Volunteering

"We have gotten at least 10 requests for more information on volunteering for the DC Chapter of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program from our listing on HillZoo -- and several have turned out to be great assests to our program! We really appreciate being listed on your site."
- Suzanne Struglinski, Co-Alumni Adviser, DC HOBY

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf - You might remember Alexander Graham Bell for such accomplishments as say, inventing the telephone. If that doesn't ring a bell (no pun intended), then surely you remember that in 1890 he founded the largest organization in the US focused on the needs of hearing-impaired children who use auditory approaches to communicate. AG Bell is looking for volunteers to help at their national headquarters in Georgetown. For more information, contact Elissa Brooks at 202.337.5220

Alexandria Jaycees - The Alexandria Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, is a leadership development and community service organization for 21-39 year olds. This chapter is very active, and there is usually something going on four or five nights a week. However, they do not have any mandatory activities, so there won't be an enthusiastic "Membership Chair" stalking you at home or overloading your 'In-Box.' You choose what interests you from the wide variety of things they offer. For more information, contact the Membership Vice President at 703.866.7171

Alexandria Volunteer Bureau - The AVB is an independent, nonprofit volunteer center serving Alexandria and the Northern Virginia area. AVB hooks you up with volunteer opportunities in the area that match your interests, skills and schedule (for those of you with bosses that call a 12-hour day a "half day." They act as a referral source and clearinghouse for interested volunteers and the over 450 registered nonprofit organizations and programs that rely on their services. For more information, contact Kim Sheridan at 703.836.2176 

Amigos de las Americas - No, it's not a Mexican restaurant. Amigos is one of the oldest and largest volunteer public heath organizations in the country. Their volunteers work during the summer in communities, schools and health clinics in eight Latin American countries where they are invited to provide public health and environmental education activities. For more information, contact DC Amigos at 202.331.4999

DC Outfitters - "That outfit is so last season." So why don't you do yourself and somebody less fortunate a favor by donating it to D.C. Outfitters. This organization, made up mostly of University of Maryland students, distributes clothing to homeless people in Washington, D.C., and volunteers at homeless shelters and soup kitchens. For more information, contact Ramiro Lindado at 301.486.0172.

DC VolunteerMatch - Having a hard time finding a volunteer opportunity that floats your boat? VolunteerMatch's powerful online database enables you to search thzusands of one-time and ongoing opportunities by zip code, category, and date. You can signup automatically by email for those that fit your interest and schedule. Contributing organizations post their own opportunities, giving you easy access to an accurate and diverse source of activities including, walk-a-thons, beach day cleanups, tutoring, home building, meal deliveries and more. For more information, call Volunteer Match at 415.241.6868.

Doing Something - No, you won't meet that guy from Melrose Place. Doingsomething is an all-volunteer non-profit organization which seeks to address the community service needs of Washington DC and adjoining areas of Maryland and Virginia. They offer a variety of flexible, project-oriented volunteer opportunities to individuals, who despite facing significant demands from career and family responsibilities, remain committed to finding a place for public service in their lives. For more information, contact Stacy Bush at 202.393.5051.

Food & Friends - Food & Friends prepares, packages and delivers meals and groceries to more than 1,100 people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses such as breast, lung and colon cancer throughout the DC region. For more than 14 years, Food & Friends has provided food and companionship to our clients, their loved ones and caregivers. Writes one Hill staffer/volunteer: "They're just down South Capitol, so it's easy to go volunteer during lunch or after work. They especially need people (with cars) to deliver the meals." If you'd like to get involved, visit our website or call 202.488.8278.

Gilda's Club Greater Washington - 1 in 4 People Will Be Touched By Cancer. Do You Have 1 Day To Volunteer? Gilda's Club is a social and emotional support community for men, women and children touched by cancer. Named after Saturday Night Live Comedian Gilda Radner, Gilda's Club is nonprofit and free of charge. Gilda’s Club will offer support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in a nonresidential, homelike setting. GCGW is working to open a Clubhouse for the community of Greater Washington so that no one ever has to face cancer alone. For more information, please contact 202-362-2900 or info@gildasclubgreaterwashington.org.

Global Mothers Foundation-Global Family Day  Volunteer team now assembling to do follow-up contact with embassies and heads of state, update website, edit video, plan and record global radiocast, interview celebrities, raise funds, create announcement event for January 1, 2004 observance (see H.Con.Res.281)  Also perform boring clerical chores, cook, clean, troubleshoot computers, recruit community, faith and corporate leaders, liaise with UN agencies and NGO?��Ǩ�Ѣs, help with outdoor work at foundation lakefront campsite, drive vehicle and motor boat, contend with scattered leader, attend weekend workshops and have fun coming up with new ideas for Global Family Day 2004 activities that will help to unify and de-terrorize our warring world.  Email peaceandsharing@aol.com or phone Global Mothers Foundation at 544-8505 before you do another thing. Work night or day or both. Capitol Hill office, free temporary housing for several volunteers. We need you! Permanent position a possibility.

Greater DC Cares - Do you have a bleeding heart? Do people refer to you as "the sensitive staffer?" Greater DC Cares is the largest volunteer coordinator in the Washington, DC area, connecting individual, family and business volunteers with nonprofits in the District, Maryland and Virginia. Programs and events include Greater DC Cares Day, a Servathon, the Greater Washington Business Philanthropy Summit, Business Shares and Family Matters. For more information, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 202.289.7378 

GreenHOME - You don't have to be a Democrat to want to conserve natural resources! GreenHOME is a non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to demonstrating and promoting affordable, sustainable design, construction and landscape practices for homes and communities throughout the Washington, DC area. For more information, contact the Volunteer Recruiter at 202.24.GREEN 

Higher Achievement Program - Are you ready to make a difference in the life of a DC student? Then volunteer as a mentor for the Higher Achievement Program! Higher Achievement has a 25-year history of challenging under-served 5-8th graders in the District of Columbia to achieve their highest potential for academic excellence and community leadership. Spend one night a week mentoring three gifted students in English, math or technology. They run two Neighborhood Learning Centers: one at Hine JHS (across from the Eastern Market Metro stop), and the other at Cesar Chavez Charter School (three blocks from the U Street/Cardozo Metro stop). For more information, contact them at 202.842.5116.

Hogar Hispano As a program of Catholic Charities, Hogar Hispano's goal is to help immigrants to become self-sufficient and productive members of American society through bilingual outreach programs, including a continuum of networking, immigration legal services, citizenship classes, and English as a Second Language classes. http://www.ccda.net/hogar_hispano.html

Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund - The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund was started by Susie Kay, an American Government teacher at the Academy of Business and Finance and H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C. Miss Kay started Hoop Dreams as an effort to raise scholarship money and work toward racial reconciliation by bringing together D.C. public high school students and the Washington, D.C., professional community. For More Information on Hoop Dreams, see their webpage or contact Mike Arlinsky.

Horton's Kids - Horton's Kids is a tutoring and mentoring program for inner-city DC children, most of whom live in the Wellington Park area of Anacostia. Horton's Kids' volunteers meet at the Capitol South metro every Tuesday evening at 7:00pm to hop on a rented school bus to go tutor the children at the Anacostia Public Library and every Sunday afternoon at 1:00 to take them on field trips in and around D.C.. Horton's Kids also offers a Monday evening tutoring program for congressional staff and provides emergency health and dental care, scholarships, Christmas trees, Thanksgiving baskets, and birthday presents. Contact: kern@hortonskids.org or call 703-820-2800.

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership - National Capital Area HOBY-NCA's purpose is to recognize and develop leadership potential in high school sophomores. Each DC high school will select two sophomores, who show exceptional leadership skills and potential, to attend a three-day seminar this summer. We are looking for energetic, active volunteers. HOBY Alumni and anyone interesting in volunteering should email David Morrison

ISO Volunteers - Do you work on Capital Hill? If so, are you willing to help open some doors by spreading the word about our Girl Scout Council? We are In Search Of individuals who live anywhere in our council area but work on Capital Hill, to help display posters and leave flyers in businesses, offices, and other locations. This is part of an effort to recruit new volunteers in the Capital Hill Area, where there's a great need for help. If you work on the Hill and can help out, please contact infocenter@gscnc.org or call 202-237-1670 x297. Girl Scout Council of the Nations Capital www.gscnc.org

 JustCauz - If you're not a Birkenstock-type volunteer ("... not that there's anything wrong with that"), JustCauz is perfect for you! They are a non-profit organization promoting social awareness, encouraging volunteerism and providing financial support for charities through fun events in the community (ie: party for charity). But if you feel too guilty just partaking in the social events, JustCauz teams up with numerous volunteer organizations in a jam-packed calendar full of ways to give back every month. Visit their website to see pictures of how much fun they have!! For more information, contact JustCauz at info@justcauz.org

Kids Computer Workshop - Whether you are the nerdiest Systems Administrator on the Hill, or virtually computer illiterate?��Ǩ��you can help to bridge the digital divide! Kids Computer Workshop works with at-risk kids at its lab on W. St. in the Shaw neighborhood (next to Adams-Morgan and the U St. corridor). They teach computer skills,provide academic tutoring, and help kids do community service projects. Tutors are needed Monday - Thursday after work. Volunteers work with kids ages 7-12 approximately one hour per week. For more information, contact Darin Kenley at 202.483.8404 

National Youth Service Day in Washington DC April 15-17, 2005 National Youth Service Day mobilizes millions of young people to address the needs of their communities and educates the public, the media and policymakers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders. Last year, Serve DC mobilized over 8,100 young people 80 community service projects, making DC the third largest NYSD celebration in the country. We want this year to be even bigger. Get involved in something huge! Set up a project to improve your local community- $750 Freddie Mac Youth Service Grants available if you apply before Friday, March 4, 2005. Register your project now!  Volunteer to take part in an existing local project- collect community service points! Contact:- Jelani Freeman, Serve DC, jelani.freeman@dc.gov, Tel. (202) 727 7966 

National Capital Area: Big Brothers/Big Sisters - Relive your sorority days, minus the keg parties. Big Brothers/Big Sisters is dedicated to building One-To-One mentoring relationships that unite children from single-parent families with caring and committed adult volunteers. Agency programs aim to positively and profoundly affect a child?��Ǩ�Ѣs self-esteem, self-confidence, academic performance, and relationship-building skills, while instilling new hope for the future. For more information, contact the Brother/Sister Recruiter at 301.794.9170 

Peace Corps: Washington D.C. Regional Office - You don't have to be a liberal to get involved in The Peace Corps, one of our nation's first volunteer organizations. Their dedication to giving back since 1961, has composed a legacy of service that has become part of America's history. For more information, contact the Peace Corps at 703.235.9191 

People Without Borders - Habla Espanol? Or any other language? PWB offers free classes in English as a Second Language, citizenship, and computers to the international community in Washington, DC. A great opportunity for foreign policy gurus, or anyone that wants to interact with the rich cultural community in our nation's capital. For more information, contact PWB at 202.237.5711 or visit our website. 

Public Allies - Public Allies envisions communities where people of different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences work together and share responsibility for improving their own lives and the lives of those around them. In 1992, a group of young social entrepreneurs and established community and national leaders created Public Allies, believing that there were many energetic, talented young people who wanted to address critical issues in their communities and many organizations and communities who could benefit from their contributions. Through our signature AmeriCorps program, Public Allies identifies talented young adults from diverse backgrounds and advances their leadership through full-time, paid apprenticeships in nonprofit organizations, weekly leadership trainings and team service projects. Recognized by the Bush and Clinton administrations as a model for national service, Public Allies has grown to 10 cities (including DC) through which more than 1,000 Allies have served. Through our advanced leadership programs, we continue to support our Ally network as they continue their work to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. For more info, visit our website or email us.

Red Cross - It put Elizabeth Dole in the running for the White House. Who knows what it could do for you? Red Cross has volunteer opportunities ranging from program development, to fundraising, to social work, to providing health and safety instruction, to greeting people at the front desk. The Chapter has more than 12,000 volunteers reflecting all ages, a wide range of incomes, and many ethnic groups?��Ǩ��in other words, a virtual Benetton ad. For more information, contact Red Cross at 202.728.6400 

Sierra Club Inner City Outings The Sierra Club Inner City Outings program (ICO) provides wilderness adventures for people who wouldn't otherwise have them, including low-income youth of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and the physically disabled. ICO promotes personal development by linking cultures, fostering respect of self and others and providing leadership skills. Most of our current groups run primarily day trips with 10-20 at-risk children between the ages of 6-12. No prior experience needed!

For more information, visit the http://www.sierraclub.org/ico/dc web site.

Single Volunteers of DC - You mean you don't consider being "walked home" after dollar-beer night a romantic date? You shop every week at the Social Safeway, but have yet to leave with digits? Why don't you do a good deed (while also attempting to secure a dirty deed) by volunteering with the Single Volunteers of DC. They have all kinds of success stories, and worst case scenario: you've helped out somebody less fortunate than yourself. For more information, contact SVDC at feedback@singlevolunteers.org 

Teach for America - So you've decided there is more to life than constituent mail and bill summaries, but you're unsure of your next career move. Teach for America matches recent college graduates, of all academic majors, with teaching positions in schools across America with chronic teacher shortages. Teachers earn a regular teacher's salary and benefits. If you've always wanted to teach, but didn't want to major in Education, this is a perfect opportunity for you! For more information, visit the TFA website at www.teachforamerica.org.

The Washington Animal Rescue League-"It's a big job to take care of all the animals at The Washington Animal Rescue League, the city's oldest animal shelter, so we welcome your help! WARL  depends heavily on volunteer support to care for the shelter animals and to  help us find their forever homes. Currently, our greatest needs are for foster  parents and dog walkers (specifically Monday - Friday in the early afternoon). However, please go to www.warl.org to see the many ways you can help or call us at 202-726-2556."

The Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force  is an all-volunteer, non-violent group that provides escorts to ensure a peaceful and reassuring presence for patients, their companions, and staff at women's health clinics in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  We welcome volunteers willing to be trained and abide by the WACDTF goals and guidelines. Clinics need escorts Saturday mornings and in some cases on weekdays. For more information visit http://www.wacdtf.org, e-mail wacdtf@wacdtf.org , or call 202-797-6577.

Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School - Want to make a difference in the life of a teenage? Ever thought about becoming a tutor, but not quite sure? Try it out for just one month! Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (“TMA”) is a law-related public charter high school located in Southeast, DC. TMA provides a high-quality education to underserved, low-income youth, preparing them to succeed in college and become active participants in society. Volunteers work individually with 9th grade students on homework and remediation in our after-school tutoring program. April 29, 2002- June 14, 2002 (start and end dates flexible), Mondays 4:30-6:00pm. Longer-term commitments welcome, but not required. For more information, contact Katie Rusnak, Program Director, 202-563-6862 x21 or by email at krusnak@tmapchs.org.

Volunteer Fairfax - Volunteer Fairfax mobilizes people and resources to meet regional community needs. Working with over 700 nonprofits in the Washington metro area, Volunteer Fairfax holds quarterly Family Volunteer Days, an annual VolunteerFest on the fourth Saturday in October, and also runs great flexible group and evening/weekend volunteer programs. Check out website or contact us at volsrus@volunteerfairfax.org or 703-246-3460 for more info.

Washington Area Bicyclist Association - Lance Armstrong ain't the only one ridin' a bike. Help us promote bicycling for fun, fitness and healthier transportation. Advocate better cycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment. Educate children, adults and motorists about safe cycling. Volunteer opportunities include: bike rides, kid's bike rodeos, Safe Streets Campaign, and more. For more information call 202.628.2500 or e-mail us at waba@waba.org

Washington Humane Society - Volunteers are at the heart of the Washington Humane Society's dog and cat adoption program, and they help out in many different ways as well. Visit our site to view brief descriptions of the various volunteer opportunities with WHS. To find out more, schedule an orientation, or sign up, please contact: Elizabeth Post, D.C. Animal Shelter, at 202.576.6839.

Washington Literacy Council - The Washington Literacy Council is looking for volunteer literacy tutors. Tutors are needed to provide one-on-one help in reading to adults in DC. New tutors are trained in monthly sessions throughout the year. Tutors commit to a year of service and meet for 1 hour each week with their students at the library or the Washington Literacy Council Office. No prior teaching/tutoring experience required. Get more information at our website pr contact Brian Pelowski at 202-387-9029.

If you have pictures of yourself or other Hill staffers volunteering for these or other great community organizations, please email 'em to publisher@hillzoo.com.