Friday, December 24, 2010
Day 11: Help a bell-ringer out—in turn, you'll be helping homeless, elderly, disaster victims, among others.
The slow economy has had a dual effect on the Salvation Army this year: more people are requesting help, and fewer donations are coming in. That's why the Red Kettle Christmas Campaign is so important, said Diana Ellis, regional resource development director for The Salvation Army. The campaign— which runs from mid-Nov. to Dec. 24—is best known for using bell ringers and bright red kettles to raise thousands of dollars each year for families in need. As of Dec. 21, the 68 kettles throughout the Greater Baltimore command (Baltimore City and County, Carroll County, Howard County and northern Anne Arundel County) have raised $449,000, which is $25,000 less than this time last year, said Brian Haldeman, a Salvation Army spokesman. The …
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Days 9 and 10: Volunteer at blood drive, fire department in Elkridge.
Just because it has "fire" in its name doesn't mean the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department (EVFD) is too busy putting out fires to help the community in other ways. "People only think of us in an emergency," said Julie Casey, president of the department, which responded to almost 4,000 total fires and medical emergencies in 2009. "But we're more than that. We're part of the community and we look forward to getting support from residents. You can either volunteer your time or join—it's never too late." If you'd like to help in the next week, you're in luck. On Dec. 30, the EVFD is holding a blood drive for the second time in two months. Usually, the department has the drive every quarter, but around the holidays, there tends to be a spike …
Monday, December 20, 2010
Day 7: Coordinate volunteers to help foreigners. Programs including citizenship classes and employment assistance are on hold because volunteers need someone to lead them.
The Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network (FIRN) serves 12,000 people a year and only has approximately 6 volunteers, according to Executive Director Hector Garcia. "But we're all so busy that we don't have time to manage them," he said. In the past year, the Columbia-based nonprofit has provided resources like translators and counseling to a growing number of clients who hail from other countries; but at the same time, FIRN has been forced to reduce full-time staff by more than half. Currently, 4 paid staff members serve more than 12,000 people each year who come through the organization's doors—or inboxes. Yes, FIRN serves foreign-born clients all over, in places as far-flung as Arizona, through email. In one instance, a FIRN …
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Day 3: Babysit children so their parents can receive counseling at the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County.
The Domestic Violence Center of Howard County is looking for volunteers to help with childcare. While parents are receiving services like counseling at the center, their children need supervision. Childcare volunteers, responsible for four or five children at a time, coordinate activities like playing games, reading stories and making artwork. The center is looking for people who are "really good with kids" and "can engage children and do activities with them," said Volunteer Coordinator Maribel Joa. In addition, childcare volunteers must be at least 16 years old. To get involved, people are encouraged to commit to six months of participation, volunteering three shifts per month. Shifts are approximately two hours and can be daytime or …
