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County Highlights Employees Who Give Back
Overtimes, the newsletter and blog for Montgomery County employees, featured an article on full-time county workers who find time to volunteer for local organizations and programs, including Friends of the Library, Shepherd's Table, and the RSVP/AARP Tax Aide program. As Bonnie Ayers, one of the highlighted employees, puts it, "Volunteering is one of the most worthwhile things you can do for your community as a whole and for various specific segments of the populations."
Read the whole story here.
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Community Walks Benefit the County's Homeless
 Consider hosting a fundraising walk with your colleagues, congregation, community, and family and friends to benefit Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, a local nonprofit that serves more than 1,400 men, women, and children through permanent supportive housing programs and emergency shelter programs.
These walks are a simple way to help increase awareness of the issue of homelessness while raising critical funds that directly impact homeless and formerly homeless individuals and families.
Learn how to get started here.
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Hospice Caring
Hospice Caring Inc. is offering three-day training programs for those interested in volunteering as hospice caregivers and bereavement facilitators. Sessions will be held in Gaithersburg, Sept. 15-17 and Nov. 17-19, 8:30 am-4 pm each day.
Training will cover topics such as communication and active listening, understanding grief, cultural competency, and self-care. Trained Hospice Caring volunteers provide companionship, home assistance and transportation, adult bereavement support group facilitation, school-based Good Grief Clubs oversight, and health class facilitation.
To register, email Penny Gladhill or call 301-990-8904. Visit the Hospice Caring website for more information. |
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Make a Difference
Make a Difference is a County Cable Montgomery Program highlighting the contributions of volunteers and organizations that contribute positively to our county.
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Subscribe to Our Partner Newsletters
The Montgomery County Volunteer Center is part of the Office of Community Partnerships, which works to strengthen the relationship between the Montgomery County government and the residents it serves, with special emphasis on underserved and emerging communities.
Follow these links to subscribe to our other partner agencies' electronic publications:
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 Help Our Area's Students: Be a Mentor or Tutor
Youth across our county and region are heading back to school, and a wide range of agencies that serve them are looking for volunteers to help with education-related opportunities. Follow the links to see all that come up with keywords like "tutor" and "mentor" on our website.
Here is a sampling of just a few of the great organizations that need your help:
Saturday School: Tutor students grades 1-12 at public schools across the county, providing academic and motivational support. RICA: Tutors and mentors needed for children and teens in residential treatment program. Must be available to meet at least one weekday hour per week between 3:30 and 5:30 pm. OASIS: Intergenerational program matches senior volunteers with students in grades K-4 for tutoring/mentoring in reading and language skills, confidence, and self-esteem. Training provided.
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Get Ready for Community Service Week, Oct. 16-25
Save the date! Montgomery County's annual Community Service Week will take place Oct. 16-25, 2015. In recognition of this special week (plus!) of service, the Volunteer Center is compiling a list of community service opportunities available across the county. Visit our Community Service Week page for a list of volunteer projects, which will be posted beginning in mid-September.
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National Capital Trolley Museum
The National Capital Trolley Museum (NCTM), located in Colesville, teaches the public about the history of the electric street railways in the national capital region, bringing the sights and sounds of the trolley era to visitors of all ages. Visitors experience early 20th century transit by riding two miles aboard a Washington street car, an American trolley, or a European tram. The museum also includes interactive exhibits and tours of the street car hall.
This year, NCTM is celebrating its 50th anniversary, which is highlighted in the video, "50 Years and Counting."
The museum needs docents to lead tours and interpret the museum exhibits for visitors. (Docents may eventually become volunteer streetcar operators for the museum.) NCTM also needs project assistants to maintain the collections and facilities and car shop volunteers to work in the restoration shop. Student Service Learning (SSL) hours are available; the minimum age for volunteers is 14.
One of the benefits of volunteering at the museum is that volunteers ride the trolleys for free! The museum's annual volunteer breakfast also recognizes and celebrates the volunteer efforts that keep the museum alive.
Thomas Petersen, a shop crew volunteer at NCTM since 2012, calls the museum "a great place" to volunteer. He helps with everything from track work to streetcar restorations and says he "highly recommends" the museum for anyone interested in streetcars and/or trains. "Great facilities, great staff, and great experience," he says. "The best, most interesting place one could possibly volunteer!"
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FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Help Victims of Sexual Assault
Montgomery County's Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP) part of the Department of Health and Human Services--is recruiting outreach volunteers to provide crisis counseling for victims of rape and sexual assault and their families as well as to accompany them to local hospitals or police stations. Bilingual volunteers are particularly needed.
All volunteers must attend a training program, which covers crisis intervention and specialized emotional, medical, and legal issues. The agency is now conducting interviews with potential volunteers for a training session in September.
VASAP outreach volunteers must commit to serve for one year, in an on-call capacity, for one 12-hour shift or two six-hour shifts per week. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old, a Montgomery County resident, have a valid driver's license, and have immediate access to transportation.
Call 240-777-1355 or visit the VASAP website to learn more or arrange an interview.
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Interages Center Connects Generations; Learn How at Volunteer Open House
 Are you age 50+ and interested in inspiring students to succeed by sharing your experience and knowledge? Then check out the Heyman Interages Center's volunteer open house, Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Jewish Council for the Aging, 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville. Drop by anytime between 10 am and 2 pm to learn about opportunities for the coming school year. Interages also recruits youth for its advisory board. Read about Interages' volunteer needs for people of all ages here. Interages is a program of JCA, which serves people of all faiths and ethnicities. For more information, email Leah Bradley or call her at 301-949-3551.
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New School Year -- Time to Volunteer!
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Below are just a few of the opportunities listed on the Volunteer Center's website. Check our Calendar of Events for more date-specific opportunities, and use the red box on our home page to search for more ongoing opportunities.
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Denotes opportunities that are approved to provide MCPS Student Service Learning (SSL) hours.
Many are still great opportunities for adults too!
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OPPORTUNITIES IN SEPTEMBER
 Horse Competition Trials: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 5-6, 7:30 am-5 pm, Poolesville. The Seneca Valley Pony Club needs score runners, parking attendants, gate keepers, and other volunteers to assist with a horse competition. Positions available for those with no experience as well as horse enthusiasts. Email Leslie Case or call 240-912-6101.
Aquatic Garden Park Improvement: Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 am-noon, Washington. Assist with the removal of cut lotus at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens' ponds. Or work on a variety of other park improvement projects, including transplanting perennials, removing invasive species, and picking up litter. Minimum age: volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Email Tina O'Connell or call 202-494-0456.
 Play Day: Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 am-4 pm, Takoma Park. Assist with different types of recreational games and activities at this annual event run by the City of Takoma Park. Minimum age: 12. Call 301-891-7290.
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ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES
Nature Ambassadors: This elite corps of teen volunteers supports weekend special events at Montgomery Parks' four nature centers and Brookside Gardens between September 2015 and May 2016, working on activities such as leading groups of children on a leaf scavenger hunt, showing visitors how to make apple cider with a cider press, introducing visitors to monarch caterpillars, assisting with bat crafts, and helping kids and their parents understand the process of turning maple sap into syrup. Volunteers work directly with a professional naturalist or horticulturist, and gain real skill and experience in the natural sciences. Requirements: Attend a full-day training session on Saturday, Sept. 12 (additional training opportunities will be available throughout the year), and commit to nine one-day weekend events during the year. Minimum age: 14. Email Jodi Bucknam or call 301-962-1429.
Thrift Shop Help: The Montgomery County Thrift Shop in Bethesda needs volunteers the second Thursday of each month, 1-4 pm, to greet donors, accept donations, sort and price them, distribute merchandise throughout the store, and run the cash register. Other shifts may also be available. Requirements: Serve at least one four-hour shift monthly. Minimum age: 16. Email Judy Carver or call 301-654-0063.
Skate Park Volunteers: The City of Gaithersburg's Skate Park needs two types of volunteers: Attendants supervise skaters, assist with maintenance of the facility, greet customers, organize supplies and equipment, and help with program activities. Skateboard instructors coach, mentor, and provide guidance to program participants to help them build confidence in their skating ability. Minimum age: 14. Email Rachel Tailby or call 301-258-6350.
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