It’s Friday (and gloriously sunny out, if you haven’t noticed), and you know what that means? Volunteer round-up time! This is where we tell you about all the new volunteer opportunities that were posted on the United Way Volunteer Website in the past week. If you don’t see anything on this list that strikes your fancy, fear not! There are hundreds more volunteer listings for you to peruse at www.uwkc.org/volunteer. Yeehaw!

Tutor/Mentor Refugee Youth

Sponsor: Coalition For Refugees…

A Los Angeles Times article recently dubbed Seattleites “snow wimps” after our mid-January wintry blast shut down much of the city. Clearly, what the LA
Times didn’t know was that despite the snow, ice, and generally nasty weather, nearly 1,300 volunteers (and volunteer managers!) throughout King County left the comfort of their warm homes to spend the day serving the community in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Students from Seattle University and the University of Washington came…

There are many opportunities for community members to bring their skills and talents to the nonprofit community in King County.  And so many individuals in our community are ready to step up and help out!   United Way of King County is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for individuals wanting to make an impact.   You can invest your time and talent as a volunteer consultant with the Volunteer Impact Program (VIP).  Help local organizations gain the tools to effectively tap the skills and talents…

This month’s volunteer spotlight comes from Communities in Schools of Federal Way where Dean has been a mentor for 3 years. Communities in Schools is a nonprofit that works closely with schools, social services, businesses and thousands of volunteers to get young people the things they need to learn and grow. Dean Anderson has been a mentor with CIS for 3 years, where he has stood out for the unconditional support he provides his mentees Says a CIS staff member, “What sets Dean apart from…

Veterans Day is a bit of an anomaly of a holiday. Unlike its fellow Federal Holidays, Presidents Day and Columbus Day, that recognize people who have made important contributions to our country, Veterans Day is unique in that many of those being honored are still alive, and virtually all of us have some connection to them. That’s pretty neat if you think about it. Maybe it’s your uncle who served in Vietnam, or your little sister stationed overseas, or a parent of a…

This month’s volunteer spotlight comes from CRISTA Senior Living where Pat Cochrane volunteers as a writing instructor, helping her fellow residents record their life stories. Here’s what Kelly Moeller, Volunteer Coordinator with CRISTA Senior Living, has to say about Pat:

“Pat moved to Cristwood Park, our independent community with her husband Warren. As soon as she arrived, she volunteered to teach a writing class: “Telling Your Life Story” to fellow residents. In this class, each resident is given the opportunity to write personal stories about

…

Oh winter time…don’t you just love it? I love putting on warm socks, a hat and a fuzzy pair of warm gloves. It
really makes me smile. What if that wasn’t an option for you though? What if there were not any means to obtain clean warm socks, a hat and gloves by the time we stop seeing the sun in Seattle? It might get pretty cold and it would be worse if you got sick.

This is the reality that many homeless…

This month’s volunteer spotlight comes from YouthCare, a local nonprofit that provides shelter, support, and services to homeless youth. For the past year, Karl Jacobson has been YouthCare’s donation organizer extraordinaire, sorting through used clothing donations, organizing hygiene supplies, and distributing non-perishable food, “all with a smile on his face, a bounce in his step and sometimes a bead of sweat running down his face.” Says Randi McKenna, Volunteer Coordinator with YouthCare:

“Often times we would have to convince Karl to leave at 5pm after

…

This month’s volunteer spotlight comes from Wellspring Family Services, a local nonprofit that helps families achieve self sufficiency. For the past three years Faridah Abdullah has been volunteering her data entry skills to Wellspring Family Services, but it is clear that she brings with her so much more. Here’s what Kelly Pearson, Special Events Coordinator at WFS had to say:

“Faridah takes the bus across town to bring her own special sunshine to the staff of Wellspring Family Services. She walks across the busy street,

…

In just two short months, our fantastic Bridge to Basics volunteers committed over 100 hours to connecting people in the community to much needed resources. We’d like to spotlight one of our volunteers:

George Lauer just finished his junior year at Seattle University and plans to graduate next year with a degree in Social Work. This term of Bridge to Basics, George went beyond his required service learning hours for school. George’s warm personality and humor made him a great asset to the…