Volunteer Opportunities: Deliver meals to homebound

Agency: Lawrence Meals on Wheels

Contact: Kim Cullis at 4mealsonwheels@sbcglobal.net or at 830-8844

Lawrence Meals on Wheels provides hot nutritious meals to the homebound elderly and/or disabled residents of Lawrence. Especially during the holiday season when regular drivers are out of town, volunteers are needed to serve as substitute drivers to make sure all of our clients are fed each week day. Delivery is during the lunch hour, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. Volunteers can sign up to substitute on a specific day each week, or on an “as available” basis. Routes generally take less than an hour to deliver to 6 to 8 homes. This is a great opportunity for families with young children looking for a meaningful opportunity during the school break.

Give back for holidays

The Salvation Army needs volunteers to assist with its Holiday Joy Shop where clothes and toys are made available for pick up by qualifying families. Joy Shop setup begins Dec. 12, and distribution is scheduled for Dec. 15 and 16. For more information, please contact jim_evers@usc.salvationarmy.org or call 764-0962.

Help serve those with disabilities

Independence, Inc. provides advocacy, services, and education for people with disabilities and for our community. Independence, Inc. is looking for reliable and friendly volunteers to help out at their front desk during the lunch hour on Monday’s and Wednesday’s. The front desk volunteers will help guests sign in and get to their appointment or meet with the appropriate staff person. Volunteers answer phones and transfer calls to the correct staff person. There is occasionally down time at the desk so volunteers are welcome to bring homework, projects that can be done at the desk and/or reading materials to enjoy. This is a great way to build job skills for your resume, help people in the community with disabilities and is a fun place to meet new people. Please contact Sarah at stalford@independenceinc.org or at 841-0333, ext. 119.

Be a Just Cook program manager

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. Just Food is looking for a volunteer to serve as its Just Cook program manager to help coordinate a volunteer-staffed learning program that delivers hands-on cooking and nutrition education to low-income community members in the Douglas County area, including Lawrence, Baldwin, Eudora and Lecompton. Duties and responsibilities include:

•Support the implementation of Just Cook programming in the Douglas County area, under the direction of the Program Director.

•Coordinate courses including managing the classroom, securing needed class materials and coaching and supporting volunteers and class participants.

•Work closely with team to implement Just Cook programming and project plans.

•Foster an inclusive, safe and fun learning environment for volunteers and class participants.

•Track program activities and record class successes through interviews, photographs and videos for quarterly program reports.

For more information, please contact Aundrea Shafer at programs@justfoodks.org.

Contribute gifts and money

Looking for a way to contribute to our community during the holidays but don’t have extra time to volunteer? The following agencies are in need of donations of gifts, food, and/or money:

• Douglas County CASA — 832-5172

• Douglas County Senior Services — 842-0543

• ECKAN — 841-3357

• Family Promise — 764-9506

• Lawrence Community Shelter — treym@lawrenceshelter.org

• Lawrence Meals on Wheels — 267-5900

• Penn House — wayne@ballardcenter.org

• TFI Family Services — swilhelm@tfifamily.org

• The Salvation Army — 764-0962

• The Willow Domestic Violence Center — 331-2034, ext. 105

• The Villages — 267-5900, ext. 0

• Toys for Tots — 766-3023.

— For more volunteer opportunities, please contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at 843-6626, ext. 301; at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org; or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.