Current Service Opportunities

Looking for opportunities to serve in the community? Here are five easy ways to find a volunteer opportunity!

1. Attend the Internship and Volunteer Fair on Monday, September 21, 2009 from 12:30 - 3:30 pm in the Cat Cavern to learn about internship and service opportunities available at over 50 businesses and non-profit agencies in the local community!

2. Join the Community Service Opportunities listserv by emailing service@willamette.edu and receive a weekly email of one-time and on-going service opportunities available throughout the Willamette Valley.

3. Contact the Office of Community Service Learning to set up an appointment to discuss available service opportunities in the community that match your interests.

4. Visit the online agency database at www.givebacktoday.org and search for opportunities from over 100 community agencies! Create a personal profile and join the Willamette University group at www.givebacktoday.org to be notified of group volunteer opportunities, receive recognition, and track your involvement.

5. Visit the Volunteer Opportunities Bulletin Board located next to the Office of Community Service Learning to find out about upcoming service opportunities in the community.

On-going Opportunities

AVID Tutors
Salem/Keizer school district is looking for students who are interested in tutoring in middle school and high school AVID classrooms. Tutoring can be accomplished through University work-study programs (if the university offers it), for credit courses as appropriate, or can be done for pay as a Salem/Keizer tutor employee through the district AVID program. Tutoring is done during the school day with a broad choice of hours, days, and AVID school sites. Additional tutoring sites will become available next year as more schools take on the AVID curriculm. There will be a tutor training from 9:00am - 3:00pm on Saturday, February 28th, at Claggett Creek Middle School in Keizer. If you are interested in attending or have questions concerning this opportunity, please contact Steve Sanchez at 503-364-3647 (cell-503-339-5658), or email him at smnlsanchez@comcast.net. He needs to know by next Wednesday if your interested in attending the training on the 28th.

Colonia Libertad
Colonia Libertad is an affordable housing development that provides services to migrant farm workers and their families. It is a community that offers educational programs and recreation for children and helps families gain economic stability. Volunteer opportunities include working with pre-school/kindergarten children (Monday & Wednesday 1:30 - 2:30 pm), working with elementary school children (Tuesday & Thursday 1:00 - 3:00 pm), or tutoring Monday - Wednesday from 4:15-6:00 pm. For more information on volunteer opportunities, contact Fabiola Camacho at 503-315-2289 or fabiolacamacho@fhdc.org.

Easter Seals Mentoring
Easter Seals Children's Therapy Center is a therapy center in West Salem that provides services for children with developmental disabilities and additional special needs and diagnoses, ranging from autism to depression, and their families. They are starting up a mentorship program, and are looking for students to serve. This is a great opportunity to work with/mentor a child who is in need of a positive role model. The program requires a very minimum commitment and is a great experience! For more information, please contact Jonathan Thaher at jthaher@or.easterseals.com or 503-370-8990.

Friends of Felines
Salem Friends of Felines is a large group of dedicated caring (and hard working) individuals committed to helping cats and people in our community. Their mission is to help as many homeless cats and kittens as they can by placing them in loving permanent homes; to reduce feline over-population through education and their spay/neuter assistance program; and to bring more public awareness to the plight of homeless and unwanted cats. They need volunteers to help in their Adoption Center (assist with adoptions, play and socialize the cats, keep suites clean and supplied, answer questions that potential adopters might have) or Thrift Store (sort and price merchandise, transport items, assist customers, cashiering, be a volunteer assistant store manager, and more). They are located within walking distance of campus at 980 Commercial St SE (between Kearney and Bush). For more information or to volunteer, please contact Debbie West at 503 362-5611.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity in Salem is in need of volunteers to help them build homes, assist in the office, serve on committees, and help with special projects that benefit the organization. As a volunteer you can choose to volunteer as little or as often as you would like. All of the volunteer positions provide a tremendous help that directly or indirectly results in the construction of simple, decent homes. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Julie Brown at jbrown@salemhabitat.org or 503-364-6642 or visit their website at www.salemhabitat.org.

Hallman Elementary Volunteers
Hallmond Elementary School is in need of volunteers to help in classrooms during the school day or to teach/tutor in the Enrichment Academy (Mon - Fri, 3:00 - 5:00 pm). For more information, please contact Juan Trujillo at (503) 399-3451 or Trujillo_juan@salkeiz.k12.or.us.

HOME Youth Resource Center Outreach Volunteers
The HOME Youth Resource Center is in need of volunteers to assist outreach workers by hitting the streets armed with a backpack of hygiene and harm reduction supplies along with resource information. Volunteers would talk to teenagers and attempt to assist them with their basic needs along with offering them community resource referrals and connecting them with the outreach workers to be case managed. Volunteers will learn about a hidden population and will come face to face with the realities of abuse, neglect, poverty, hunger, drug and alcohol usage, and victimization along with the beauty of hope and resiliency. They will learn how to communicate with this population and the collaboration of social services and community resources. For more information, please contact Tricia Breiter at (503) 932-9121.

HOST Mentors and Tutors
The Northwest Human Services, HOST Youth and Family Program is an emergency youth shelter for homeless and runaway youth ages 11-18. We are typically a two week program and some of our services are: family mediation, counseling, case management, parenting classes, etc. Often times we get youth who need mentoring and/or tutoring. I am interested in finding mentors/tutors for these youth and thought we could partner up or if there are college students interested please call me at 503-588-5825. Thank you, Candace.

Kaneko Community Garden
Want to learn how to garden? Want to take a break from studying and spend some time outdoors? The Kaneko Community Garden is in need of volunteers for their weekly Work Parties. Work parties convene every Friday at 2:00 pm at the Kaneko Community Garden (located next to TIUA, to the left of the TIUA bridge when crossing over from WU). If you would like to receive more information or to join the Kaneko Community Garden listerv, contact Katie Rigsby at krigsby@willamette.edu.

Language in Motion
Language in Motion is a program run by the Office of International Education that aims to enrich public school classrooms through presentations on language and culture. Participants in this program are generally study abroad returning students or international students, however, anyone with significant experience in another culture or with another language is invited to participate. The commitment is based on your schedule and availability. Often, students will present just once or twice over the course of a semester. If you are interested in learning more about this program or to sign up for the listserve, please contact Amy Niles <aniles@Willamette.edu> in the Office of International Education or visit our website at: http://www.willamette.edu/dept/oie/connections/lim/index.php

Mano a Mano Family Center
Mano a Mano Family Center supports the social and economic integration and inclusion of low income, Latinos, and families and individuals of color in Salem-Keizer. is in need of volunteers to work with their Youth Program activities (Wednesdays from 6:30 - 8:30 pm), After School Program (twice a week for two hours each day), or ESL Tutoring program (twice a week for two hours each day). For more information on volunteer opportunities, contact Circe Barraza at 503-315-2290 or circe@manomanofamily.com. Office hours are Mon - Fri, 1:00 - 6:00 pm.

Northgate Community Learning Center
Northgate Community Learning Center is dedicated to helping children with promise reach their potential. Our goal is to empower parents to value education and support the success of their children in school. Volunteer mentors at the Center provide children with the additional support they need to help ensure their success. They provide long-term, dependable relationships that help children become better students and help them become excited about learning. The Northgate Community Learning Center is open from 3:00 to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and is working with youth in a targeted area who are in 5th through 8th grade. They are in desperate need of "Study Buddies", tutors and mentors to work with the middle school youth. If interested in volunteering, please contact Judy Goard at 503-540-2933 or by e-mail at jgoard@ccswv.org.

Richmond Elementary School Math Tutors
Richmond Elementary School is looking for some energetic, responsible and friendly math tutors for their After School Math Club. Club starts on Monday, February 2nd and meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Interested volunteers can contact Rachel Cancino at (503) 399-3180!

Signature Hospice
Signature Hospice invites you to join our Salem team to enhance the quality of life of patients and families in need of companionship and support. Our patient and family companion volunteers share their time doing whatever is most needed -- reading and writing letters, reading books aloud, playing a musical instrument, running errands, helping with household chores, taking walks, providing conversation, listening, or simply holding a hand. Your companionship can provide the additional support families need when caring for a loved one with a terminal illness. Your compassionate and loving presence is all that is required to make a difference in someone's life. For a complete volunteer job description, application packet, and additional information contact: Michele Fuchs, Signature Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, mfuchs@4signatureservice.com, 1-800-936-4756, and visit our website, www.4signatureservice.com.

SENC Afterschool Care Program
The Southeast Neighborhood Center runs an afterschool care program for children in the neighborhood which surrounds Willamette University. The afterschool program runs Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 5:30 pm (Wednesdays 2:00 - 5:30 pm). The program's daily schedule includes play time, learning center time, snack time, and music/story time. Approximately 85-100 children attend the afterschool care program each day so the center is always in need of more volunteers. For more information on volunteering, contact Dave Hayworth at 503-362-6626 or coachdave@comcast.net.

South Salem Tutoring Program
South Salem High School is in need of volunteers to mentor/tutor students in study hall sessions, help teachers in the classroom by providing one-on-one assistance to students, or assist in the AVID program (AVID assists students in learning about higher education opportunities). Volunteer opportunities are flexible and can be created based on your individual schedule. For more information, please contact Michael Plank at plank_michael@salkeiz.k12.or.us or 503-399-3252.

Start Making a Reader Today (SMART)
Salem Keizer Head Start is looking for volunteers to read to preschool students one on one for 1 hour each week at Liberty Elementary. The SMART program will be conducted on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30am at Liberty Elementary in South Salem. As an added bonus, college students can receive pay through the America Reads Grant for their volunteer time. If you are interested please contact Shawnie Murphy at 503-399-5510 or
murphy_shawnie@salkeiz.k12.or.us.

Willamette Academy Volunteers
Located on the Willamette University campus, Willamette Academy is a college access program committed to empowering youth who have the desire and potential to advance to higher education, targeting those who are historically under-represented at colleges and universities in the United States. Volunteers are needed!! For more information on volunteering with Willamette Academy, please contact William Bragg at wbragg@willamette.edu or 503-370-6640.

Youth Impact
Youth Impact is a non-profit organization that provides mentoring to at-risk youth in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. We work with children of incarcerated parents, juvenile offenders, at-risk youth, and gang affected youth. We have many long-term, short-term and one-time volunteer opportunities. Long-term opportunities are generally mentoring a youth, one hour per week. No previous experience is required and training is provided. We have short-term opportunities, such as event/fundraiser planning committees. Our one-time volunteer opportunities vary greatly, from supervising card-making activities to set up/clean up of fundraisers to office cleaning. Please visit our website at www.youthimpactmentors.com for more information about our agency and
volunteer opportunities.

Are You a Community Member?

To communicate your service opportunities to the Willamette student body, email a short paragraph with volunteer details and contact information to service@willamette.edu. Your service opportunity will be included in the weekly service email to approximately 250 students, faculty, and staff who are interested in volunteer opportunities.