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(E) Student exchange
By Nenad N. Bach | Published  01/22/2003 | Education | Unrated
(E) Student exchange
Distributed by CroatianWorld

 

Ideas for volunteerism

Student exchange: World Heritage, a non-profit student exchange program offers international exchange opportunities to American students and provides opportunities for local families to host exchange students from France, Germany, Great Britain, the former Soviet Union and Spain. World Heritage currently is seeking volunteer host families for high school foreign exchange students. The organization is also seeking community representatives to work with foreign exchange students. Representatives will work in their local communities securing homes for high school students from Europe. They will also interview potential host families, contact schools, secure references, and work with host families and students. For more information, call 1-888-386-7260 or visitwww.world-heritage.org .

HELPING CHILDREN Living with illness: Playful and compassionate people needed to help families living with illness and loss at PediatriCare in Oakland, California USA. Facilitate a support group for children, teens or adults coping with illness, HIV or loss. Information meetings will be Jan. 27, Feb. 11 and March 10. Training will begin in April. For information call Jacqueline at (510) 531-7551. or emailjacqueline@ebac.org  . Host families: Pacific Intercultural Exchange is looking for families to host high school students from Korea, Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Croatia, Macedonia, Mexico, Hungary, Brazil, Armenia and Ukraine. Students are between 15 and 18. The students are prescreened and speak English. For information about the program, call 1-800-894-7633. 


HELPING ANIMALS

Animal transport: The Tri-Valley Animal Rescue of Pleasanton is seeking volunteers to transport dogs, puppies, cats, kittens at the East County Animal Shelter. For more information, call (925) 803-7043. Animal Lovers: The Valley Humane society is looking for volunteers for a variety of positions including; providing foster homes for cats and dogs; writing for the quarterly newsletter; working at the adoption center; and trapping feral cats. Many other positions also are available. For more information about volunteering at the Valley Humane Society, call (925) 426-8656. 


MISCELLANEOUS Suicide Prevention: The Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, formerly Suicide Prevention, needs volunteers. The organization is asking volunteers to donate a few hours during a week to help with the crisis line. No prior experience needed and training will be provided. For information call during business hours, Monday through Friday, (510) 848-1515.

Helping the environment: Volunteers from service organizations, youth groups and senior groups are invited to help assemble California Poppy seed packets. The California Poppy Project in Modesto and the Native Daughters of the Golden West hope to distribute 100,000 free seed packets to be planted this fall in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of California's state flower. Seeds, seed packets, coin envelopes and instructions will be sent by priority mail. Project coordinators are also needed to select a designated room where up to 100 volunteers can assemble seed packets. For more information, visit http://web-news.tripod.com/site-map.htm or call 1-800-555-8355 and then immediately dial 1-784-013.

Food bank: Open Heart Kitchen needs a volunteer manager for up to six hours a week of help. Duties include recruiting, organizing, and scheduling kitchen volunteers. This is mostly telephone and computer work, so an outgoing personality and computer skills are helpful. If interested in this rather challenging position, call Barbara Thomas at (925) 580-1616. Open Heart also needs somewhere to store several hundred pounds of donated canned food. Call (925) 580-1616 if you can help.

Mentoring inmates: Match-Two Mentoring Outreach is seeking volunteers to be trained as mentors for inmates and wards of the state. Volunteers are asked to donate one to four hours once a month. For details, write to Match-Two Inc., P.O. Box 4424, Vallejo, CA 94590 or call (707) 553-1311.

Many opportunities: The Volunteer Center of Alameda County is seeking volunteers for more than 100 non-profit community organizations. Unless otherwise indicated, call (925) 462-3570 or visit www.volunteeronline.org for more information. 

Luncheon servers are needed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a daily lunch program for Pleasanton senior citizens, both for home-delivered meals and on a week day for congregate dining. Duties include preparing, serving, and cleaning up. 

A video biographer is needed to interview, record, and edit life histories of hospice patients, letting them tell their own life stories. 

Volunteers are needed to provide patient assistance, run errands, and help with meals at the Veteran's Hospital in Livermore. Hours are flexible, and training is provided. Youth are welcome. 

Bingo volunteers and thrift shop helpers are needed by a Livermore foster care and home for teens with emotional problems in Livermore. 

Volunteers are needed for computer technical support . They will assist with routine computer maintenance tasks for Macs and Windows 2000 workstations and servers. 

Volunteers are needed by a local agency that provides compassionate care for patients and families facing a life-threatening illness and grief. Training provided. 

E-Mentors:The Volunteer Center wants volunteers with a background in science to volunteer as online advisors and role models. For details, call (925) 462-3570. 

A volunteer is needed to staff a lobby work station for a Tri-Valley city-run multi-service center that provides a variety of services to the low-income population. Duties include: directing clients to proper agency; distributing mail to agencies, and opening and closing the center.

Landfill committee: The City of Livermore is seeking volunteers for three new landfill committees. Individuals are needed to serve on the Community Monitor Committee, Open Space Account Advisory Committee and the Education Account Advisory Board. For more information, call (925) 373-5130; TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) at (925) 373-5052; or visit www.ci.livermore.ca.us 

Environmental clean-up: Keep California Beautiful needs individuals, civic groups, college and high school students, boy scouts, girl scouts and community organizations to adopt an area for clean-up. For more information, call 1-800-253-2622 or write to Keep California Beautiful, 3914 Murphy Canyon, San Diego, CA 92123.

Non-profit volunteers: Industrial Surplus Foundation is seeking office and warehouse workers, project managers and people to pick up donations and repair computers. Office volunteers are needed in Pleasanton. Warehouse volunteer opportunities are available in Hayward. For more information, call Bob or Sarah at (925) 463-1430.

Adopt-A-Park: The City of Manteca's Parks and Recreation Department is looking for families, clubs or organizations to "Adopt-A-Park." All Parks in the Manteca area are available, as well as some sections of Tidewater Bikeway. To Adopt-A-Park, you need to spend a few hours a month with maintenance tasks such as playground area cleaning, litter removal, gopher-mound leveling, etc. For more information, call (209) 239-8470.

Canteen service: Mission Valley Fire Associates is looking for volunteers to provide canteen services to firefighters at local fires. The organizations assists local fire departments and are summoned by a paging system. For more information, call (925) 443-2364.

Reading workshops: The Livermore/Pleasanton READ Projects needs volunteer tutors to help motivated adults to improve their reading and writing skills. For more information, or to register for training, call (925) 373-5507 for Livermore or (925) 931-3411 for Pleasanton.

Drivers needed: The Danville Community Center is looking for volunteers to help as drivers for the senior club, special events, the Alzheimer's association, the San Ramon Rehabilitation Hospital, the Oakland Zoo, the Arthritis Foundation, and Contra Costa Mental Health. For more information, call (925) 314-3476.

Car donations: Automobile donations are needed to raise funds to fight debilitating digestive diseases. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation accepts donations of cars, trucks and motorhomes and, in return, the donor receives a tax deduction based on Blue Book value. Pick-up and towing are free and CCFA will handle all DMV paperwork. Donors need clear title and registration for the vehicle. All of the proceeds will be used to directly benefit patients and their families throughout the Bay Area. Call (650) 578-6590 or 1-800-3-AUTO-77.

Community outreach: The City of San Ramon has many opportunities for volunteers in the community. Help out at the Senior Center, the Community Center, the Aquatic Center, the Library, and as a chaperone for youth programs. To subscribe to City Lights, the volunteer newsletter, call Mary Ann Wilkman at (925) 973-3219 or e-mail her at mwilkman@ci.san-ramon.ca.us. 

HELPING HOSPITALS

Help Sutter Hospice: Sutter VNA and Hospice needs volunteers to provide comfort and companionship to families and patients coping with life-threatening illness. The next training opportunity for volunteers is in October. Call Tammy at (510) 450-8565 or e-mail dysont@sutterhealth.org . Help ValleyCare: ValleyCare Health Auxilary needs volunteers for both Livermore and Pleasanton and offers a new idea for volunteers. If two friends or neighbors with young children join the auxilary, they can exchange babysitting duties. This way, both the volunteer working at the hospital and the volunteer babysitting receive credit for hours. For more information, call (925) 734-3368. ValleyCare Medical Center in Pleasanton needs volunteers for the gift shop, thrift shop, information desk, urgent care, floor service, emergency room, surgical center, and health care library. For more information, call (925) 734-3368.

Helping the ill: Heartland Hospice of Concord is seeking Contra Costa and Solano County residents to care for terminally ill patients and their families. Call Ginger at (925) 674-8660, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Heartland Hospice: Heartland Hospice of San Leandro is seeking Valley residents to care for terminally ill patients and their families in Alameda County. Volunteers visit patients, run errands and take patients on outings. Call Babs at Heartland Hospice at (510) 357-5852.

Kaiser volunteers: Kaiser Permanente Medical Clinic is seeking adult volunteers to help at the gift shop and information desk. Volunteers are needed for morning and afternoon shifts Monday through Friday. For more information, call Jill Snedden at (925) 295-4434.

Sutter assistants: Sutter Tracy Community Hospital is looking for men and women willing to provide respite care, companionship and support to hospice patients. Call (209) 833-2463. Sutter Tracy is also looking for hospital volunteers to help with various tasks, from escorts, to the information desk and gift shop. For more information about hospital volunteering, call Maryellen Tally at (209) 835-0643.

Medical helpers: Hope Hospice Bereavement Center at 6500 Dublin Blvd in Dublin is in need of volunteers to learn how to provide grief support and guidance, how to recognize and respect different styles of grief, and why a grieving person needs supportive contact for a year or more at the bereavement center. For information, call (925) 829-8770.

Treatment transport: Drivers are needed to transport cancer patients to and from treatment facilities. Patients live in Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol. A car, valid drivers license, and insurance are necessary. Call Cindy Steen at (925) 833-2784 for more information.

Discovery Counseling: The Discovery Counseling Center is the only nonprofit, community-based outpatient mental health counseling and state-certified substance abuse treatment center that provides services to all residents and employees in the San Ramon Valley. The center also provides part-time counselors for every school in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The center operates completely on community donations and grants. Find out more about how your tax-deductible donation serves your community by calling (925) 837-0505.

Help patients: San Ramon Regional Medical Center at 6001 Norris Canyon Road in San Ramon is in need of volunteers to work in nursing units during weekday mornings, to distribute menus to patients on Monday mornings and to help with admitting and registration on Tuesdays and Fridays. For information, call (925) 275-8291.

Help the Fund: Got two hours a week, Monday through Friday, to help the Tri-Valley Community Fund staff? They could use you to help answer calls, clip newspaper articles, prepare mailing packets and file. The Fund raises and distributes donations to local health and service organizations in the Valley area. A staff member will provide guidance for volunteers at the office on 6111 Johnson Court, Suite 203 in Pleasanton. Call (925) 734-9965.

HELPING FAMILIES

Tutors for teens: School Age Mothers of Pleasanton is seeking tutors for teen mothers and their children. For more information, call Ellen Turner at (925) 426-4275.

Housing program: ECHO Housing is seeking a volunteer for general receptionist duties. Volunteers will gain experience and education in basic housing laws. For more information, call Elinor Cullen at (925) 449-7340.

Mailing helpers: Child Care Links is looking for volunteers to help label and stuff envelopes for bulk mailing. The agency supports parents through parenting classes and resources in the community. For more information, call Diane Blanc at (925) 417-8733.

Food bank workers: The Alameda County Food Bank is seeking weekday and weekend volunteers to assist with warehouse and office activities. Individuals over age 10 and groups are welcome. Ongoing volunteer opportunities are available for companies, schools and churches during the week and on selected Saturdays. For more information, call Mary Schoen at (510) 834-3663 Extension 308 or visit www.accfb.org 

Disaster recovery: The Red Cross needs volunteers to help victims of single-family house fires and other disasters. Volunteers can work in damage assessment or as caseworkers. Training for both positions is free. For more information, call Eva Marquez at (925) 603-7426 or visit www.bayarea-redcross.org 

Foster families: Agape Villages, a non-profit Christian foster family agency, is looking to place foster children with families. The agency recruits and trains families in Dublin, Manteca and Sacramento. Agape Villages is also seeking volunteers to work at the foster family agency as day care providers and office assistants. For more information, call Rosemary Young at (925) 829-7211.

Intervene in a crisis: Crisis Support Services of Alameda County needs volunteers to provide telephone crisis intervention. Committed people are needed to serve the 24-hour crisis line. No prior experience is needed and training is provided. Call (510) 848-1515.

HELPING WOMEN

Women's shelter: Tri-Valley Haven, a women's shelter in Livermore, needs volunteers in the following areas: for child care, a crisis hotline, legal advocate, transportation, advocate for sexual-assault victims, and counseling intern. Call Michael Ducey at (925) 449-5845, ext. 110 or e-mail michael@trivalleyhaven.org .

HELPING SENIORS

Outreach assistant: The Friendship Center of Livermore is seeking an outreach assistant to deliver fliers about the program to local libraries, pharmacies, City Hall and the Veterans Building. The program provides day-time care for frail elderly individuals. For more information, call (925) 373-5767.

Tax assistance: AARP Tax Aide, a free, volunteer-run counseling and preparation service, is looking for volunteers to help taxpayers complete their federal and state income tax forms. They especially need computer-literate and bilingual volunteers, as well as people who are willing to serve in leadership and coordinating roles. Tax Aide volunteers receive free tax training in cooperation with the IRS and are asked to commit to at least 40 hours of volunteering over the ten-week session. Individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels are encouraged to apply. AARP membership is not necessary. Call 1-888-227-7669 for information.

Arts and crafts: The Fellowship of Hope Foundation Senior Center is seeking volunteers for arts and crafts, exercise, quilting and computer classes. The center is located at 1130 Pine St., Manteca. For more information, call Bernice Clay at (209) 824-4471.

Deliver meals: The Volunteer Center of Alameda is searching for volunteer drivers to deliver hot meals to home-bound or frail seniors. Work from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. one or more weekdays, delivering meals to homes in Pleasanton and Dublin. Volunteers use their own vehicles and are reimbursed for gas. Call (925) 462-3570 for details.

Woodshop monitors: The Pleasanton Senior Center is seeking volunteers to serve as woodshop monitors for the Drop-in Woodshop Program. Training will be provided. Volunteers are asked to serve at least two hours a week. The Pleasanton Senior Center is located at 5353 Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton. For more information, call Clare at (925) 931-5366.

Adult day care: Livermore Area Recreation and Park District's Friendship Center, a public adult day care, seeks persons 18 and older to volunteer between 3-6 p.m. weekday afternoons. For more information, call (925) 373-5767.

Community outreach: Lavender Seniors of the East Bay needs volunteers to visit and make phone calls to isolated seniors in their community. Training is provided. The organization also holds monthly potlucks on the second Saturday of each month at noon at the San Leandro Community Church, 1395 Bancroft Ave., San Leandro. For more information, call (510) 667-9655.

HICAP helpers: The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), of Contra Costa County is recruiting Volunteer Medicare Counselors. Volunteers will counsel older adults and the disabled to help them understand their consumer rights and evaluate their needs for insurance policies and health care plans. For more information, call Leah McIntosh at (925) 335-8791.

RSVP, if you please: The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is looking for adults 55 and older to help non-profit agencies. Opportunities include tutoring children, health-related programs, food banks and crime prevention. For more information, call (925) 937-5614, fax (925) 946-1869, or e-mail rsvp--sos@inct.net .

Visit with seniors: Senior Support Programs of the Tri-Valley is looking for volunteers for their "Friendly Visitor" program. Volunteers can get involved with seniors in a variety of ways, including being matched with a senior to share time and interests, driving seniors to appointments or shopping, helping with pets or yard work, or helping with social events or in the office. Call the Senior Support Program at (925) 931-5379 for more information.

Senior centers: There is always room for more volunteers at the local senior centers. For more opportunities, call: Danville Senior Center, Stacey McKenna, (925) 314-3400; San Ramon Senior Center, Maryanne Wilkman, (925) 275-2319; Dublin Senior Center, Patsy Rankin, (925) 829-6316; Livermore Senior Services Center, Maureen Gandara Swinbank, (925) 373-5760; Pleasanton Senior Center, Evelyn King, (925) 931-5365; Lolly Hansen Senior Center in Tracy, (209) 831-4230; Manteca Senior Center, Sandy or Nancy, (209) 825-2301.

HELPING IN ARTS

Handbell ringers: The Agape Ringers are seeking experienced ringers who are able to rehearse in Danville from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Members also rehearse on Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information, call Margaret Settle at (925) 837-6371.

Playhouse: The Pleasanton Playhouse needs volunteers to help build sets, clean the warehouse after set completion, work with costumes and props and help with maintenance of the Serpentine Lane facilities. For more information, call (925) 462-2121.

Docent training: The Dublin Heritage Center is seeking volunteers to act as tour guides at Old St. Raymond Church, the Original Murray Schoolhouse, and the Dublin Pioneer Cemetery. For more information, call Elizabeth Isles at (925) 803-4128.

Concert ushers: Classical Philharmonic is seeking ushers for concerts in Pleasanton and Oakland. For more information, call Gabrella Roff at (510) 352-3945.

Tour guides: Tracy Parks and Community Services Department's volunteer program, Volunteers in Tracy Actively Linked, needs volunteers to serve as museum docents for Tracy Historical Museum, marketing specialists, and mentors for the teen center. For more information, call Kim Scarlata, recreation supervisor at (209) 831-4240.

Give guided tours: Volunteer Tour Guides are needed at the Ravenswood Historic Site in Livermore to train as docents. Ravenswood is open for free public tours on the second Sunday of each month. Docents lead tours of the buildings and grounds and tell the story of the estate, the family who built it and early Livermore history. Other volunteer jobs are available in the gift shop and giving school group tours on weekdays. Call Maryalice Faltings at (925) 443-0238 for volunteer information.

Blackhawk Museum: The Blackhawk Museum at Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville welcomes volunteers. Volunteers serve as trained gallery hosts, tour docents and library aides. Volunteers must be members of the museum. Maureen Eackle, the volunteer coordinator at the museum, can be reached at (925) 736-2280.

Museum helpers: Volunteers are needed at the Amador-Livermore Valley Museum at 603 Main St. in Pleasanton. The museum has about 60 volunteers who help out with archives, exhibits, tours and other museum activities. The museum phone number is (925) 462-2766.

Heritage volunteers: The Heritage Guild needs daytime volunteers at the Carnegie Building, 2155 Third St. The guild seeks longtime residents who can help identify archival photographs that are decades old. Volunteers are also needed to help rearrange files, answer visitors' questions, sell publications and lead people on tours around the building. Call (925) 449-9927 for information.

Museum support: The Museum of the San Ramon Valley needs volunteer support. A museum guild was established in 1998. Its members provide support as docents, greeters, artists, event planners and other roles. The museum is located at the corner of Prospect and Railroad Avenues. Call (925) 837-3750 for information.

Fund-raising: BirthRight Pregnancy Support Services is looking for volunteers to assist with fund-raising, grant writing and other administrative duties. For more information, visit www.birthright.org or call John Kupski at (925) 606-8230.

HELPING LIBRARIES

Library supporters: Help support the Pleasanton Library by becoming a member of Friends of the Pleasanton Library. Membership entitles you to receive the newsletter and purchase books at the organization's Friday evening Preview Book Sales. The organization is located at 400 Old Bernal Ave., Pleasanton.

Shelve books: Ever wonder who puts books back on the shelves at your local library? Most likely, it's the work of a volunteer. Libraries are always looking for volunteers to do everything from cleaning to stocking shelves to selling used books, among other tasks, librarians say. Some libraries also receive help from semi-professionals. At the Tracy Public Library, clowns and storytellers have volunteered to provide learning and entertainment for children. Call the following numbers for more information: Tracy, (209) 831-4250; Manteca, (209) 825-2380; San Ramon, (925) 866-8467; Dublin, (925) 828-1315; Pleasanton, (925) 931-3400; Livermore, (925) 373-5500, (925) 373-5540, and (925) 373-5517; Danville, (925) 837-4889.

Deliver books: The Pleasanton Public library is expanding its service to homebound residents and is in need of committed volunteers who will be responsible for selecting library materials and delivering them to patrons. Volunteers will be interviewed and undergo a short training. Those interested in this program are encouraged to call (925) 931-3404 and ask for either Nancy or Jan.


Source: http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10671~1127715,00.html 

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