[jam223]

I am new to The Villages and would like to find a place or two to volunteer. (I love to help others and have put in literally tens of thousands of regular volunteer hours dating back to childhood.)

I have tried two local food bank/soup kitchens but one responded with a message stating that they were only taking names for "substitutes" - in case one of their regulars couldn't make it - and the other hasn't responded. In addition to all my volunteering hours, I also have 30+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector (holding the position of either Executive Director or Director of Development at various agencies over the years) and could put in some time at the administrative level as well as the "hands-on" part. Would be open to hearing about anything although a soup kitchen/food pantry would hold a place near and dear to my heart as I lent a hand at one during my high school years and truly felt that I was making a difference each and every time that I walked through the door.

Does anyone out there need a hand......or perhaps know an organization that does?

[duffer2]

Originally Posted by jam223

I am new to The Villages and would like to find a place or two to volunteer. (I love to help others and have put in literally tens of thousands of regular volunteer hours dating back to childhood.)

I have tried two local food bank/soup kitchens but one responded with a message stating that they were only taking names for "substitutes" - in case one of their regulars couldn't make it - and the other hasn't responded. In addition to all my volunteering hours, I also have 30+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector (holding the position of either Executive Director or Director of Development at various agencies over the years) and could put in some time at the administrative level as well as the "hands-on" part. Would be open to hearing about anything although a soup kitchen/food pantry would hold a place near and dear to my heart as I lent a hand at one during my high school years and truly felt that I was making a difference each and every time that I walked through the door.

Does anyone out there need a hand......or perhaps know an organization that does?

Shared Harvest grows food to support the soup kitchens. We work from 7:00 to 9:00 most days. Just show up. It is located behind the woodshop on Rolling Acres Road. We pick and plant vegies and pull weeds.

[kittygilchrist]

Emma is a therapy dog wherever she goes. She'll come anywhere and make you feel better, let us know if you want a visit to your home.
K.

[jbdlfan]

My school always needs volunteers. We love to have people come in and work with our reading teachers. You just sit and listen to the kids read. They love it!

[joannej]

Operation Shoebox is a big volunteer organization that meets on Mondays at Lake Miona. They actually take up the whole rec center, with different rooms used for several jobs. They are always raising funds to pay for the postage of goods that are sent overseas to deployed servicemen and women, especially around the holidays. Here's their website: Operation Shoebox
Also here's an article quoted from The Villages Homeowners Association:
"Operation Shoebox Volunteer Organization of the Year
By Staff
Operations Shoebox Volunteer Organization of the Year

With thousands of Villagers contributing and volunteering in Operation Shoebox to provide support and comfort to American servicemen and women serving throughout the world in defense of freedom, The Villages Chapter of Operation Shoebox was selected as VHA’s 2010 Service Organization of the Year.

Hundreds of Workers Every Monday

Three to five hundred Villagers fill Lake Miona Regional Recreation Center every Monday to let the troops know their service and sacrifice is appreciated back home. Cutters and sewers make the ditty bags and Christmas stockings. Clippers, snippers and writers prepare the comics, articles, notes, letters and personal mementoes. Workers fill the bins along assembly lines with toys, snacks, toiletries, and personal gifts. Assembly line workers fill the finished ditty bags with goodies ready to be shipped to fleet post offices worldwide.

$200,000 Postage and Rising

Postal charges alone are about $200,000 per year. At Christmastime, the 26,000 plus Christmas Stockings with gifts and goodies alone cost about $60,000. The postage is cover with generous donations from individual Villagers, Villages’ clubs and organizations, Operation Shoebox fund raising events, local merchants and businessmen. The largest single contributor over the past few years has been Bill O’Reilly, who has given thousands of items like books and mp3 players, and tens of thousands of dollars toward expenses.

Pride and Patriotism

For its special contribution in support of our friends and relatives serving the military, and building a well-earned sense of pride and patriotism among Villagers, the VHA salutes Operation Shoebox as the 2010 Volunteer Organization of the Year!

The Villages Operation Shoebox Chair Sandy DeChristofaro (r) and Co-Chair Anne LaChance (l) are frequently joined by Operations Shoebox Founder Mary Harper supporting the hundreds of Operation Shoebox volunteers every Monday at Lake Miona Regional Recreation Center, who send tens of thousands of packages to America’s servicemen and women around the world each year.

Operation Shoebox of The Villages’ Anne LaChance of the Village of Sunset Ridge accepts VHA’s 2010 Volunteer Organization of the Year on behalf of the thousands of Villagers who support Operation Shoebox throughout the year."

[salpal]

Guardian Ad Litem is begging for volunteers Call Lynn at GAL for more information: 352-274-5231 or lynn.sennett@gal.fl.gov Next training class starts in August. I will be attending that one.

website:
GUARDIAN AD LITEM