OPPORTUNITES

Interested in all things "Green"? How about learning more about Baltimore's sustainability resources?
Help Baltimore Green Map on June 5th and get involved in building content on their website this summer. Baltimore Green Map is looking for help in setting up, serving, explaining, and cleaning up at their "Map Global, Celebrate Local" event on June 5th. An orientation willbe provided for all volunteers.

The "Map Global, Celebrate Local" event is part of the international festivities celebrating the launch of Open Green Map worldwide. Events are planned in Green Mapped cities all over the world, including Stockholm, Santiago, Geneva, Jakarta, and more, and all are to be linked by slideshow and Twitter into one global community fest. The event will include map displays and demonstrations, music, light refreshments, trees to take home, and opportunities to add sites to Baltimore's Green Map.

The event will run from 5-9pm on Friday, June 5th at Howard P Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park. Please contact info@baltogreenmap.org if interested in volunteering.

Meals on Wheels Helps the Homebound
Be the smiling face that our clients look forward to. Volunteers are needed to ride with a volunteer driver to deliver nutritious meals Monday through Friday from 11am to 1Pm. Most routes are done in less than 45 minutes, and are in your local area. Check out http://www.mealsonwheels.org/ for more information and to sign-up to volunteer! 

Are you an Animal Lover?
The Humane Society is looking for animal lovers to help care for their furry and cuddly creatures. Join the DogTown Team, SMAC Pack (Small Animal Care), or C3 Crew (Cat Care Club) and help out your favorite animal friends! DogTown Team members socialize, walk dogs, and work on the command "sit." SMAC Pack volunteers are responsible for playing with and cleaning up after bunnies, guinea pigs, and other small furries. The C3 Crew members groom, play with, and cuddle the cats in the Humane Society's care. Volunteers must complete a general orientation, animal handling class, and one-on-one mentoring with a staff member. Please visit http://www.baltimorehumane.org/ for more information.

Help bring Baking Night Back!
Spend an evening once a month baking delicious desserts at Moveable Feast.  Volunteer leaders are needed to help coordinate food details and general volunteers.  All sweets are delivered to those in need and living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging conditions throughout the Greater Baltimore  and the Eastern Shore.  Your help and leadership is needed to make Baking Night happen!   Bring a bit sweetness to the lives of others and contact Candace (410-366-6030 ext. 214) for more information. Or visit http://www.mfeast.org/

Mentor a Child with an Incarcerated Parent
Children with incarcerated parents are at risk for low performance in school, gang affiliation, teen pregnancy, and drug use and abuse. Good mentors can help these children improve social and cognitive skills by building trust and strengthening personal relationships. Mentors are matched one-on-one with a child and dedicate one hour a week for one year to build friendship with this young person.

Mentors must be 21 years of age or older. All mentors are required to complete an application, including a driving and criminal background check and three personal references. Mentors will attend an orientation and will receive ongoing support.

For more information please visit http://www.ndmva.org 

A Few Hours Makes a Real Difference!
The YWCA's Druid Heights Transitional Housing Program seeks volunteers to provide assistance with youth tutoring during our after-school program for children. This is a great opportunity to make a real difference in a child's life. Interns will work with children in grades K-10 during the after-school sessions, held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:30 to 6:30, providing assistance with schoolwork and other educational projects.

Volunteers should be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Education or experience in education and/or youth counseling might be helpful, but is not required.

Check out the following site for more info and to sign up! http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/bvu-maryland/org/opp/10299775402.html 

 Signed, Sealed, Delivered!
A friendly and dependable volunteer is needed at Stella Maris to assist a fun staff member in the mailroom on Monday mornings (preferably 9am-noon). The volunteer would be responsible for sorting mail and helping with delivery. 

Stella Maris is also seeking dependable volunteers to staff their popular Gift Shop and Good Buy Shop. Volunteers are asked to make a weekly commitment and should be able to operate a cash register (training is provided). 

For more information and to sign up check out the following website: http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/bvu-maryland/org/opp/10300323424.html

 Personal Shoppers Needed
The Clothing Bank at Paul's Place provides a boutique-like environment for men, women, and children to shop for gently-used clothing. Volunteers sort and display donations of gently-used clothing and household items. They also act as personal shoppers, assisting guests to fulfill their shopping needs. Volunteers are needed Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm. Please visit http://www.paulsplaceoutreach.org/Get_Involved/volunteer.html  or contact Katie Sheffield at ksheffield@paulsplaceoutreach.org for more information.

Volunteer Central
Get involved -- Volunteer Central is the volunteer center for individuals and businesses that want to make a difference in their Baltimore community! Whether you have a time for a large or small commitment, they can get you connected! There are opportunities ranging from greening projects in city parks to providing food to the hungry to working in Baltimore's arts and cultural centers!

Check them out at www.volunteercentral.net and find hundreds of volunteer opportunities listed, as well as many upcoming events. Also on the website are dates and times for new volunteer orientations and social hours which are held every other month.

Baltimore Green Week Needs Volunteers
You can help in the creation of the 2nd annual Baltimore Green Week. Baltimore Green Week Planning Council is seeking volunteers to help plan this year's events. Meeting is held the first thursday of each month at the RTKL offices in Bond Street Warf (Thames and Bond Streets in Fell's Point). Please see our website www.baltimoregreenweek.org or contact Laura Butler at lauracbutler@yahoo.com for more information.

Here are a few thoughts when considering how to help in tough financial times.

• Feel like you can't "afford" to help? Even if it isn't possible to give money, you can still support a cause that is important to you by giving your time.   You can make a significant impact by volunteering your skills as a substitute for financial donations.
• Volunteers are needed more than ever.  In any financial downturn there is a greater need for human services and less funding available to meet those additional needs.  A greater demand for volunteers can be expected to effectively respond to the increased needs of the community.
• Volunteering can fill a resume gap. For those who have lost employment in these tough times, volunteering has a lot to offer.  Getting involved in volunteer work can build new skills, assist with networking opportunities, and fill an otherwise blank space in a resume while job-hunting.

The Baltimore CASH Campaign
Formed in the fall of 2001 to implement strategies to increase financial stability opportunities for low-income Baltimore families. The campaign focuses on “making work pay” by leveraging the tax code as a gateway to financial services for working families. 
The campaign:

• 1.  Conducts marketing and outreach about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other relevant tax credits for low-income workers;
• 2.  Provides free volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) to help low and moderate income families file tax returns and claim the EITC;
• 3.  Develops financial security opportunities for clients through financial education workshops, partnerships with financial institutions, and other asset development services; and
• 4.  Advocates for issues impacting working families.

Our newest volunteer opportunity is to serve as a Financial Resource Volunteer (FRV). The volunteer will be greeting tax clients, and sharing information about financial resources and services available at the tax site and throughout Baltimore City. This will include giving information about free credit reports, screening for public benefits, the Maryland Money Helpline, low-income taxpayer clinic and more. The FRV will be assisting the tax client with on-site services such as savings bonds, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, reloadable prepaid debit cards, and the FAFSA.

These volunteers will be placed at four of our community tax sites - Baltimore CASH Campaign’s Downtown Office (111 Water St. Suite 201), Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (Mondawmin Mall), Southeast Community Development Corporation (3700 Eastern Ave.), and Bon Secours of Maryland Foundation (26 N. Fulton Street).

The one-day training will be held in January. Volunteers will be asked to work two Saturdays during the tax season (January 23-April 10,2010).                                                             
If interested in volunteering with Baltimore CASH Campaign, please contact Sarah Schweizer at sarah@baltimorecashcampaign.org or 443-692-9419 or Monica Copeland at monica@baltimorecashcampaign.org or 443-692-9487.
Visit our website at www.baltimorecashcampaign.org