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.
PARENT RESOURCE CENTER
NEEDED: Volunteers 18 and older are needed for a Ladies Night Out fundraiser on Thursday, April 28, from 3 to 10 p.m. Opportunities include greeting guests, helping at the registration table, serving beverages and appetizers, clearing dishes and general cleanup. Volunteers also are needed 9 a.m. to noon for setup on Thursday and then for cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 29. Volunteers will need to wear black pants and black top with comfortable shoes.
CONTACT: Debbie Root, 209-549-8193, rootd@prcfamilies.org
AMERICAN CANCER
SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE
NEEDED: Volunteers ages 16 and older are needed 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 to assist with cleanup at all sites. Relay for Life Event dates start in April and go through September throughout locations in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties. Visit relay.acsevents.org for details.
CONTACT: Jasmyne Landry, 209-524-7241, jasmyne.landry@cancer.org
LEARNING QUEST
NEEDED: Volunteers 16 years and older are needed to spend 90 minutes twice a week increasing students’ basic reading skills. Orientation 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21; tutor training 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 23 at Learning Quest, 1032 11th St., Modesto. $10 cost for training materials; fee can be waived.
CONTACT: Natalie Melton, 209-558-4505, nmelton@lqslc.com
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 Saturday, April 23. Festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with free food and refreshments in front of Gallo Center for the Arts at 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
RIDE FOR MOM
NEEDED: Volunteers of all ages are needed May 6 and 7 to help during this community-organized bike ride. Beneficiaries in 2016 include: El Concilio Binational Health Fair, Teens Run Modesto, Boys & Girls Club of Stanislaus County and others. Opportunities include setting up supplies, helping with check-in and loading and unloading supplies. Other shifts will be scheduled to help serve food, greet riders and hand out medals. Youth volunteers will need a waiver signed by an adult. This event will take place at Johansen High School on Claus Road in Modesto.
CONTACT: Susan Dion, reach1@sbcglobal.net,
SOCIETY FOR DISABILITIES
NEEDED: Volunteers 14 and older on May 20 at annual Special Needs Prom. Opportunities include helping at the registration desk, decorating, set-up and cleanup. This event is formal attire and all volunteers will be served food. Set-up volunteers will need to arrive at 9:30 a.m. and volunteer hosts at 5 p.m. Event located at 801 Stewart Road, Modesto. Visit www.societyfordisabilities.org to register.
CONTACT: Matthew Tilford, 209-524-3536, matt@societyfordisabilities.org
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,
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. 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, 209-572-3117, npulido@interfaithmodesto.org
STANISLAUS COUNTY
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
NEEDED: Volunteers 22 and older are needed 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 April 15, 2016 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Modesto-area volunteer opportunities."