Modesto-area volunteer opportunities
Volunteers are needed by several groups in and around Modesto. Call the Volunteer Center of United Way, 209-524-1307, or email volunteer@uwaystan.org.
MODESTO MARATHON
NEEDED: Volunteers 15 and older for several opportunities March 19-20 at one of the largest running events in the Central Valley. Opportunities include, pre-race preparation, course monitor, registration, packet pick-up, finish line, medical and clean-up. Volunteers will receive gift, volunteer shirt and meal coupon. Visit http://modestomarathon.com/volunteers/.
CONTACT: Gabriela Guerrini, volunteer@modestomarathon.com
STANISLAUS COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION
NEEDED: Volunteers 15 and older to help at the 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 26 at Modesto Reservoir. Volunteers will help supervise the egg hunts and help with field games such as sack races, three-legged races, water balloon toss, as well as in other areas. Volunteers orientation is Monday, March 14, 7-8 p.m.
CONTACT: Ashley Garcia, 209-505-7644, ashley@neverboring.com
SOCIETY FOR DISABILITIES ADAPTED BIKE CAMP
NEEDED: Volunteers 14 and older March 28-April 1 at Ustach Middle School to assist and encourage children as they learn to ride two-wheel bike, through special adaptive equipment and volunteer support. The camp is Monday through Friday of Spring Break (for most students). Volunteers can choose the morning or afternoon sessions or all day. Lunch provided for those working the full day. All volunteers must complete an application and volunteers over age 18 must pass a background check.
CONTACT: Matthew Tilford, 209-524-3536, matt@societyfordisabilities.org
SOCIETY FOR DISABILITIES MIRACLE LEAGUE
NEEDED: Volunteers 14 and over April 9-May 28 to be baseball buddies to help assist players with disabilities. All games will be played on Saturdays. Volunteers will be paired with the same player for the entire season. Games will be played at Miracle League Field on Big Valley Grace Campus on the corner of Pelandale Avenue and Tully Road in Modesto. Volunteers can register at www.miracleleaguemodesto.com/registration/.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE
NEEDED: Volunteers age 16 and older on the first day of each relay to register walkers and teams, assist with the sales and set up luminaries and help with other activities, and on Sunday to assist with clean up at all sites. Relay for Life brings together more than 3.5 million people to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost to the disease and fight back against it. Relay for Life event dates start in April and go through September throughout locations in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Merced County. Visit http://relay.acsevents.org for details.
CONTACT: Jasmyne Landry, jasmyne.landry@cancer.org, 209-524-7241
LOVE MODESTO
NEEDED: Volunteers of all ages are invited to take part this year in family-friendly projects in Modesto and throughout Stanislaus County on April 23. More than 100 projects provide various opportunities, including offering food to the hungry, visiting senior adults, building a home for a family in need, delivering baked goods to public servants, cleaning a park and donating blood. Festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with free food and refreshments in front of the Gallo Center for the Arts on I and 10th streets. Love Modesto works with organizations such as Delta Blood Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Modesto Schools, World Relief, Without Permission and many others.
CONTACT: Jeff Pishney, 209-566-9343, jeff@lovemodesto.com
DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER
NEEDED: Volunteers 25 and older who are willing to commit to working two 3.5-hour shifts per month for at least one year for the Service League volunteer program. All Volunteers will receive a 25-hour training orientation in the areas of service selected. Prospective volunteers must be dependable, organized, work well with people, complete the application process and pass a background check.
CONTACT: Sandi O’Neill, 209-342-3124 or Sandra.oneill@tenethealth.com
UNITED WAY OF STANISLAUS COUNTY
NEEDED: Volunteers are needed to support the United Way’s CHEF Health Initiative at Caswell Elementary School in Ceres and Bret Harte Elementary School in Modesto. The CHEF initiative provides bags of healthy food as well as nutrition education classes for parents and students. Volunteers can help build bags of healthy food on two Fridays a month and/or assist teachers in providing nutrition education on one Saturday a month.
CONTACT: Cory Brown, 209-523-4562,
CBrown@uwaystan.org
INTERFAITH MINISTRIES
NEEDED: Volunteers ages 18 and older to help reduce the amount of wasted home-grown fruit and produce while increasing access to low-income families through the Gleaning & Gathering program. This program helps supply fresh produce to the Feed Modesto Food Pantry and Free Mobile Farmers Market at Interfaith Ministries. Individuals and groups are needed to help harvest produce, which is donated by residents throughout Stanislaus County. Times available are 9 a.m.-noon and typically there is only one to three days’ notice of dates when volunteers are needed. Travel is provided by the agency. Tools are provided. Bring your own lunch and water. You must be physically able to stand, stoop, lift and carry heavy items.
CONTACT: Naomi Pulido, npulido@interfaithmodesto.org, 209-572-3117.
STANISLAUS COUNTY
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
NEEDED: Volunteers 22 and older for the STARS program. STARS citizen volunteers assist the Sheriff’s Department in many roles including patrolling the county, court security, jail assistance, vacation house checks, neighborhood watch and more. Must be able to commit to at least 10 hours a month, pass an oral board and pass a background investigation.
CONTACT: Deputy Del Nero, 209-558-8930
This story was originally published March 11, 2016 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Modesto-area volunteer opportunities."