By DIANE HENTGES, Director of the Volunteer Center/RSVP at the United Way of Wyandotte County
These cold January temperatures make it hard to get warm and stay warm. I have a low cost suggestion to warm you right up - VOLUNTEER.
When you volunteer you get that warm fuzzy feeling all over. The delight in a child’s eye that you just mentored or the sincere smile of the food pantry client warms our hearts.
What better way to endure these cold temperatures?
Let me share with you a few of ways you can volunteer and get that warm fuzzy feeling and help a local non-profit fulfill their mission to serve our community.
KVC (KVC Hospitals Inc.) wants to recruit individuals or a group to help with a project on Feb. 2 or Feb 3. Volunteers are needed to help make life-sized board games for children to play. What a neat way for children to play a board game! The volunteers will have fun cutting poster board and gluing pictures and words on game pieces.
This is a great opportunity for a youth group or a work group looking for a way to serve. Minimum age of the volunteer needed is 14. Please contact Karen at kduarte@kvc.org or at 913-890-7426.
Cross-Lines Community Outreach is in desperate need of volunteers to deliver commodities to low-income senior housing in KCK and Leavenworth. This happens once a month and delivery schedules can be very flexible. To volunteer or to find out more information, contact Amber at 913-281-3388 or at amber@cross-lines.org. This opportunity takes a small commitment of your time but means so much to those receiving the commodities.
Literacy KC wants to recruit volunteer tutors to meet one on one with adult students twice a week for 90 minutes each time. Schedules can be set at the volunteer’s convenience. These volunteer tutors will meet at the Keeler Women’s Center in KCK. If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, go to www.literacykc.org or call 913-906-8990.
You can also attend one of two information meetings at Keeler: Feb. 7, 10-11 a.m. or Feb. 20 1:30- 2:30 p.m. Keller is located at 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. The volunteers reward will be the warm self-assured smile of an adult who can read.
Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is recruiting volunteers for a number of volunteer positions. Volunteers are needed to mentor adult refugees as they adjust to live in Kansas City. Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve the evening meal at Shalom House, a shelter for homeless men.
In addition, volunteers are needed to work in the food pantries sponsored by Catholic Charities. For more information of how you can volunteer, contact Mary Kay at 913-433-2080 or at mdrees@catholiccharitiesks.org.
The options are many. The choice is yours. For more information on how you can GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER please contact me at 913-371-3674 or at dhentges@unitedway-wyco.org.
You can find volunteer opportunities by checking out our website, www.unitedway-wyco.org and click on Volunteer.
