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Volunteer Opportunities All Year Long
There are plenty of places in our community that need help. If you need to find one that is a fit for you, check out the following:
Where Do I Volunteer?
Volunteering is a very direct and rewarding way to serve your community. Many of us have skills or interests we’d like to share, but just don’t know where to start. To that end, the Social Concerns committee has spent many weeks putting together this list of opportunities. Some of them simply require that you show up to work, no preparation required. We have provided website links for most of the places that need volunteers. If you go online, many times you can find out even more information about what is required and even print out an application to take with you when you go.
All of the opportunities that have an asterisk next to them can be performed by children 12 and up with their parents. These actions may be able to go toward high school community service requirements, but you must check with your individual schools to find out for sure.
Basic Needs: Helping with Food, Clothing and Shelter
* Centerville Free Dining in Fremont
Centerville Presbyterian Church
Serving food every Tuesday /Thursday 8-11 AM or 1-6 PM
Call Arminta King 510-790-3438
* Tri City Free Breakfast Program
Irvington Presbyterian Church, Fremont
Drop in – They need volunteers every MWF anytime between 5-9:30 AM to serve the needy
Call Linda 510-659-6309
* Alameda County Food Bank, Oakland, CA
To volunteer or register for orientation
call Charlie at 510-635-3663 ext.308
Salvation Army in Newark
Needs help sorting food and clothing
Call Mary Anne 510-793-6319
Viola Blythe Center in Newark
Help sorting food and clothes
Call Debbie 510-794-3437
Tri-City Volunteers in Fremont
Need help packing food or working in the thrift shop
Call Roni 510-793-4583 or email her at Roni@tri-cityvolunteers.org.
Emergency Shelter Program in Hayward
Check the website for a variety of options or call 510-786-1181
American Cancer Society in Fremont
Need someone to help in the thrift shop
Call Carol 510-252-1540
* Tri-City Homeless Coalition
This Fremont agency also runs Sunrise Village. They are in desperate need of help with their winter relief program. There are MANY opportunities if you check their website or Call Bonnie 510-252-0910 ext 11 or email bwilson@tricityhomeless.org
Shelter Against Violent Environments
Office work, emergency hotline, child care and direct service
Call Heather 510-794-0346
League of Volunteers in Newark
Answering phones and setting up and cleaning up for benefits or concerts
Jan 11, Feb. 8 and Mar. 8
Call Joanne 510-793-5683
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Helping Children
Kidango in Fremont
Need volunteers to assist with classroom activities M-F 2 hours a week
Also need help in the office.
Call Michelle 510-744-9280 ext. 29
Bridges Intervention Services
Helping at risk youth including mentoring, teaching and cooking
Call David 510-776-4145
East Bay Agency for Children – Oakland
Assist children and families coping with life threatening illness, loss and bereavement
Open house Feb 6th to learn more
Call Alinya 510-531-7551 ext.109
Music for Minors II
Become a docent to provide enrichment programs in schools in the tricity area
Call 510-733-1189
Be a Mentor -- Anywhere
Improve academic performance either in person with kids in Hayward, or online with struggling kids across the country.
Call Laura 510-795-6488 ext.6187
Bookleggers -- Fremont
Visit K-8 classes in Fremont with great stories from books to introduce children to the pleasure of reading. Next training session begins in January.
Call Gail 510-745-1421
Start with a Story -- Dublin
Read stories to children who are visiting their parents for a few hours at the Santa Rita jail on Saturdays and Sundays.
Call 510-745-2703
Seniors in School -- Newark
Community based mentoring program in the Newark School district for students who need extra help. Can be just one hour a week.
Call Mona Walker 510-797-2703
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Helping Seniors and those in Medical Need
Adult Day Care Services -- Fremont
Volunteers needed to assist arts and crafts and other activities from 10-2 on weekdays.
Call Priscilla 510-656-7742
* Hospice Care
Volunteers needed to support the dying and their families with visits and activities such as reading, listening to them, or just giving caretakers a break for a while.
Call 888-755-7855
Lavender Seniors – East Bay
Be a friendly visitor, telephone supporter, or office staff for an organization that supports GLBT seniors.
Call 510-667-9655
* Meals on Wheels
Bring food and friendship to tricity seniors M – F from 10:30-12:30 once a week or once a month.
Call Barbara Proctor 510-574-2094
* Friendly Visitors
Visit lonely or isolated seniors in the tri city area for two hours a week to be their link to the outside world.
Call Bernie 510-574-2097
VIP Rides
Offer assistance to seniors and non seniors with disabilities as they travel on the paratransit system in the tri city area.
Call Lori at 574-2096
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Helping the Environment
* Friends of Heirloom Flowers
(click into “community”, then “heirloom flowers”)
Need help with their rose garden every Thursday from 10-12 and at Shinn Park on Tuesdays from 10-12. If you really love roses, you can adopt a plot at the Niles Rose Garden for pruning, weeding and planting.
Call Denise 510-792-2923
* Save the Bay
Check out the VERY organized website to fill out a volunteer application and to find out more information. These can be done with kids. But you must sign up first so that they will be ready for you.
* Plant Native Grasses Walnut Creek
(1) Planting native plants: 1/10, 1/18, 1/24, 2/1 from 9-12
(2) Planting acorns: 1/17, 1/31 from 9:00-12:00
For families with kids 12 and up
But please e-mail first or call 925-939-6610
* Plant Trees – San Jose
Every Saturday morning there are weekly tree plantings and tree care events
(1) Palo Alto Baylands - winter planting: 1/10 and 1/31 from 9:00-12:00
(2) Hayward/Union City - plant the pond: 1/17, 1/24, 2/7 from 9:00-12:00
(3) Oakland Shoreline - plant native seedlings: 1/17, 2/14 from 9:00 - 12:00
Call 408-99-TREES
* East Bay Regional Parks - Doc. Quack (especially for kids!)
(1) Build owl outposts for burrowing owls in Oakland: 1/28 and 2/11 from 9:30-12:00
(2) Craft Nests for Tree Swallows at Quarry Lakes: 2/7 from 9:30-12:00
You MUST contact (docquack@ebparks.org) before going
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Helping Animals
Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge
Volunteers needed in Newark to work at the visitor center information booth from 10-1:30 or 1:30-5 on Tuesdays-Sundays. Can work once a week or once a month.
Call 510-792-0222 ext. 41
* Furry Friends Rescue-Fremont
Need people to provide foster homes for dogs and cats, or help transport animals from shelters to the vet, or to foster homes, pet-sit and help at weekly dog and cat Adoption Showcases.
Call 510-794-4703
Ohlone Humane Society
De;over meals on wheels for pets of people who are homebound. Also need pets to volunteer for “Hug a Pet” therapy where volunteers take their own animals into convalescent homes or hospitals on a monthly basis.
Call 510-792-4587
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Other Opportunities for Volunteering in the Tri City Area
Alameda County Libraries
Need all kinds of help delivering books to shut-ins, reading to K-8 classrooms and doing clerical help. Look on the website for individual libraries, and call them directly.
Write to Read
Adult literacy and tutoring in groups or in individual homes. In January a new training session will begin.
Call Rachel 510-745-1480
Fremont Cultural Arts Council
Volunteers needed to staff office, help with mailings and, on weekdays between 11-2, provide information at the Fremont Community Activities Center.
Call 794-7166
City of Newark
Click "Live" and scroll down to "volunteering" for many opportunities including graffiti abatement groups and assisting at the senior center, fire department and other city facilities.
Call 510-578-4402
East Bay Regional Parks
Click "get involved" and scroll down to "volunteer" for information on helping with special events, trail maintenance, becoming a docent and much more.
Call 510-544-2515
All sorts of Volunteering! You pick what, when and where:
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Social Action
There are many ways to make a difference in the world. One is to perform service directly by volunteering. But it is also important to be informed of the issues that affect both your local community and the greater society. Do you care deeply about something? Make others care, too! Join a peace protest, organize a petition, write letters to the editor, campaign for your chosen candidate, hold a movie and discussion night, contact your congressperson. Make your voice heard! Here are some websites that will help you connect up with other like minded citizens and help you find actions in our community that you can take part in.
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Grounded in UU principles, working to advance justice in the world.
True Majority.org
Grassroots education and advocacy make it easy to contact your congressperson.
Moveon.org
Brings ordinary people back into politics. Organizes grassroots actions in local communities. The Campbells 510-651-4781 are the local coordinators.
United for Peace and Justice
Coalition of groups throughout the US to oppose permanent warfare and empire-building.
People for the American Way
Organization which seeks to embrace diversity and defend democracy. Especially in opposition to the religious right.
Global Exchange
International Human Rights Organization promoting political, social, and environmental justice globally.
Americans against the Darfur Genocide
Go on line to find letter writing templates and a call script to contact the white house, state department, your senators and your house rep to tell them to stop the killing.
Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry
A statewide justice ministry that serves to empower the moral voice of UU values in the public arena. The current issues are : Same sex marriage; health care reform; global climate change and water justice.
Back to Social Concerns Committee
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