Derwood Come out to help clean up Mill Creek on Martin Luther King Day in the Derwood/Redland area near Rock Creek Regional Park and Lake Needwood. Dress warmly and be prepared for light manual labor. Gloves and  bags will be provided. Event will go on as scheduled barring inclement weather. There is parking on the street. Hot chocolate Provided.  All ages and abilities welcome. Great for groups! 
• Turkey Branch South Cleanup in Aspen Hill/Wheaton    Help clean trash in Matthew Henson Park off Viers Mill Rd. in the Aspen Hill/Wheaton area. We will work from 10am to 1pm, gloves and bags provided. Meet at the intersection of Turkey Branch Parkway and Adrian Street where Hot chocolate will be served. All ages and abilities welcome. Great for groups!

Contact Braeden Bumpers at 202-557-9914 about any of these opportunities. 

Search for more volunteer opportunities here!

Conservation Montgomery is a countywide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on making the connection between natural resource protection and community quality of life. We need an experienced volunteer grant proposal writer. We have an account with Maryland Grants Watch and need a writer to draft an occasional response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for our organization. We are seeking funding for county tree planting projects and other good environmental works. Contact Caren Madsen, Board President at 301- 587-8128. Visit the website at http://www.conservationmontgomery.org/  

Compassion Over Killing  - As an office assistant, you will prepare important mailings such as materials for activists nationwide to use at special events and informational brochures and vegetarian starter guides requested online. Depending on organization needs, special events, and/or the candidate's abilities and interests, light research, office organization, assistance at outreach events at local venues, or other important office administrative and operations tasks may be involved. It is highly recommended that volunteers be interested in vegetarianism or veganism, though adherence to either diet is not required. Contact Sean Conner, Office Manager at 301-891-2458. Visit the website at http://www.cok.net/