Become a Volunteer

Description

The Baltimore City Community College Refugee Youth Project seeks to improve the lives of Baltimore’s youngest refugees by supporting their academic needs and making their integration simple and meaningful. RYP is committed to its mission of creating a safe environment for refugee children to improve their literacy skills, enhance their knowledge of American culture, engage in enriching extracurricular activities, and grow to be confident, caring individuals. Volunteers will work one-on-one or with small groups of refugee students at Moravia Park Elementary School to increase their vocabulary, reading and basic math skills.

Description

The Blue Jay’s Perch is a Hopkins community garden dedicated to growing organic produce for both the educational enrichment of the Hopkins community, as well as to build relationships between Hopkins students and community members. The Blue Jay’s Perch has individual community member plots, as well as two large communal plots where a majority of the produce is donated to either a local soup kitchen or community group. We also have multiple fruit trees, a pollinator garden, and a bug farm! Volunteers at the Blue Jay’s Perch will be tasked with helping to upkeep our communal plots, including but not limited to planting, weeding, watering, turning the compost, and tending to our bug home.

Additional Requirements

All volunteers will be asked to sign a waiver form after orientation.

Description

There are few different volunteer opportunities with the Bulldog Basketball School at Barclay as described below.

Tutoring:

• help with homework (elementary or middle school subjects, math, language arts, science, social studies)
• help write high school application essays
• help fill out high school applications
• do self-adapting math and language arts lessons on a computer website called iReady

Basketball Practice:

• assist with basketball practice
• rebound for the shooters
• act as the passer for the shooters
• act as “dummy” defenders
• monitor skills and maintain quality control

Basketball Games:

• keep the scoreboard during a game
• collect entrance fees at games
• sell concessions at games
• help clean gym after games.

Description

Carmine Gardens is a community garden in the westernmost part of Baltimore City. Obtained through the city’s adopt-a-lot program, Carmine Gardens functions with the support of the Franklintown community association, community members, and two volunteer garden coordinators. At Carmine, volunteers assist with developing garden infrastructure, assisting community members with maintaining and beautifying their plots, general maintenance of the garden, and the planting and harvesting of fresh produce, which is shared throughout the surrounding community.

Description

Civic Works strengthens Baltimore’s communities through education, skills development, and community service. One of their programs, Real Food Farm, seeks to make a sustainable, economically viable, environmentally responsible agriculture sector in Baltimore. Civic Works also works to combat the growing problem of food insecurity in the Baltimore Community. Volunteers at Civic Works will work on existing urban farms to cultivate various crops for the community. Volunteers are requested to wear close-toe shoes and weather appropriate clothing that can get dirty.

Description

JHU Sharing Languages is an after-school foreign language program at Hampden for elementary school students. Each week, we teach basic language courses to children grades 3-5 to introduce them to language fundamentals in an engaging manner, with interactive games and cultural activities. We hope to inspire a love of language and appreciation of different cultures at a young age, so students can grow up with a greater cultural understanding in today’s increasingly interconnected world.

Description

Keswick is a facility that provides a multitude of services to the elderly such as rehabilitation, long-term care, and health services.

Volunteers at Keswick will:

• help transport residents downstairs to the dining facility.
• help serve the residents lunch and dessert.
• have the opportunity to socialize with the residents.
• coordinate transportation to and from the dining facility with nursing staff.

Description

Paul’s Place is a community outreach center designed to help the homeless and those in need. Paul’s Place provides programs, services, and support that strengthen individuals and families, fostering hope, personal dignity, and growth. Volunteers at Paul’s Place will assist in the center’s Marketplace, a clothing bank designed to provide those in need with the experience of shopping for their own clothes.

Description

Reading Partners mobilizes communities to provide students in under-resourced schools with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade. In fourth grade, students are expected to transition from learning to read to reading to learn. From this point on, they’ll use these foundational reading skills to explore and master new subjects like science, history, and geography. At this age, it is even more essential to have proficient reading skills. Volunteers will work one-on-one with students for 45 minutes twice a week, delivering a simple, proven curriculum each week to help the child begin to gain lost ground.

Description

St. Francis Neighborhood Center, in the Spring of 2009, established an after school youth development and family stability program called The Power Project. The Power Project consists of three major components: education, mentoring, the arts, and human services. This program provides disadvantaged youth and families living below poverty in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood, ages 5 to 18, with the opportunity to receive academic enrichment, one-on-one tutoring, attend educational seminars and workshops, participate in our dance, art and music groups, and establish valuable relationships with caring and responsible individuals who will serve as positive role models in their lives.The after school program is at no cost to youth and families and is held at the Center Monday through Thursday from 3:00 to 6:15 pm during the school year with snacks and dinner provided. The program can accommodate on average, 60 children at a time. Volunteers will support all facets of the The Power Project.

Description

St. Mary’s Outreach Center helps older adults meet the challenge of living self-sufficiently with dignity and respect. Volunteers will provide regular social support to older adults to help them remain connected to our community. Sample activities include card and board games, crafts, reading, discussing current events, and recording oral histories. When possible, volunteers will be matched with program participants with shared interests and hobbies.

Additional Requirements

Volunteers will need to complete a volunteer form and an orientation, both of which will be provided during their first volunteer session. It is also standard agency practice to do a criminal and sex offender background check for volunteers with this level of contact.

Description

Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle school is a pre-k -8^th community school in East Baltimore. Our mission is to provide all students the opportunity to reach their individual potential as positive and productive members of society by providing high quality instruction and motivational supports to students and their families in a safe and mutually respectful environment. Volunteers will work in the classroom with small groups during our “Power Hour,” a new school-wide intervention system based on helping our students fulfill their full potential.

Description

The Community School is an academic & mentoring high school, based in the Remington community, for young people who want to advance their education, improve their lives, and better their community. Students develop their skills, knowledge, creativity, confidence, intellectual curiosity and worldview in a safe, supportive, and comfortable yet rigorous environment.

Description

Club 1111: is Maryland’s first and only nightclub for people with disabilities that includes DJs, dancing, spa, games, and much more! The Club provides a place for people within the Baltimore disability community that might not otherwise have such a social opportunity. On the second Saturday of each month, year-round, The League for People with Disabilities’ 50,000 sq foot facility is transformed into a nightclub with the capacity to serve 600+ guests. Volunteers assist with registering guests, staffing snack windows, helping out with the spa, and generally engaging participants and ensuring that each person has the best possible experience.