HELPING HANDS Volunteering

Volunteer Services Agency, Inc., a United Way Agency, is the local resource for volunteer recruitment, placement and management for people of all ages and abilities in the Mahoning Valley. Helping Hands is a monthly column that serves to communicate the impact that volunteering can have on our community. To express interest in one of the opportunities below, contact VSA at (330) 782-5877, or visit www.volunteerservicesagency.org. and click on the blue button for 1-800-Volunteer.org

SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITIES:

Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Bell Ringers: Ring the bells and help the Salvation Army provided needed services for area families. Shifts are available all over the Mahoning Valley. Take one shift, or several shifts at a kettle close to where you live or work. Shifts are available now until Dec. 22. Call (330) 782-5877 or (330) 270-5999 for more information.

VITA tax preparation volunteers: Volunteers needed to help individuals and families fill out tax returns and get connected to additional benefits. VITA is a national program offered at the local level to assist people in maximizing the greatest benefit possible from their tax returns. Volunteers are provided with comprehensive Internal Revenue Service tax preparation training and support. Volunteers are also needed at tax sites throughout the community to greet and register clients.

Weed and Seed, Take Back the Neighborhood Christmas Caroling: The public is invited to join the Youngstown Northside Weed and Seed Coalition for a community holiday caroling. People can meet at Antioch Baptist Church, 110 Funston St., Youngstown. Participants should dress for the weather, and caroling will occur around the 3rd Ward. For information on the date of the caroling and time, call VSA.

LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITIES:

Meals on Wheels: Help older adults receive nutritious meals by volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels. It takes about two hours from picking up meals to finishing your route and really makes a difference in the lives of our older friends.

Trumbull Mobile Meals: Volunteer drivers are needed to deliver meals in their own neighborhoods. Training and support provided.

Basketball coaches: Stay active this winter while sharing your abilities with at-risk youths ages 11 to 17. The Mahoning County Juvenile Sports Program is seeking 10 volunteers to serve as intramural boys basketball coaches for one hour each Saturday through March 1. Prospective coaches are required to submit to a criminal background check and fingerprinting at no expense to the volunteer. Current and retired coaches are encouraged to participate in this worthwhile program to provide a positive influence for youth in our community. For additional information or to sign up, please contact Jason Lanzo at (330) 740-2244 or e-mail him at jlanzo@mahoningcountyoh.gov.

Reading tutor: If you love children and are looking to share your time doing something meaningful, consider serving as a reading tutor/teacher’s aide at Market Street Elementary School in Boardman. Volunteers 55 and older are invited to participate in the learning process of K-4 pupils. Opportunities are available between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Contact Corrie Adams at (330) 782-5877 for information on this and other opportunities available through our RSVP program.

Tag Representative, Teen Action Group: High school students from Mahoning and Trumbull counties are invited to build a comprehensive service portfolio, give back to the community, and develop leadership skills by participating in the Teen Action Group, a youth-led service organization. Join current members from Boardman, Liberty, Canfield, Ursuline, Youngstown Christian, Campbell, Struthers, Jackson Milton, Western Reserve, and Hubbard high schools in developing collaborative partnerships with local nonprofits, planning community youth events, and working with marginalized populations to improve their quality of life. Meetings are held every other Monday from 4:15-5:30 p.m. in Boardman. Contact Corrie Adams at (330) 782-5877 for application information.