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Volunteer Opportunities The Volunteer Pool of Highland Park has divided service options into nine categories of need: Art, Education, Community, Health, Homeless, Nature, Seniors, Special Needs, and Youth. Some agencies are listed under more than one category. Most of the opportunities listed on this web site are in Highland Park and the surrounding communities. You will find some listings for programs and organizations that are further away. This happens when the particular program or service in not offered by an agency in the local area. Art: Under this category you will find opportunities to work in the community doing projects that relate to the arts. You may find yourself working with any number of different populations and this category often leads to many unusual opportunities. Education: Here you will find opportunities to serve Highland Park through its schools. You may be in the classroom or working behind the scenes, tutoring, or helping with a special event. There are even requests for help with projects in administration. Community: If you are interested in getting involved in local government or commerce, you may find a good match here. Health: This category covers both mental and physical health issues. There are many support opportunities that can be very fulfilling. Other possibilities include helping in hospitals, distributing literature, and fundraising. Homeless and Hardship: This group includes not only the “homeless,” but also people who are displaces from their homes through economic hardship or risk of personal abuse. In this category you will also find opportunities to help people who have shelter, but lack basic essentials for daily life, such as food and adequate clothing. Nature: This category covers both animals and the environment. There are many opportunities for education in this category as well as some hands on service projects that can really impact the community. Seniors: Here you will find traditional nursing home volunteer opportunities as well as requests for visiting those who are homebound, delivering meals, working at the Senior Center, and more. Special Needs: Individuals and groups of all ages and ranges of physical and cognitive disabilities are served under this category. There are opportunities to serve in structured programs that are as varied and as interesting as the individuals they serve. Youth: All issues dealing with youth, family, and general wellness are addressed under this category. You will find opportunities to tutor, mentor, and serve in a number of inspiring ways. Steps To A Successful Volunteer Experience:
Institute for Therapy Through the Arts 300 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL 60093 www.musicinst.org Ted Rubenstein rubenstein@musicinst.org Activities include art therapy, dance therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and family therapy. Highland Park / Highwood Home Child Care Association P.O. Box 37, Highland Park, IL 60035 847-609-2956 Jane Talesnick 847-604-2956 levenadi@aol.com The Highland Park / Homewood Home Child Care Association provides resources and referrals for in home child care services. They are looking for volunteers to help parents find home child care and to answer questions about early childhood development. They also need donations of professional literature to use in their lending library and donations of toys and books to share with home child care locations. OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring The OASIS Interjectional Tutoring program places volunteers in the schools to tutor students in North Shore School District 112 during the school day. Tutors work one-on-one with the same student for the entire school year, assisting the child in reading, writing and language skills. Due to the time commitment required, the program is not for people who take extended vacations during the winter months. OASIS also coordinates volunteers for an Internet Mentoring Program, which involves sending a weekly email to a 5th grade student. This opportunity requires only 15 minutes of time per week and is ideal for email-savvy volunteers who have access to a computer. Participants may be snowbirds or homebound. OASIS, a national non-profit organization for people 50 years old and over, is dedicated to education, wellness and volunteerism. The OASIS tutoring program has thousands of participants each year volunteering in 25 cities across the United States. Career Resource Center (CRC) 40 E. Old Mill Road, #105, Lake Forest, IL 60045 847-295-5626 www.careerresourcescenter.org Jan Cline Leahy 847-295-5626 info@careerresourcecenter.org The Career Resource Center provides professional assistance to individuals in employment transition. CRC energizes and empowers clients by offering education, training, and mentoring in a supportive environment. Client Relations Representative – For this volunteer opportunity, all you need is a welcoming smile and a genuine interst in people. As the first contact for all visitors, you will interact with a diverse group of talented professionals, providing the “human touch.” You will also answer the phone, schedule appointments, and perform a few office tasks. Client Relations Representatives volunteer one half day a week either in the morning or the afternoon or on Tuesday evenings. Database Specialist – CRC is looking for help managing their relational Access database of clients, donors, volunteers, and employers. You’ll need experience to fill this volunteer position. Can you build reports? Conduct queries? Troubleshoot? Hours are flexible, approximately 3 hours twice a month. This is a great opportunity to enhance your resume while helping others. CRC is also interested in working with a volunteer who has experience in grant writing and fundraising. CRC provides clients with several presentations and workshops each month. Dynamic volunteer speakers and presenters on topics related to employment, personal development, emotional growth, and job search are welcome. City Commission The City of Highland Park is always in need of the talents and abilities of passionate citizens who are willing to devote their time to serve on City Boards and Commissions. Residents interested in applying for a City Board or Commission volunteer position should complete a New Commissioner Application and send it, along with a letter and their resume, to the Mayor of Highland Park. To obtain an application or a list of commissions, contact DeVona Gaynor at 847-926-1008. Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. Prairie State Legal Services is the civil legal aid program for Lake County. They provide free legal help to low-income, disabled, and elderly persons with problems such as evictions, foreclosures, domestic vilence, disability claims, Medicaid denials, and consumer issues. They are looking for retired and practicing attorneys and paralegals who are able to volunteer on a regular basis. Those who devote two or three days per week work out best as they function as regular staff members and handle their own caseloads. They are also looking for a volunteer librarian to work a few hours a month. College graduates who can commit to at least a half day each week and who are comfortable using a computer may be interested in volunteering to pre-screen applicants for the telephone advice service. Other needs include volunteers to help with filling, handling mail, and fundraising. Volunteers who speak Spanish or Russian are especially helpful. American Cancer Society 100 Tri-State International, #125, Lincolnshire, IL 60069 847-317-0025 www.cancer.org Ashley Harlow 847-317-0025, ext. 220 Ashley.Harlow@cancer.org The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. The American Cancer Society offers many interesting opportunites for volunteers. They use volunteer cosmotoligists for a program called “Look Good… Feel Better” during which those undergoing cancer treatment are treated to free sessions to learn how to cope with skin changes and hair loss using cosmetics and skin care products donated by the cosmetic industry. They are always looking for drivers to help with a program called “Road to Recovery.” Here volunteers drive cancer patients to treatment giving them support when family members are working or otherwise unavailiable for transportation. The American Cancer Society also looks for cancer survivors to talk with and mentor those just beginning treatment. In addition to these ongoing programs, the American Cancer Society has special events that may be of interest to volunteers. August 27 and 28, 2006 will be the annual Relay for Life. At this event, teams of 10 keep one member walking around the track all night long to remind everyone that cancer never stops. In October you can join a one-day walk, Making Strides for Breast Cancer. Every March the American Cancer Society sponsors Flowers for Hope, a program that donates daffodils to cancer patients. The American Cancer Society is also always looking for volunteers to help staff booths and hand out information at area health fairs and to help with office work in the Lincolnshire office. Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV) BEHIV provides information, support, resources, and hope to those living with HIV, and to their loved ones. Our professional and caring staff provides comprehensive and confidential services and educational programs. Our Prevention department provides information about HIV disease, transmission, prevention, and free anonymous testing. The services we offer help maintain the health and dignity of our clients and also help to educate others. BEHIV serves Northern Chicago and Northern Cook County with offices in Evanston and the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park. Since its inception, BEHIV has been an agency that relies on volunteers for survival. In a city as large as Chicago, BEHIV has remained a small grassroots agency that is closely connected with the surrounding community. Our volunteers are crucial to this involvement, assisting in all areas in the agency. Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we are able to provide the best care to our clients and focus on successfully fulfilling our mission. Help is needed in all areas of the agency. Whether the task is small (for example, answering phones or stuffing envelopes) or large (like helping a client move or caring for an ill client’s pet), it is equally important. Often it is the task that seems to be the smallest that helps us out the most. ENH Hospice Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Hospice’s Award Winning Volunteer Program offers a number of volunteer opportunites for compassionate people. You may assist terminally-ill patients and their families with companionship, relief for caregivers, running errands, transportation, and office tasks. The Hospice program provides training for their volunteers and asks for a commitment of 3 – 4 hours each week. The Josselyn Center The Josselyn Center is a community mental health agency providing a wide range of services. Currently they are looking for volunteers to help with their Young Adult Program. (YAP) YAP is a social group for young adults with various physical challenges. Volunteer work includes: planning activities, helping participants engage in weekly socialization and independent living skills exercises, helping member get in and out of the van. YAP typically meet son Tuesday nights from 6 – 9 in Glencoe. There are also occasional weekend activities. The Josselyn Center also needs volunteers to help with mailings and assist at events. Mental Health Association of the North Shore The Mental Health Association of the North Shore works to education youth and adults about mental health and social-emotional learning and help dispel the stigma around seeking help. They can use volunteers to help with mailings and other office work as well as staff booths and displays at community events. The Mental Health Association of the North Shore is also interested in speakers to topics relating to their organization. National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders (ANAD) The National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders is looking for volunteers to help with a wide variety of projects. ANAD assists tens of thousands of people each year. One way is through their national hotline. Individuals interested in volunteering to answer the hotline calls will receive special training. ANAD also needs a Web Master to help with website updates and start a chat room. They have many opportunities for volunteers interested in doing office work or research. Volunteer positions are available 9 – 5, Monday – Friday in the ANAD office and there are some volunteer projects that can be done away from the office. Career Resource Center (CRC) 40 E. Old Mill Road, #105, Lake Forest, IL 60045 847-295-5626 www.careerresourcescenter.org Jan Cline Leahy 847-295-5626 info@careerresourcecenter.org The Career Resource Center provides professional assistance to individuals in employment transition. CRC energizes and empowers clients by offering education, training, and mentoring in a supportive environment. Client Relations Representative – For this volunteer opportunity, all you need is a welcoming smile and a genuine interst in people. As the first contact for all visitors, you will interact with a diverse group of talented professionals, providing the “human touch.” You will also answer the phone, schedule appointments, and perform a few office tasks. Client Relations Representatives volunteer one half day a week either in the morning or the afternoon or on Tuesday evenings. Database Specialist – CRC is looking for help managing their relational Access database of clients, donors, volunteers, and employers. You’ll need experience to fill this volunteer position. Can you build reports? Conduct queries? Troubleshoot? Hours are flexible, approximately 3 hours twice a month. This is a great opportunity to enhance your resume while helping others. CRC is also interested in working with a volunteer who has experience in grant writing and fundraising. CRC provides clients with several presentations and workshops each month. Dynamic volunteer speakers and presenters on topics related to employment, personal development, emotional growth, and job search are welcome. Moraine Township Moraine Township offers a wide variety of general assistance including a food pantry, clothing closet, and assessors office. Volunteers are needed to help sort and organize food and clothing donations every week. There are also opportunities to deliver food baskets to seniors and to drive seniors to appointments. Park District of Highland Park / Natural Areas 1801 Sunset Road, Highland Park, IL 60035 847-681-2189 www.pdhp.org Rebecca Grill 847-681-2189 rgrill@pdhp.org The Park District of Highland Park has several volunteer opportunites in connection to it’s Natural Areas. These are opportunites for individuals, families, and groups to work hands on in prairie and woodland areas. Projects are typically the 2nd and 4th Friday of the mnthf rom 9 – noon and the 3rd Saturday of the month from 10 – noon. The Park District is also looking to specially train interested adults to work on a project as Plants of Concern Monitors. No experience is necessary for this assignment, but volunteers will be required to attend a free training session on April 30th at the Botanic Garden. A Refuge for Saving the Wildlife, Inc. Refuge for Saving the Wildlife is a not-for-profit parrot rescue, rehabilitation, education, adoption, and no-kill shelter facility. Activities include education of the public about parrots, rescue of abandoned/neglected/abused parrots, rehabilitation of parrots, and sanctuary for parrots. They also do raptor rehabilitation and related education. Volunteers are needed in the following areas: Architect, refuge help, newsletter, CPA, pet taxi, carpenter, plumber, builder, and general contractor. Items needed: Flat sheets, paper towels, 24”x30” lined freezer/butcher paper, HP paper and printer cartridges, Xerox dry ink, stamps, #10 envelopes. Brandel Care Center / Axelon manor at Covenant Village of Northbrook 2155 Pfingston Road, Northbrook, IL 60062 847-480-6350 Laverne Hofbauer 847-480-6350 imhofbauer@covenantretirement.org An accredited not-for-profit continuing care retirement community, Covenant Village of Northbrook has provided a variety of services to area seniors for more than forty years. The distinguishing characteristic of a continuing care residential community is a commitment to lifetime care. Covenant Village of Northbrook is one of a network of 15 communities administered by Covenant Retirement Communities, Inc. on behalf of the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church. Through this affiliation, Covenant Village continues a more than 118-year tradition of meeting the retirement needs of seniors as a ministry, not merely as a job or business. Covenant Village provides a retirement lifestyle that is in harmony with Christina tradition, no matter what your religious affiliation or heritage. Residents are offered a choice of social, cultural, and spiritual activities, both on and off campus, consistent with our mission of assisting them to achieve their maximum physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Volunteer are needed to sort and distribute mail, transport residents to therapy and beauty shop, do manicures, provide escort to doctor’s appointments, visiting, reading, musical programs, pet therapy, adopted grandparent program, and more. Moraine Township Moraine Township offers a wide variety of general assistance including a food pantry, clothing closet, and assessors office. Volunteers are needed to help sort and organize food and clothing donations every week. There are also opportunities to deliver food baskets to seniors and to drive seniors to appointments. Adult Community Transition Program (ACT) 1910 First Street, #307, Highland Park, IL 60035 847-266-0052 www.anixter.org Lauren Johnson 847-266-0052 ljohnson@anixter.org The Adult Community Transitions Program focuses it’s efforts on supporting young adults with developmental disabilities in their efforts to be independent and to contribute meaningfully to their community. ACT offers participants experiences that enhance social relationships, personal growth, self-sufficiency, employment, and volunteer opportunities. ACT is looking for volunteers to speak to participants about life skills and employment. They are also interested in volunteers that can offer tours, demonstrations, or teach tasks. Another need is for volunteer opportunites for ACT participants. Many are interested in making a difference in the community. Participants have a variety of skill levels and would be accompanied by staff when necessacary. Perhaps you would like to provide an opportunity for a volunteer or even for employment. The Josselyn Center The Josselyn Center is a community mental health agency providing a wide range of services. Currently they are looking for volunteers to help with their Young Adult Program. (YAP) YAP is a social group for young adults with various physical challenges. Volunteer work includes: planning activities, helping participants engage in weekly socialization and independent living skills exercises, helping member get in and out of the van. YAP typically meet son Tuesday nights from 6 – 9 in Glencoe. There are also occasional weekend activities. The Josselyn Center also needs volunteers to help with mailings and assist at events. Lambs Farm Lambs Farm offers a full range of residential, vocational, social, and recreational services to adults with mild to moderate developmental disabilities. Lambs Farm is looking for volunteers to provide administrative help, gardening, work in the thrift shop of the restaurant, or help with special events. American Indian Center, Inc. (AIC) 1630 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago, IL 60640 773-275-5871 www.aic-chicago.org Nizhoni Hodge 773-275-5871 Aic50@aic-chicago.org The American Indian Center serves at the main community center for Native Americans in the Chicago area. The organization strives to address community needs educationally, culturally, and economically, and the overall well-being of community members. The AIC hosts many activities throughout the year including the annual Chicago Powwow in November. AIC offers volunteer opportunites year round in it’s after school program, maintenance, food pantry, and administrative offices. They also need volunteers to help with the annual Powwow and other special events. Highland Park / Highwood Home Child Care Association The Highland Park / Homewood Home Child Care Association provides resources and referrals for in home child care services. They are looking for volunteers to help parents find home child care and to answer questions about early childhood development. They also need donations of professional literature to use in their lending library and donations of toys and books to share with home child care locations. OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring The OASIS Interjectional Tutoring program places volunteers in the schools to tutor students in North Shore School District 112 during the school day. Tutors work one-on-one with the same student for the entire school year, assisting the child in reading, writing and language skills. Due to the time commitment required, the program is not for people who take extended vacations during the winter months. OASIS also coordinates volunteers for an Internet Mentoring Program, which involves sending a weekly email to a 5th grade student. This opportunity requires only 15 minutes of time per week and is ideal for email-savvy volunteers who have access to a computer. Participants may be snowbirds or homebound. OASIS, a national non-profit organization for people 50 years old and over, is dedicated to education, wellness and volunteerism. The OASIS tutoring program has thousands of participants each year volunteering in 25 cities across the United States.
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