14+ volunteer opportunities for National Volunteer Week
It’s National Volunteer Week 2018 – a weeklong, national celebration, started back in 1974, for volunteerism and recognizing the impact volunteering makes on a community. 20 million people participate in Volunteer Week across the U.S. – providing 5 million hours of service, worth $482 million.
United Way of the Midlands is hosting a local Volunteer Week today through April 21, in which they worked with nonprofits across the Midlands to put together specific volunteer opportunities + called for hundreds of volunteers in our community to help get those projects done. 💪
The deadline to sign up for U Way’s official week has passed, but in honor of National Volunteer Week, we’ve compiled a few other upcoming + ongoing volunteer opportunities around Cola.
Upcoming
2018 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball games with Simply United Together | now through Sunday, July 1 | assist with the concession stands
Kinetic Derby Day | Saturday April 21, 9-4 p.m. | help organize + run pit crew for soap box cars, announcer winners of heats, act as parade escort, assist with registration + more
Open Streets Columbia | Sunday April 22, 12-5 p.m. | assist with set-up/break-down, different activities, water runner, showing participants where activities are being held + collecting surveys
Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden | Friday April 27th, 5:30-10 p.m. | must be 21 to volunteer; volunteers receive 2 complimentary zoo tickets | email Tracy Hughes at thughes@riverbanks.org for application
Volunteer with YLS at Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive | Saturday May 12, 3 + 5 p.m. | help sort food collected
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 5K Walk at Doko Meadows | Saturday May 19, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | help with set-up, registration/greeting walkers, tending to mile markers, serving breakfast or lunch, and event clean-up
2018 Beyonce and Jay-Z On The Run II Tour in Columbia with Simply United Together | Tuesday, Aug 21, 3-11 p.m. | help with concessions
Ongoing
Reading Buddy or Kindergarten Tutor at St. Lawrence Place | Monday-Friday, 4-5 p.m. | must have experience with children
Columbia Area Foodie with Uncle Sams Immigrant Cafe | flexible days + times | eat at your favorite ethnic restaurant, interview the restaurateur, write a review + post to the website – to help build cultural awareness + promote the businesses of our immigrant restaurateurs
Homestead Hospice | serve as companions for patients by reading a book, going for a walk, playing board games, watching TV, or just listening
The S.C. State Museum | help with various types of events; youth ages 15-17 are also encouraged to become volunteers
Trustus Theatre | be an usher at an upcoming show
Harvest Hope Food Bank | help in different areas like the emergency food pantry, product rescue, as a community rep, with administrative tasks + more
Pets Inc. | groom/walk dogs, yardwork, clerical work, building repairs + painting, socialize the animals + more
Meals on Wheels | pack + deliver meals to senior citizens around the community
Turning Pages | help people learn to read – or improve their reading + math skills, so they can get a GED
My River Starts Here | help mark storm drains for 2-3 hours
SBP | Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | help flood victims rebuild and repair their homes in Columbia
Do you volunteer with an organizations regularly? Know an upcoming or ongoing opportunity? Let us know by replying to this email so we can update our list.
–Sam
Want to see your volunteering opportunity in our newsletter? Head over to the Events Page and let us help you spread the word.
