Opportunities From: Metro United Way's Volunteer Connection

Come sponsor & serve a meal for our Cabbage Patch families! 

Volunteer duties include: Planning, purchasing & preparing a meal for about thirty individuals. Volunteer groups can prepare a meal from scratch (i.e. soups, taco bar, subs, lasagna, etc.), heat up a frozen or "ready" meal (like frozen pizza, lasagna, rotisserie chicken, etc.) or have food delivered to the Cabbage Patch for the monthly Patch Parent Meeting. 

Meals can be cooked off-site (to be heated up at the Cabbage Patch upon arrival) or on-site in the Cabbage Patch kitchen. For cooking on-site, groups of five volunteers work best (as groups bigger than this would have a hard time moving around the kitchen). 

Meal serving begins at 6:00 PM and lasts for approximately 30-40 minutes, with clean-up to follow. 

For questions / to sign up, please contact Chelsea Ricci at cricci@cabbagepatch.org!

Come & celebrate the birthdays of our Cabbage Patch kids by helping us to replenish our gift closet! 

We are looking for: 

For more information / to sign up, please contact Chelsea at cricci@cabbagepatch.org 

We need your help to keep great books accessible to communities 24/7. Visit Little Free Libraries in your community to distribute books! 

We can suggest where to look for free or inexpensive books, or if you already have some, you can share those too. You can find book-sharing boxes near you using our world map or free mobile app. 

Register in our volunteer hub to get started. Once you sign up, you will get access to tips & resources that you review independently online. Our Little Free Library staff can answer your questions through email or in a virtual Q&A session. You can share books whenever it works for you.  

This is a great opportunity for solo volunteers looking for something flexible to fit their schedule, or for parents looking for a volunteer activity they can do with kids. 

Purpose: By keeping Little Free Libraries full of books, you are helping to build community, inspire readers, and expand book access. 

Responsibilities:

Time required: You set your own schedule. It could be a one-time project or a regular book distribution schedule.

How we can support you: We'll help you start with some online training, and we will suggest sources for books.

Qualifications:

Questions: You can contact the Community Engagement Manager to ask questions. 

Communities are hungry for books! Help Little Free Library fulfill its mission of book access for everyone by coordinating a local book drive. You can lead a book drive and distributed the collected books to local Little Free Libraries. Little Free Library staff can answer your questions along the way. 

This is a flexible volunteer opportunity. You can coordinate your book drive during the times that work best for you and your community. 

How to get started: Sign up in our volunteer hub. After you register, we will send you a guide about how to coordinate a book drive. Then, staff will check in with you by email to offer support for your book drive planning.

Purpose: By keeping Little Free Libraries filled with books, you are helping to build community, inspire readers, and expand book access. 

Responsibilities:

Time Required: A typical book drive lasts about two weeks to one month, plus time beforehand to plan and promote the drive. 

Training & Resources Available: We will help you get to know our organization and share our tips for planning a successful book drive. 

Qualifications:

Benefits: Experience the satisfaction of getting more books into the hands of readers while connecting with your community. Volunteers in the US will get a free Little Free Library t-shirt after you record your impact in the Team LFL online hub. 

Supervision & Support: You can connect with the Community Engagement Manager to ask questions. 

Come & support our Cabbage Patch families by hosting a food and hygiene pantry drive! 

Current needed items include: canned baked beans, canned corn, snacks for kids, bar soap (esp. Dove soap), laundry detergent (esp. Free & Clear), dish soap, feminine hygiene products (unscented pads with wings & tampons), dryer balls or sheets, and cleaning products (bathroom / kitchen cleaners, bleach products, etc.). 

This opportunity includes the option to host a virtual drive by purchasing items from this link: https://a.co/1b1EW1d .

To sign up / receive more information, please contact Chelsea at cricci@cabbagepatch.org! 

Because we know access to books is a leading indicator of a child’s success in school, we build, maintain, and fill a network of 42 Little Free Libraries. Since installing the first libraries in 2015, we’ve distributed 200,000 books. These libraries provide free and easy access to books for children and families who may live a distance from public libraries or lack convenient transportation. We can use your support to help keep the libraries full! You can donate new or gently used books to ensure that everyone who visits the libraries has books.

Books can be dropped off to Metro United Way Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. Please email Dulce Solorio (dulce.solorio@metrounitedway.org) to coordinate a drop off time.

WHAT TO DONATE:

WHAT NOT TO DONATE:

We are looking for businesses, schools, churches, neighborhoods, and/or individuals to host diaper drives for our diaper bank -- we are the only diaper bank in the state of Kentucky that supplies diapers for multiple agencies in our community and the need is huge!

Our current need is for size Newborn, fives, sixes, and pull ups but all diapers are accepted. We will even accept open packages if your child has out-grown them. Diapers can be dropped off at St. Bernadette Church at 6500 St. Bernadette Ave, Prospect KY or you can call us if you need to arrange for a pickup. 

Monetary donations also accepted (make checks payable to Saint Bernadette Diaper Bank and send to 6500 St. Bernadette Ave, Prospect, Ky 40059 or donate online at https://stb2008.weshareonline.org).

For more detailed information contact us at saintbernadettediaperbank@gmail.com or call us at 502-425-2210 ext. 214 and leave a message. 

What’s often standing between people with cancer and life-saving treatment is a ride to get there. Help those facing cancer in your community get to appointments.

Volunteers with the American Cancer Society's Road To Recovery program use their personal vehicle to drive patients with limited or no transportation to cancer-related treatment appointments.

Rides are weekdays. You choose the rides that work with your schedule. Drivers are encouraged to provide a minimum of 2 rides per month.

Volunteer drivers are ages 18-84 with

Volunteers interested complete online training and a background check. Volunteers review available rides via an online scheduling tool.

We would love your help!
Connect here &/or check out cancer.org/drive to get started on training.

Many of the children at Bellewood & Brooklawn have experienced abuse and neglect and often arrive at our campus with their belongings in plastic garbage bags, unsure of what lies ahead. You can help ease their transition into our care and make it less intimidating. By donating items for our Welcome Baskets, you will help each child feel welcomed and supported as they begin their new journey.

Items needed for the baskets include a laundry basket, shampoo/conditioner, body wash, toothbrush/toothpaste, towels, washcloths, blankets, small games, stuffed animals, and more.

Donations can be dropped off at our Brooklawn campus, located at 3121 Brooklawn Campus Drive, Louisville, KY 40218, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For more information or to coordinate your donation, please reach out to Marcie Stewart, Volunteer Coordinator, via email at mstewart@bellewoodandbrooklawn.org. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in these children's lives.

Many of the children at Bellewood & Brooklawn have faced abuse and neglect, and while we wish they didn’t have to spend their birthday with us, we want to make sure they feel truly special on their big day. You can help make their birthday celebrations memorable by donating to our "Birthday Bags."

These bags are given to our residents to help make their birthday feel joyful and celebrated within their cottages. Items we need for the Birthday Bags include a decorated birthday bag for youth aged 7 to 18, plates and napkins for 15 people, a birthday tablecloth and decorations, birthday candles, a birthday card with warm wishes, and a small gift like puzzles or other small games.

We ask that the items be gender-neutral to be as inclusive as possible. Homemade cards or signs are welcome, but please avoid religious language, as we serve individuals from all faiths and backgrounds.

Donations can be dropped off at our Brooklawn campus, located at 3121 Brooklawn Campus Drive, Louisville, KY 40218, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For more information or to coordinate your donation, please reach out to Marcie Stewart, Volunteer Coordinator, via email at mstewart@bellewoodandbrooklawn.org. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in these children's lives.

Kentucky Harvest is looking for volunteer drivers to pick up excess food from grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores and deliver it to one of our various non-profit partners. Volunteers will download the Kentucky Harvest app and select routes that pick their schedule. When it is time for a volunteer route, the app will give drivers step-by-step instructions on where to go, who to talk to, and what to pick up. Volunteers expect the entire process to take about an hour and a half from start to finish.

Kept Inc works with adults who are living with a disability.  Some of these adults have difficulty accessing their community to build and maintain friendships.   A community companion would be paired 1:1 with someone who currently receives services from Kept.  The community companion would foster friendship with the individual they are paired with through a monthly phone call.  The companion would be available to chat, give advice, encourage and generally be a touch point in the community for healthy relationship building for the Kept client.  

Host a shoe donation drive at your school, church, business, organization or in your own neighborhood. 

Decide the dates you want to hold the drive. Contact our Shoe Department at 502-568-6342  and we can provide collection boxes and marketing resources to kick off your initiative! Visit our website, www.waterstep.org and our social media channels to learn more about our latest projects.

LYG is looking for adult volunteers to help update and renovate our space through:

Please email Volunteer@louisvilleyouthgroup.org for more information.

LYG staff work incredibly hard to ensure that our space stays orderly and clean, but it can be a lot to manage when you have 100 or so youth in and out of the space during the week. If creating order where there is chaos is your vacuum bag, and you'd love to be best friends with Marie Kondo, spend an hour or two help LYG tidy our space. The staff will adore you.

Mx. Clean will help maintain the LYG Program Rooms by:

Mx. Clean will help assess and organize our program supplies by:

LYG maintains a resource closet for Trans and Non-binary youth to access gender-affirming clothing and accessories. We are looking for 3-4 volunteers to help LYG receive donations and keep the closet organized and updated. Email Volunteer@louisvilleyouthgroup.org to get more information.

Every year LYG has a number of volunteer opportunities that are not part of our regular schedule. If you'd like to stay up-to-date on all of our volunteer experiences as they grow and evolve, email: Volunteer@louisvilleyouthgroup.org

Pasta Dinner and Talent Show

Every spring our youth work together with staff and volunteers to plan and host LYG's annual Pasta Dinner and Talent Show. This is the community's favorite LYG fundraiser and it requires a lot of hands working together to make it happen. Keep your eyes and ears open to find out how to support this event each year.

Pride Festivals & Events

LYG participates in all of Kentuckiana's major Pride events. Each year we encourage volunteers and supporters to march in parades, represent LYG at events, and help plan and run the Family Zone.

Queer Prom

Every Spring, LYG throws a "Silent Disco" Queer Prom for LGBTQIA+ and Allied folks. We always need a strong setup team, engaging chaperones, activity leaders, and a clean up crew.

Glitter Gala

The Glitter Gala is LYG's annual 21+ fundraising event. LYG is dedicated to featuring local Queer artists and performers, supporting local businesses, and celebrating the work of LYG and the people who make that work possible. LYG invites volunteers to join the Gala planning committee, or to help manage logistics the day of the event.

Empowerment Camp

Each Fall, LYG takes 60 LGBTQIA+ youth on a weekend trip to offer them the opportunity to build stronger relationships, develop their leadership skills and experience nature. There are a lot of pre-camp errands and tasks that volunteers can support, and we're always looking for reliable volunteers to be camp counselors. (Counselors need to pass a background check and do a short training with our program team before leaving for camp)

NYE Youth Lock-in

NYE is the perfect night for an overnight party. LYG offers youth a safe, and fun filled night to celebrate the New Year! LYG can always use help preparing for the lock-in, and we always need chaperones to spend the night. (Chaperones need to pass a background check and do a short training with our program team before the lock-in)

**THIS IS OPPORTUNITY IS FOR NEW MENTORS**

LYG mentors create a brave space for our youth, build trust through relationships, and promote positive conversation and self-image. Mentors strengthen LYG by sharing their unique talents and gifts with our youth, staff, and each other.   You must be between the ages of 21+ to mentor for our Junior Group (5-12) or 24+ to mentor for our young adult groups (13-24).

Mentor Commitment & Expectations: These are subject to change due to Public Health concerns, Program changes, and LYG Staff capacity.

Mentors are supervised by the Program Director, and may work collaboratively with other LYG staff / program coordinators.

If you haven't already, Apply to be a New Mentor here: https://forms.gle/nyfRh1NjdLErRb4V8

The youth at Louisville Youth Group LOVE to play board games.  To build program capacity, we are renovating our former board room into a gamer's paradise, complete with tabletop games, a video game station, and storage!  We need your help to provide games, game consoles, gaming supplies (ex: dice, reusable maps, DM screens, figurines, etc.) to help entertain and engage the youth we serve.

Level Up your volunteer service by donating in demand items, and/or holding a supply drive for LYG!  Check out our list of desired Game Room treasures here: https://a.co/4efw2AP

For more information, reach out to the LYG Team at Volunteer@louisvilleyouthgroup.org

LYG provides a Free Resource Closet of shoes, clothing, accessories, and gender-affirming items to build self-confidence and gender euphoria. Your donation helps provide these critical items to support youth and young adults in their identity and mental health, especially as many states are prohibiting medical transitioning services.

We need your help to provide these items in a wide range of sizes and skin tones for our growing community.

Here are links to our Amazon Wish list, and companies that provide the items we are in need of:

We need a dedicated volunteer to help us pickup Pizza donations in Valley Station!  Items are not heavy and personal SUV or Truck can be used.

Monday Pickups at 10 am.

When a refugee family is resettled through Catholic Charities, they come to our location to receive the things they need from our room of items donated by the community. Our current space is like a warehouse: all of our incoming and outgoing donations are in one space, and it makes for an overwhelming experience for clients already acclimating to a totally new country. Still, we want to give clients the dignity to pick out items like household goods and clothing for themselves. By redesigning the donation room, clients will have their own space to “shop.” Staff will spend significantly less time sorting through donations and more time directly helping clients. 

We will be moving the shopping space to another building on our campus and want it to be a dignified “store-like” experience for our clients. Our student group will help us to move the items and the needed accessories to the new building. The old space will be used as a place to efficiently sort donations that will eventually be given to clients.

When a refugee family is resettled through Catholic Charities, they come to our location to receive the things they need from our room of items donated by the community. Our current space is like a warehouse: all of our incoming and outgoing donations are in one space, and it makes for an overwhelming experience for clients already acclimating to a totally new country. Still, we want to give clients the dignity to pick out items like household goods and clothing for themselves. By redesigning the donation room, clients will have their own space to “shop.” Staff will spend significantly less time sorting through donations and more time directly helping clients. 

We will be moving the shopping space to another building on our campus and want it to be a dignified “store-like” experience for our clients. Our student group will help us to move the items and the needed accessories to the new building. The old space will be used as a place to efficiently sort donations that will eventually be given to clients.

We will hopefully have lots of refugee arrivals in April! While I do not have specific dates yet, I will update this opportunity when I have specific dates/times for refugee apartment set ups. 

As part of our work for refugees at Catholic Charities, we find and set up housing for newly arrive families and individuals. In order to make sure our clients feel welcomed, safe, and happy as they arrive to Louisville we make sure their housing is completely ready for them when they arrive. This takes volunteers to help make beds, set up kitchens/bathrooms, carry in furniture, etc. so our clients are settled in places they can call home! 

ChooseWell Communities' mission is to create a community that equips families in recover with children under the age of five to choose well for their future.

Every Wednesday, ChooseWell Communities has their clients and their families come to our space at Sanctuary Church for programming. While they are with us, the families are unable to have a family meal. That's where you come in!

Empty nesters who are used to feeding an army? Any grill masters who love time making meals? Is cooking your love language?

We are looking for volunteers who want to make meals for our families while they are doing what they need to improve their situation and have a better life for themselves and their family. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant, just enough to feed about 45 people (20 adults, 25 kids). 

Any help is always appreciated! You can also use this link: Meal Train

New Directions' Repair Affair program organizes volunteer teams to assist low-income, elderly homeowners with free home repairs. Repairs range from simple yard work to more complicated handyman level repairs.

2NOT1 uses intergenerational mentoring with a social-emotional learning focus in its theBLUEPRINT Rites of Passage (ROP) program, which is designed to advance black male achievement. ROP teaches boys how to deal with life conflicts as they transition from middle school to high school.

2NOT1 is seeking volunteers and mentors to advocate and support the boys through this transition.  The meetings will be held once a week and outings will be offered on weekends.  The outings are camping, fishing, gun safety initiatives, and other activities that offers the boys new opportunities and experiences.  

2NOT1 is also seeking individual who wants to donate or prepare a meal for a meeting.  There will be approximately 15 individuals including the boys and mentors. 

The Boys & Girls Clubs will be serving hundreds of kids this summer.  If you are your company is interested in collecting supplies for summer fun, we are in need of the following items:

Popsicles

sidewalk chalk

bubbles 

jump ropes

playground balls

kites

hula hoops

water balloons

wooden paddle balls

ankle skip balls

slinkies

giant yard games (jenga, connect 4 etc.)

We have recently moved into the Louisville Pride LGBTQ+ center and we are looking for help with the cleanup and organizing of our facilities. Help us with cleaning our parking lot, organizing our offices and community spaces, changing doorknobs, and additional tasks not listed.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana is seeking donations of hygiene products to distribute to the youth we serve. Suggested items are listed below.

Donations can be delivered to the administrative office located at 3900 Crittenden Drive Mon.-Fri. from 9:00-5:00.  Please call or email Tina Hood to arrange for drop off or pick up 502 338-6283, 503 585-5437 ext. 202or thood@bgckyana.org.

Kids are ready for a snack after a long day at school. We are reaching out to ask for donations of snack items for the kids we serve. Please see the list of suggested items below.

Donations can be delivered to the administrative office located at 3900 Crittenden Drive Mon.-Fri. from 9:00-5:00.  Please call or email Tina Hood to arrange for drop off or pick up 502 338-6283, 503 585-5437 ext. 202, or thood@bgckyana.org.

Variety Pack of chips - regular and hot

Baked chips

Oreo Cookies

Grandma Cookies

Nabisco Cookies

Frosted Animal cookies

Juice

Candy - variety

Cheese Cracker

Peanut Butter Crackers

Granola Bars

Fruit Snacks

Fruit Roll ups

Little Debbie Snack Cakes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Honey Buns

Rice Crispy Treats

Cheese-its

Gold-fish

Trail Mix

Chex Mix

Pringles

Pretzels

Fruit cups

Slim Jims

Rice Crispy treats

Teddy Grahams

General landscaping: weeding, trimming, pruning, mulch and cleaning gutters; height is 8 foot.

Pick up any yard debris and trash.

Pressure wash the deck, patio and walkways.

Clean windows inside and outside.

Are you available on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month and have a SUV/Truck/Van?

SPARC Hope currently has a partnership with Dare to Care where we receive frozen goods, fresh produce, and nonperishable/ perishable items. We are needing to build a team (2-4 people) to pick up our Dare to Care order with an SUV/Van/Truck and deliver to SPARC Hope.

Dare to Care Location: 5803 Fern Valley Rd, Louisville, KY 40228

One way we help fund our consignment program is by having donors consign their gently used items to local consignment stores we work with in our name. The proceeds from the sold consigned-items are then donated to our program fund. We then get credit from the consignment store to give to our clients to use when needed.  This offers our clients a nice savings on their clothing budget.

We need someone that knows the ins and outs of consigning,  best places to consign, and is willing to take the task of OWNING our Consignment Program. This opportunity can be done off-site or from home once training is provided. Responsibilities include:

Looking for a way to volunteer but you just don’t have time, physical capability, or a lot of resources. Do you have a group of friends, family or church members that are looking for ways to support an organization? Let me introduce you to SPARC Hope, we are a non-profit that supports single working parents who are pursuing higher education. We provide resources and services directly to the parent and their families as they work toward the goal of providing a better and brighter future for their families.

One resource we provide is an on-site pantry where parents can come shop for all their grocery and household needs. This offers them a savings of $200-600 a month and an overall program benefit of $6600 a year.  To start a pantry-drive, you can check out our website for our SPARC Hope Pantry Needs, check out our Facebook page, or call our office at 245-9899 to find out what our pantry needs are.

You can also host a themed pantry-drive for holidays or important milestones. We are looking for volunteers to assist/coordinate our special programs throughout the year that assist our clients. By coordinating, you can host a drive, put together baskets, provide resources, put together a team, adopt a family. Some basket ideas and holiday drives include:

C.H.O.I.C.E. (Children Have Options In Choosing Experiences) Inc is a community board seeking professionals from varied roles willing to use their talents, circle of influences, and positive energy to help move the agency's mission forward. Board members are eager to fully leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop collective action to achieve C.H.O.I.C.E. Inc’s strategic planning goals.

Board members serve as active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and fully engage in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for C.H.O.I.C.E. Inc to advance its mission. An influential community board member understands it consists of more than just attending community board meetings thus involves a mid to high level of commitment. The following standards are sought in C.H.O.I.C.E. Board Members:

Board meetings occur quarterly via Zoom until March 2022 then we will assess resuming discussions in person. If unable to attend the meeting, members are responsible for giving notice to the agency of your absence. Members are required to attend 75% of the scheduled meetings to maintain awareness and functionality of the agency.

C.H.O.I.C.E. aims to provide an environment open to creative ideas to help youth thrive with many opportunities to grow ones’ leadership skills. If you have any questions or would like to serve on C.H.O.I.C.E.’s Board, don't hesitate to contact our Program Coordinator, Dr. Shannon, choiceinc.dawn@gmail.com. Learn more about C.H.O.I.C.E. by visiting www.choicelouisville.org!

Our member garden is in need of some TLC. Our members use this garden during our Gardening group as well as our Healthy Eating and Living group.

Our new art studio is in need of supplies for our members art therapy groups.

Donation pick-up volunteers transport food donations to and from various partners including Fresh Market and Kroger. Schedules for drivers are flexible during the daytime on weekdays. Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation needed.

We serve our homeless community. Help us by putting together Personal Care Kits. These can include hygiene items, personal care wipes (bearing in mind they may not have access to water), socks, and a $5 McDonalds Gift Card. Putting these items in a small duffel or backpack would be appreciated.

We are creating an onsite pantry for much needed items for our members. We are in need of donations of toilet paper, soap and etc. Please let us know if you can help.

Our Therapy garden is in need of flowers and dirt and TLC. Please let us know if you would like to come help out!

More people in our community are hungry than ever before.  The pandemic has been unkind at best, devastating at worst, and more people than ever are turning to food banks and other organizations to keep food on their table.   While social distancing still prevents us from gathering in large numbers, we can all make a difference by donating non-perishable food items to these organizations.  Whether you choose to support Dare To Care, the Lords Kitchen, Salvation Army, Wayside Christian Mission, Feed Louisville, your local house of worship or community center, you will be making a difference in people's lives.  

If you wish to participate as a family you can organize a "reverse food drive" in their neighborhood, and all ages can participate!

Step 1. Make flyers explaining what you are doing, why you are collecting food, what your goal is and when you will collect the items.  Ask people to put a bag on their front steps by the designated date and time for you to pick up if they wish to participate.  

Step 2. Put the flyers in mailboxes or in front doors in your neighborhood.

Step 3.  Collect the bags and deliver them to the organization you are supporting.  

Please join us in this effort to fight hunger during the month of April. 

Support the disaster recovery of individuals, families, and communities through the activities of Casework and Recovery Planning, Recovery Systems, and Community Recovery.  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1. Conduct client interviews: both initial interview and follow-up conversations, according to standards
2. Assess qualifications for direct client assistance
3. Use the Client Assistance System 2.0 to document the assistance and services provided in the client record according to standards 
4. Assist with recovery planning, problem-solving and advocacy on request according to standards
5. Provide clients with information and referrals to community partners 
6. Learn about the Recovery activities and develop knowledge, skills, expertise in Casework and Recovery Planning, Systems and/or Community Recovery
Has the option to work remotely after completing required training.