Tenants to Homeowners Inc. is seeking volunteer mentors for its “A Place To Make Your Own” program. Volunteer mentors are needed as key participants in the effort to increase affordable housing opportunities, post-occupancy longevity and self-sufficiency for families who desire safe, affordable housing, offered through various low-income programs in the community. Each mentor will support the family in their effort to develop suitable, permanent housing. Volunteers will be supported in their work by program leadership and collaborating resource referrals, and training will be provided. Mentors can expect to spend four to six hours each month for about the first three months of the yearlong commitment; less time will be required as the program progresses.

Volunteers should possess a basic understanding of monthly budgeting and personal finance, should have a history of independent living, preferably for more than a few years, must understand and respect confidentiality of program participants, and should have good interpersonal skills and the ability to accept and interact with people without judgment. For more information about this pilot program, contact Robert Baker at 785-842-5494 or rbakerth@gmail.com.

Other immediate needs

• Douglas County Senior Services, or DCSS, in cooperation with Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas, or SHICK, is currently recruiting volunteers to become trained SHICK counselors. Volunteers will help seniors navigate the Medicare maze. Training will be held in Lawrence on May 9, June 20 and July 25. Following training, the volunteers may choose to offer guidance as a comprehensive Medicare counselor, assisting beneficiaries in all areas of Medicare, or they may choose to help with open enrollment for Medicare managed care and prescription drug plans. If you are interested in hearing more about these rewarding volunteer opportunities, contact Criss Tomlin, SHICK Coordinator at DCSS, at 785-842-0543.

• Lawrence’s Earth Day Celebration is in need of volunteer help in South Park on Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help with setup from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and cleanup from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you’re available to help with these tasks during either time frame, contact Cassandra Ford at 785-832-3026 or cford@lawrenceks.org.

• Independence Inc. is seeking volunteers to scrape and paint a small house in Eudora for an elderly person in need. Ten to 12 volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 28. A volunteer with the ability to reattach an outdoor light fixture is also needed. If you can help for all, or part, of the time, contact Tami Clark at 785-841-7500 or tami@

fumclawrence.org.