Community Connections
Summer Volunteer Opportunities
Please contact Jan, the RSVP Community Connections Coordinator, at jkarst@rsvpdane.org or (608) 441-7891, for more information about these and many other opportunities to volunteer in our communities.
UW Arboretum is looking for Assistant Naturalists at their summer Earth Focus Day Camp (https://arboretum.wisc.edu/learn/children-and-families/earth-focus-day-camp/). Help kids enjoy outdoor games, hikes, story time, and snacks. Volunteers sign up for morning or afternoon shifts, Monday–Friday, for one camp week.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison needs Family Room Volunteers at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital. Duties include welcoming families, tidying spaces, restocking food and supplies, making beds/turning over bedrooms, giving tours, and offering warmth and support. Saturdays 9am–12pm and/or occasional weekday afternoons 1–5pm.
Neighborhood House Community Center is seeking volunteers for a weekly older adult drop-in program. Help greet guests, serve coffee, chat, and build community. Mondays 11am–12:30pm on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th weeks of the month.
Henry Vilas Zoo needs volunteers to help with gardening (join a fun, weekly Gardening Work Group) on Thursdays from 8:30-11:30am. Train and Carousel volunteers are also needed to keep the children’s train and carousel running! Shifts are mostly 1-4pm on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays. Gate Greeters are needed on Thursdays- Sundays from 12:30-3:30pm.
The Textile Art Center of Madison is looking for volunteers to sort incoming fiber art donations, support sales and other special events, aid workshops, and more!
PBS WISCONSIN needs volunteers to keep the “public” in public television by helping at great events like the Garden and Green Living Expo, the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, PBS Auction, Membership Drives, and the Welcome Neighbor Project.
The BOARD ON AGING AND LONG-TERM CARE needs volunteer Ombudsmen to advocate for nursing home residents and their families through visits, support, and communication assistance. Training provided.
OPERATION FRESH START empowers adults through education, mentoring, and employment training. They are seeking front desk volunteers to greet visitors, maintain sign-in sheets, answer phone calls, and perform other light clerical duties. Shifts are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3pm-5:15pm at their office on Milwaukee St.
ST VINCENT’S FOOD PANTRY needs volunteers to sort and shelve produce in the mornings from 8am – 10am. They also have shifts for Client Greeters, Online Order Fillers, Outside Food Loaders, and Cart Attendants. The need for food resources has increased, and many volunteers are needed to keep the Pantry running.
BADGER PRAIRIE NEEDS NETWORK is a resource center in Verona, totally run by volunteers that provides not only a Food Pantry but also social services and resources in Dane County. Volunteers are needed in the Food Pantry and for picking up and delivering donated food from stores and businesses in the area.
SSM ST MARYS HOSPITAL needs help with their At Your Service program (escorting patients and families, delivering belongings), Patient Registration (welcoming patients and escorting them to their destination), Surgical Waiting Area (supporting families while their loved one is in surgery, offering a caring presence and support through touch and conversation).
HABITAT RESTORE needs volunteers to help sort and shelve used and new building materials and supplies, assist shoppers, and work at the cash register with purchases.
Donation Processing: ReStore East and West – unloading donation trucks, sorting donated items, assembling/repairing small items, and merchandising the store floor. Shifts are 9am-1pm or 1pm-5pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays.
Construction: Oregon – build homes/duplexes! No experience is needed as all tools and training will be provided on site. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8:15am-3:30pm @ 557 Kay Ct, Oregon WI
INTERGENERATIONAL SUMMER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES!
Please contact Paula, RSVP Intergenerational Coordinator, for more information, at preif@rsvpdane.org or (608) 441-7894.
The Vera Court Community Center (614 Vera Court, Madison, WI 53704), needs volunteers for their Elementary Student Summer Programs. Program Dates are June 22- August 15.
Mondays 1:30-3:00
- Gardening – Come share your love and experience with gardening with the students! The community garden has several plots dedicated for the students to garden, so bring your guidance to help students learn how to sow, grow and harvest their own fresh foods!
- Game club (board games) – Play a variety of games. Working on the sportsmanship and positive interaction.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:45-10:45
- Reading Buddy Program – Opportunity to support small groups of students in 1st or 2nd grade, and/or groups and one on one with 3rd-5th grade students.
Tuesdays 10:45-12:00
- Teambuilding activities/Tutoring – Work with groups of kids for team building and tutoring
- Game club (board games) – Play a variety of games. Working on the sportsmanship and positive interaction.
Tuesdays 10:45-12:00
- Financial Literacy Class – Support the students as they learn financial literacy basics from a local expert.
Thursdays – 1:00-2:30 Art or Astronomy
- Art – Lead the students in art projects throughout the summer! This opportunity is best for someone who has experience planning, preparing and guiding others in art projects.
- Astronomy – Do you easily see formations in the night sky? You sound like a great fit for supporting the students in learning about astronomy!
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS VOLUNTEERS
Contact Mike at techskills@rsvpdane.org about becoming a Senior Planet Technology Skills Trainer or a One-on-One Tech Skills Tutor. If you feel confident using your laptop and smartphone and enjoy helping others with theirs, you can be a big help to many older adults in Dane County who are having difficulty using their devices. Senior Planet Tech Skills Trainers lead or assist with in-person, small group Senior Planet tech skills classes for older adults. We offer classes at five locations in Dane County, and to make classes available in more locations, we need more volunteer Trainers. One-on-One Tech Skills Tutors offer individualized help to older adults with tech skills challenges that.