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Volunteer

BRIDGING THE GAP

Join us in creating an environmentally resilient community.

Do you love being outdoors and connecting with nature? Are you driven to improve your community and the environment?  Come volunteer with us! Click here to review our current list of volunteer opportunities!  Bridging The Gap not only educates the community about the environment, but also we engage people in taking action.  Together, with our volunteers and program leaders, we do the physical work it takes to restore our environment by planting trees, picking up litter, removing invasive species, and much more.  We engage 1,500 volunteers each year to accomplish our work – can you join us?

Bridging The Gap offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals, groups, families and students. Whether you have just a couple of hours or want to make an ongoing commitment, you can help protect our planet for generations to come.   You can review our list of current volunteer opportunities by clicking here.  Due to the seasonal aspect of our work, most volunteer opportunities take place in the Spring and Fall; however, we do have a few ongoing opportunities as well!

Typical volunteer opportunities include:

  • Community Recycling Center (ongoing)
  • Office Volunteer (ongoing)
  • Tree Planting and Tree Care
  • Prairie and Forest Restoration
  • Litter Cleanups
  • Special Events (Recycling Attendants, Gala Assistance, etc)

Requirements

All volunteers need to sign up in advance, and agree to our waiver.  The minimum age varies, depending on the volunteer opportunity (click the opportunity for the min age).  If you are a corporate or civic group leader, we may be able to arrange a special workday for your team. We apologize; we are not able to sign off on court-appointed or disciplinary community service requirements.

Questions?

To discuss group options, or if you just aren’t sure where to start, email Amy Smith, Volunteer Services Manager, volunteer@bridgingthegap.org or call 816-561-1062.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

 

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas

www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org

Volunteer Opportunities:

Friendly Visitors Program:

This is a program that serves homebound seniors. We are seeking volunteers to make phone calls, visit in-person or for transportation needs.

  • Hospice:
    • We are always seeking volunteers to serve in our Hospice program. This program is active on both sides of the state line in the metro area.
  • Emergency Assistance Centers:
    • We are seeking volunteers to serve as front desk and pantry volunteers in Overland Park, Olathe and Kansas City, KS.
  • TurnStyles Thrift Store:
    • We are seeking volunteers for various opportunities at our store located at 9750 W. 87th Street and our new store, which will be located at 11310 W. 135th St. in Overland Park.
  • Financial Mentors:
    • We are seeking volunteers to mentor families who are completing financial education classes. Please attend our information session for additional information.

Visit our website to view all opportunities

For additional information, contact Cari Olberding, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator at 913.433.2104 or colberding@catholiccharitiesks.org

 

Community Blood Center

“The Community Blood Center can use volunteer help in a variety of areas.  They need drivers to pick up blood donations from collection locations and to deliver blood to local hospitals.  You can use your own car or drive one of the many vehicles available at the Center.  You can choose a standard time and location or be flexible and take on different routes each week.  You can also volunteer to help with office tasks at the center on 40th and Main any day and time you have available.  Finally, you can attend blood drives around the metropolitan area and serve as an ambassador for the CBC by helping to guide donors – providing directions and snacks.”

If you are ready to join one of the best volunteer teams in the area, we encourage you to apply today!  A candidate must complete an orientation process to ensure the safety and success of our volunteers.  The process is as follows:

Volunteer Application

  • If eligible, the candidate will be contacted by Volunteer Services to set up a brief interview.
  • After successfully passing the interview, the candidate will be asked to submit a pre-paid background check online.
  • After successfully passing the background check, the volunteer will be contacted to attend volunteer orientation.
  • After orientation, the volunteer will have role-assignment training experience with a volunteer mentor.

If you have any further questions, please contact CBC Volunteer Services at (816) 968-4079 or vol@cbckc.org

 

Great Lakes Caring Hospice

Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Providing companionship to hospice patients
  • Offering pet therapy (Certification required)
  • Assisting with office administration
  • Sharing your talents (such as music, art, photography, and crafts)
  • Providing bereavement or vigil support for patients’ families
  • Helping with special projects or events
  • Assisting with legacy programs

Their volunteer coordinator is Hattie Kennedy, p: 866.878.4611, c: 785.414.0170.

Email is hkennedy@greatlakescaring.com.

Volunteers can also apply on their website:  GreatLakesCaring.com.

 

JOHNSON COUNTY ARCHIVES AND HISTORICAL LIBRARY

Johnson County Archives and Historical Library are looking for volunteers to input information into our database for historic court records.  The Clay County Archives and Historical Library is a non-profit corporation organized as a depository and research center for original Clay County Records.  The Archives is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 to 4 and the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Please contact Nancy George at 816-781-6496 to express your interest.

 

KALEIDOSCOPE at Hallmark Headquarters

Children of all ages and their families enjoy creating their own wonderful works of art using discard materials from Hallmark manufacturing.

We are looking for caring people who want to share their time and encourage children.  Our Kaleidoscope volunteers have three main responsibilities:  encouraging the children, assembling basic projects and cleaning/restocking the studio between sessions.  We have opportunities for volunteers Monday – Saturday.  You can volunteer as little as 3 hours a week up to 6 hours a week, depending on your time commitment and schedule.  To learn more, please fill out our form.

Hallmark is proud to provide Kaleidoscope as a gift to children and their families for their own creative self-expression, enrichment and pleasure.

 

WAYSIDE WAIFS

Getting involved at Wayside Waifs is one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Two orientations are offered each month, excluding December. We are able to accommodate up to 30 new applicants in each session. Our regular volunteer program asks for a weekly commitment for at least three months. This provides the consistency our animals and volunteers need to succeed. If you are looking for a shorter donation of time, a group project or if you have teens under 13 who are interested in giving back, take a look at the additional opportunities that support our Mission and the animals in our care. These include our Team Service Program, Group Service Projects, Kids in Action programming, donation drives and other projects.

Learn more: For more information about helping Wayside, please contact us at 816-986-4431

 

UNITED WAY

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED…your retirement brings new opportunities, and for many, that includes a dedication to giving back.  Together with Hallmark, you can bring hope and dignity to the people who need it most. And as an added benefit, research has shown that people who volunteer and give back live a longer and happier life.

Volunteering…United Way counts on volunteers for the programs offered to the community throughout the year.

Some ongoing volunteer opportunities:

POVERTY SIMULATIONS – a moving, interactive experience educating the community on the challenges of poverty.

MAD CITY MONEY at area high schools – prepares students for the real world.

TAX PREPARATION – assists financial stability and economic development.

DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY – puts the power of reads into the hands of children.

Whether you’re interested in a one-time activity or an on-going commitment, visit the website at www.unitedwaygkc.org and click on the volunteer button to explore the programs and causes that could benefit from your skills, time and experience.

 

TRUMAN HERITAGE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Habitat builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter.
People in your community and all over the world, partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With our help, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY:

HOUSING
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners’ low monthly mortgage payments are recycled into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses.

HABITAT STORES
Habitat for Humanity ReStores in Independence and Blue Springs are discount home improvement stores, run by Habitat affiliates, that accept and resell quality new and used building materials. The funds raised are used to build new homes and to run our home repair and weatherization programs. http://www.trumanheritagerestore.org/

HOME REPAIR AND WEATHERIZATION
Our home repair and weatherization program assists low-income families in repairing their homes so they can continue to live in safe, decent homes.

HOME OWNER PREPARATIOB & EDUCATION (HOPE)
Through our Home Owner Preparation & Education (HOPE) program our Financial Literacy Coach meets with community members for one-on-one financial coaching appointments to prepare them for homeownership (both through Habitat Houses or preparing them for traditional lending).

WOMEN BUILD
Our Women Build events provide the opportunity for women to take a proactive step in serving other women in their communities. No experience is necessary. Volunteers work under the guidance of construction professionals, and also alongside other volunteers and future Habitat homeowners.

To volunteer for this organization, please contact Lindsay Browne at the phone number or email addresses listed below.

Lindsay Browne
Community Engagement Manager
LBrowne@TrumanHabitat.org
816-461-6551×229, cell 913-787-1970
Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity
505 N Dodgion Street, Independence, MO 64050
Phone 816-461-6551, Fax 816-461-7039
www.trumanhabitat.org

Upcoming opportunities

Stream Cleanup
Sat, Sept 22, 9:30 am – noon
Dykes Branch Creek
Kansas City, MO

Volunteer with us and help clean up litter near Dykes Branch Creek at 92nd St and Ward Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri.  If it’s on the ground, it’s in our water! Help us keep our waterways clean! Register now.

National Public Lands Day!
Ecological Restoration
Sat, Sept 29, 9:00 am – noon

2 sites at Swope Park
Kansas City, MO

Volunteers will cut and treat invasive woody plants, helping native flowers & grasses flourish again in these wild areas. Thanks to our partnership with REI, we are providing a pizza lunch to all volunteers after the workday!

Two sites to choose from:
Rocky Point Glades. Sign up!
Blue River Glades. Sign up!

View all the upcoming opportunities.