Agency: Small World

Address: 2415 Clinton Parkway

Contact Person: Kathy Mulinazzi, 841-3645

Small World provides women of different nationalities an opportunity to learn and practice English and share their culture as they acclimate to life in the United States. Classes meet from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The program needs reliable women of all ages to take care of children while their mothers attend classes. The greatest need is for the 2- to 3-year-old room. Volunteers will supervise children and do activities common to other preschools like singing time and snacks. Volunteers may also help with the other rooms, which include a nursery and one for 4, 5, and 6-year-olds. The program also needs volunteer substitute teachers to teach English classes.

Kathy Mulinazzi said this was a great opportunity for stay-at-home moms to expose their children to others from different cultures or for older women to provide children with a grandmotherly influence. Volunteers will get the chance to work with people from all over the world and help them adjust to life in the United States.

Last week’s results

Steve Ozark said he had a fantastic response from people volunteering to keep the warming center open evenings for homeless residents during the winter. He received over thirty new volunteers, but still has spaces that need to be filled. Volunteers work from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays or in four-hour blocks on weekends. They have an opportunity to meet homeless residents and do activities like games, movies and sports. To volunteer, contact Ozark at oztalent@aol.com or 841-5335.

Immediate volunteer needs

• ARC of Douglas County provides advocacy, education, service coordination and support for people with developmental disabilities. They are seeking volunteers to help with monthly activities for children with special needs. Volunteers will assist with transportation to and from activities and chaperone children attending activities such as bowling and movies. Training is provided. Contact Barb Bishop at 842-0121.
• Babcock Place is looking for a volunteer to pick up newspapers it collects and deliver them to central collection sites. The schedule is flexible based on the volunteer’s availability. Volunteers need upper body strength and a vehicle. Contact Gayle Sigurdson at 832-1692.
• About 40 to 50 children are waiting to be matched with a mentor in the “Bigs in School” program. Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Douglas County matches youth with a mentor based on mutual interests. “Bigs” meet with their students at school once per week during or after school for about an hour. To learn more about becoming a “Big in School,” contact Becki Carl Stutz at 843-7359.

For more volunteer opportunities, call the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, a service of the United Way of Douglas County, at 865-5030 or online at www.rhvc.org