Civic Engagement Opportunities
The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning maintains a list of current volunteer and service opportunities for students.
Last updated on September 21, 2017.
Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning Opportunities
Trick-or-Treat for Change
Team registration will open up October 1st!
Local Community Service Opportunities
Evergreen Village
Evergreen Village Supportive Living Home in Normal is looking for 15-30 volunteers to help out at this years Homecoming Dance for the residents for Evergreen Village! Participants hand out drinks/desserts and pull residents on the dance floor, as well as help with event and clean-up. September 28th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Please contact Courtney Seim at (309) 834-2607 or cseim@Heritageofcare.com
The Bloomington Housing Authority and Marcfirst
The Bloomington Housing Authority and Marcfirst work together to support adults with developmental disabilities through the Congregate Housing Service Program (CHSP). The Housing Authority provides apartments to 24 adults with diagnoses at the Irvin Apartments at 823 W. Oakland and 810 W. Jackson in Bloomington. Marcfirst staff provides services and training to assist the participants to become more independent. Services are funded through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and training is funded by the Department of Human Services. Several participants have goals to improve their skills in areas pertaining to math and reading skills. Other goals are more related to independent living, such as housekeeping or cooking. In general, participants work on goals weekly. Therefore, volunteers are asked to commit to a weekly schedule. The length of time spent with participants would vary. However, volunteers should devote at least a half hour at a time. This opportunity is ideal for students to find out if they want to pursue a career working with people with developmental disabilities. If you have further questions, please contact Jen Mayer at 829-3360 ext. 208.
Home Sweet Home Ministries
Looking for volunteers to help with our 2nd Annual Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, November 4th at 2nd Presbyterian Church. We will be celebrating 100 years with a dinner, silent auction and live auction. Volunteers needed to help with meal serving, coat check, and dishwashing assistants . The time frame would be 4:30-8:30pm (with a meal provided for volunteers). Volunteers would be required to wear white shirts/blouses and black pants (except those helping with dishes). If anyone is interested, please contact Linda Merrill at lmerrill@hshministries.org.
St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer
Join supporters in communities across the nation during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This family-friendly event raises funds to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.As you may know, it takes a village to put on events like these and we are in need of volunteers.
Volunteer efforts are essential to the success of the event. Please consider coming to help with the St. Jude Run/Walk on September 23rd at Eastview Christian Church in Normal, IL. If you are available, please contact Lupe Alcala or Brigid Townsend with any questions.
YWCA Labryinth Mentors
Become a YWCA Labyrinth mentor and help support a formerly incarcerated McLean County woman. Free training is provided, no previous experience required. Training dates and times are Mondays and Wednesdays, September 25 and 27 October 2 and 4 from 6-8:30 p.m. For more information or to register as a mentor, please visit ywcamclean.org or contact us at labyrinthmentor@ywcamclean.org or (309) 831-6491.
Northwest Neighborhood Community Center
Looking for volunteers to be a part of using their gifts while building relationships with neighbors and community members. Northwest Neighborhood Community Center offers child, youth, adult, and intergenerational outreach programs. If you are interested in getting involved at NNCC, contact Sarah Tunall by email (sarah.tunall@nnccenter.org), or call (503) 888-2462. A list of outreach programs can be reviewed here!
Crisis Intervention Volunteers: Free Training/Fall Dates
Be there for someone in crisis, either directly or indirectly, by providing support through Stepping Stones, YWCA’s sexual assault program. Forty hours of free training is required for all volunteers. Training is Tuesdays and Thursdays, September 19 – October 12 from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays, September 23 and October 14 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Please visit www.ywcamclean.org to learn more or to submit an application to become a crisis intervention volunteer. A pre-screening interview is required prior to training. No previous experience is required. Please contact Gabe Cripe, Volunteer Outreach Educator, with questions at gcripe@ywcamclean.org or (309) 662-0461, ext. 267.
INtegRIty Counseling
Looking for counselors, front desk workers, and fundraising coordinators who can give one hour or more per week to our agency. INtegRIty Counseling offers donation based counseling with master's level counselors and social workers who give their time to meet client needs. We are flexible with scheduling and allow time off for students, retirees, and others. For more information, call Luella at 309-827-9100 or email integritycounseling@frontier.com
Faith In Action
Faith in Action is a local non-profit organization that helps seniors stay independent by providing free transportation assistance, grocery shopping, friendly visits and calls, and light home maintenance. Each fall, they also match volunteers with seniors who need leaves raked. You, or your student group, can select one or two Saturdays in late October or November to participate. In addition, you’re encouraged to consider serving with Faith in Action year-round. Many seniors would greatly enjoy visits with college students.
If you are interested in leaf-raking or serving year-round, please contact Terri Thede at terri@bnfia.org or calling (309) 827-7780.
West Bloomington Garden
The West Bloomington Active Garden is a collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club and the YWCA. The program aims to provide fresh, organic, and local produce to Bloomington's west side community, designated a "food desert" by the USDA. The WB Active Garden provides hands on educational programs for children K-5. The students learn the importance of organic and sustainable gardening practices and take home the produce they have grown. Volunteers are needed to help prepare and maintain the garden beds. No gardening experience is necessary. Email wbactivegarden@gmail.com or call Colleen Connelly at (309) 287-1440.
Carle Hospice
Carle Hospice is looking for Compassionate individuals to help serve our community of hospice patients within the surrounding counties: Livingston, Iroquois, Ford, McLean, De Witt, Champaign, Vermillion, Douglas, Macon, Piatt, Moultrie, Coles, Shelby, Cumberland, Clark, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford and Edgar. Our Hospice families are looking for someone who is willing to give respite care, and companionship. Also, may need errands ran, light housekeeping, simple meal preparations, letter writing, reading, and someone to just listen. We DO NOT ask the volunteers to provide any type of health services, just friendly visits. We are looking for bilingual volunteers to give respite care, French, Spanish, etc.
If you are interested please follow steps below:
- Log on to the Carle.org website
- Search Hospice Volunteer
- Fill out and submit application
- If you are having trouble or would just like to call and ask question, please call at (217) 383-8721 or email Letisha.Owens@carle.com
Heartland Head Start
Volunteer to assist in classrooms, teach family classes, at the front desk, or with outside projects.
Get Well Cards
Advocate Bromenn Medical Center has a mission this year to have Get Well Soon cards on the breakfast trays of EVERY person staying at the hospital EVERY day of the year to help brighten their days. They are in need of groups to assist with this task. Make as many cards as your group can make and then drop them at the main entrance guest services desk with a note of who they are from. Contact Tori Tiberi for more information.
Immigration Project
The immigration project has a variety of needs: citizenship team, assistant to the citizenship director, spanish speakers, receptionist, digitizing cases, and organizing. Contact Genesis Marie R. Buendia at gbuendia@immigrationproject.org with questions. A review of available opportunities can be found here.
Habitat For Humanity
Volunteer for construction of the house in Normal or work in the downtown Bloomington office answering phones and greeting customers. Office shifts available 9:15 a.m.-12 p.m. or 1:15-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday or Friday. To learn more about either of these needs are sign up for a group build call Lindsey Probst at (309) 827-3931.
Other Engagement Opportunities
Leaders of Social Change Trip
Leaders of Social Change is a trip focused around social justice, creating positive change, and learning to lead through the social change model! The LOSC trip will take place at the end of winter break on January 8-14th in Detroit, MI. The LOSC trip will include trips to museums, nonprofit organizations, community organizations, and some service in the Detroit community. On this trip, all students will be eligible for a free trip waiver, so students will be able to participate on this impactful trip for free! There are three informational meetings about the trip that any interested students are invited to! Applications are due October 1st! LOSC Info Sessions: https://forms.illinoisstate.edu/forms/losc_info_session_signup
Bloomington Knockers Internships
Bloomington Knockers is seeking an intern, open to all majors. Bloomington Knockers are a youth sports organziation who have provided young athletes opportunties to develop life skills through the sports of cheer, tackle, and flag football. They are seeking someone who can assist with communicating between parents, athletes, coaches, and partners, maintain social media accounts, plan and order equipment/apparel, track fundrasing effrorts, and provide support at practices/games. Experience with social media, Microsoft Excel, strong communication skills, and an interest in youth sports is beneficial. Would require attendance to 1-2 practices per week from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The rest of the work can be completed on own time within scheduled deliverable dates. Anticipated commitment of 10 hours per week, but could offer more if desired. For information email bloomingtonknockers@gmail.com
Pet Central Volunteer Coordinator Intern
Pet Central is seeking an intern who will lead volunteers through the recruiting and training process, assist with coordination, placement, and follow up of volunteers, create outreach and presentation materials, recruit volunteers by contacting groups, organizations, attending meetings and events. This is an unpaid internship with flexible hours. If you are interested, email your resume to info@petcentralhelps.org. Visit the Pet Central Helps website for more information about the organization.
YWCA Mission Impact Interns
Are you on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote justice for all? Are you a student looking for an internship opportunity this semester? If you answered "yes," join the Mission Impact intern team at YWCA! If you are interested in the position, please contact Jen Carillo at jcarrillo@ywcamclean.org. We've got a lot of challenges and opportunities in the horizon and we need YOU to be a part of the team that takes them on!