Agency: Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas

Contact: Marie Treichel at 865-0669 or at marie@east.ks.childcareaware.org

Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas helps people find solutions for their child care needs, shares information about community resources and assists early-learning programs. Child Care Aware is looking for a volunteer to assist in its lending library, taking inventory on resources and cleaning supplies as they are checked in. This opportunity is available at your convenience Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and is under the guidance of the library resource specialist. No experience is necessary. Please contact Marie Treichel at 865-0669 or at marie@east.ks.childcareaware.org for more information.

• Douglas County CASA is looking for volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes and are in the care of the court. CASAs monitor the case, attend hearings and meetings, submit reports to the court and advocate for the child. Volunteers must be 21, submit an application, pass a background check and complete 30 hours of training. For more information, go to www.dccasa.org and click on Volunteer, or contact Maria Butler at 832-5172, or at mbutler@douglas-county.org.

• Lawrence Meals on Wheels provides hot meals to the homebound elderly and/or disabled residents of Lawrence. Meals on Wheels needs regular weekly drivers for lunch delivery, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Routes generally take less than an hour and require deliveries to six to eight homes. Please contact Kim Culliss at 830-8844 or at 4mealsonwheels@sbcglobal.net, for more information.

• Visiting Nurses Association, which provides home health care and hospice care in Douglas County, is looking for volunteers to serve as patient companions. Work directly with patients and families by providing needed companionship in home settings or care facilities. Volunteers must commit to one year of service and be available for weekly assignments. Availability in the morning or early afternoon is preferable. Mandatory hospice training will be provided. No medical knowledge required. For more information, please contact Sarah Rooney at 843-3738 or at sarahro@kansasvna.org.

• Girl Scouts of Douglas County needs troop leaders for Daisy and Brownie troops at several elementary schools. The agency welcomes a variety of adults to volunteer; college students, young professionals, retirees, aunts, uncle and grandparents all have valuable skills to share with girls. Troop leaders generally volunteer for a few hours each week running their troop meeting or activity, plus a few additional hours in planning and preparation. Training is provided by the Girl Scout council, and additional support, networking and mini-trainings are conducted as part of a monthly leader’s meeting. Please contact Lori Hanson at 842-5427 or at lorihanson@gsksmo.org for more information.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County provides one-to-one relationships for children facing adversity. Have you always wanted to be a mentor but felt you didn’t have enough time? Consider volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters “Bigs In School” program. Volunteers will meet with a child at a local school for 30 minutes once a week. All meetings are on school grounds only. Forty-five boys and girls in Lawrence schools could benefit from having a positive role model in their lives. For more information, please contact Stacie Salverson-Schroeder at 843-7359, ext. 112, or at sschroeder@ksbbbs.org.

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