Family Promise of Lawrence provides support and services for homeless children and their families.

Family Promise is in need of volunteers to help in its office with typing thank-you notes, data input, mailing cards and other various tasks.

Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Attendance at a one-time training session is required before working with guests.

To volunteer with Family Promise contact Becky Peters by email at becky@lawrencefamilypromise.org.

Other immediate needs

• Ballard Community Center provides essential basic life assistance for families and individuals in need. The center seeks a volunteer to work 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoons at its North Lawrence location.

The volunteer would assist people in need of food as well as provide information on resources in the community to meet other needs they may have. Good interpersonal skills and the ability to use a computer, including inputting information into a database, are essential.

Contact Derek Roesler at 842-0729, ext. 101 or derek@ballardcenter.org.

• Friends of Hidden Valley provide support for Hidden Valley Camp. Four workdays are sponsored each year for maintenance and development of the campgrounds. The April workday is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 14. Volunteers of all ages are needed to clean up the campsite, cut and stock wood, mulch trails and assist with cleanup and repairs.

Volunteers will check in and sign a waiver prior to receiving work assignments. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. No special skills are required other than the pleasure of outdoor activity. Adults who can provide and safely handle chain saws are always needed. This is a great group service activity.

Contact Durand Reiber at 865-4657 or durandi@sunflower.com for more details.

• Douglas County Emergency Management provides a comprehensive program to handle all types of major emergencies for Douglas County. Several emergency response agencies are participating in a preparedness exercise from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 16.

The activity requires moulage victims. At least 13 volunteers are needed who are 18 years of age and older. Lunch will be provided following the event. This is a fun group service project and opportunity to tap into your theatrical talents.

To volunteer, email Sheila at smeggison@douglas-county.com.

• Big Brothers/Big Sisters provide one-to-one relationships for children facing adversity.

A “Big” is needed for the following boy: Valdez is 11 years old and a fifth-grader at New York School. Valdez is friendly, talkative, outgoing, laid-back and funny. His interests are sports and being active. He wants his future Big Brother to know that he is athletic and doesn’t like to sit long; he likes to move. He loves basketball, football and baseball and refers to them as the “Main 3.” Outside of the “Main 3,” Valdez would like to go roller skating and to the movies, and play video games and paintball with his Big Brother. He is open to a variety of activity ideas and is willing to try new things.

To volunteer, contact Stacie Salverson-Schroeder at 843-7359, ext. 112 or sschroeder@ksbbbs.org.

— For more opportunities, contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way’s Roger Hill Volunteer Center, at 865-5030 or volunteer@rhvc.org, or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.