Agency: Just Food

Contact: Jen Williams at operations@justfoodks.org or 785-856-7030

Just Food and its partners fight hunger in our community by increasing the availability of a variety of foods while reducing waste from discarded food. Due to higher numbers of clients being served, Just Food is in need of more regularly scheduled volunteers who can commit to a consistent day a week to help in areas like the warehouse and check-in/check-out in the food pantry. Our hours of operation are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 1-7 p.m. Monday. If you are interested, please contact Jen Williams at operations@justfoodks.org or 785-856-7030.

• The Plymouth Language Program provides the community with low-cost classes in language, citizenship and culture. The Language Program is looking for interested volunteers to instruct community Spanish Classes at Plymouth Congregational Church. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. The interested volunteer must have extensive experience speaking Spanish and be able to create lesson plans for the class periods. Guidance for the curriculum will be provided. Classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday starting Sept. 22 for 12 weeks. Classes are from 7-8 p.m. Instructors commit to teach one day a week, either Tuesday or Thursday. Please contact Joshua Spain at plymouthesl@gmail.com or 785-766-0928 to volunteer.

• The Friends of the Lawrence Public Library is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support the library’s collections, programs and services. Friends of the Library is looking for volunteers to serve as Subject Specialists who ensure the library has quality books on the shelves at sale time in the subject areas of mass market paperbacks, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks, anthropology and archaeology, psychology, sociology, true crime and westerns. Subject specialists will volunteer one to two hours, two times per month to maintain their subject area by organizing and arranging donated books. For more information, please contact Angela Thompson at athompson@lawrence.lib.ks.us or 785-843-3833.

• The Willow Domestic Violence Center provides safe shelter, advocacy and hope for survivors of domestic and family violence in Douglas, Franklin and Jefferson counties. The Willow has many ongoing volunteer opportunities including administrative office assistant, shelter advocate, community educator, community advocate, marketing and publicity, court advocate, special events and projects, child activities assistant and more. The volunteer opportunities require varying levels of training, ranging from six to 40 hours, dependent upon the opportunity. Please contact Becca Burns-Spielman at 785-331-2034, ext. 104, or bburns@willowdvcenter.org, for more information.

• The Lawrence Humane Society provides shelter, care and advocacy for homeless and abused animals in our community. The Lawrence Humane Society often takes their animals out into the community to facilitate adoptions. For these events to be successful, a dedicated group of volunteers is needed. Most of these events take place on weekends. Volunteers who wish to participate in this activity will help gather necessary materials at the shelter, bathe the dogs who are attending the event, help transport supplies and animals, help set up materials at the event and watch over the animals at the event. Satellite Adoption Volunteers are essential to putting furry friends in the spotlight. For more information, please contact Meghan at mscheibe@lawrencehumane.org or 843-6835.

• Small World is a nonprofit cultural and educational program that provides a fun, comfortable environment in which International women can improve English skills, adjust to the Lawrence community, learn about American culture and customs, and socialize with other women from diverse backgrounds. Small World is looking for a volunteer who is well organized and skilled with computers to maintain the program’s database. Data entry experience and proficiency with Excel spreadsheets are required for this position. Volunteer should be available to work on site on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please contact Kathy at smallworld@sunflower.com or 785-841-3645 for more information.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County provides one-to-one relationships for children facing adversity. Are you looking to make a difference in the life of a young boy in our community? Big Brothers Big Sisters has over 40 boys waiting for a one-on-one mentor. Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for a male mentor 18 years or older to spend a few hours a week with a 10-year-old boy on our waiting list. He enjoys video games, puzzles, YouTube, movies and science. He would like to be an astrologer one day and would love a Big who can talk about science and technology with him. If you are ready to make a difference in the life of a young person in our community, ask about volunteering today. If you are a male 18 years or older, a couple or a family, and have a few extra hours a week, please join us for more information about becoming a “Big” on Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. or Wednesdays at noon, at the United Way Building, 2518 Ridge Court, or ask about volunteering today by calling Big Brothers Big Sisters at 785-843-7359.

— For more volunteer opportunities, please contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at 785-865-5030, ext. 301 or at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.