VOLUNTEERISM

AARP Foundation Experience Corps is for those age 50 and older who want to dedicate their time to helping children improve their reading skills. The organization found that students who work with Experience Corps volunteers see as much as a 60% improvement in critical literacy skills compared to those in their age group. Volunteers are expected to donate an average of six to 15 hours each week during the school year. www.aarp.org

American Red Cross relies heavily on help from volunteers. These volunteers do roughly 90% of the organization’s humanitarian work. Some of the roles filled by Red Cross volunteers include assistance with first aid, disaster education, disaster services, administrative support, babysitting instruction, and help with fundraising and marketing. www.redcross.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America gives volunteers an opportunity to mentor youth who need an adult role model. There are several programs to choose from. Volunteers have a choice of working with community-based programs, children of military families, school-based programs, and children with incarcerated parents. www.bbbs.org

For One Child – Twice as Nice Thrift Shop Racquel Knight held the grand opening for For One Child – Twice as Nice Thrift Shop in January, 2022. Her main mission for the thrift store is to provide quality products to her customers while keeping prices affordable and raising funds to help kids in Jamaica. For One Child

JustServe is a web-based service where the volunteer needs of organizations and communities are posted and volunteers search for places to serve in the community, providing opportunities to help those in need and enhance the quality of life in the community. www.JustServe.org

Sixty and Me is a community of over 500,000 women over 60 founded by Margaret Manning. Their editorial team publishes articles on lifestyle topics including volunteering, fashion, dating, retirement, and money. https://sixtyandme.com/senior-volunteering/

Volunteer Match is an U.S.-based nonprofit organization and ranked as the #1 volunteer-engagement network in the US. Their mission is to strengthen communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. www.volunteermatch.org/

PAID INTERNSHIPS

Empower Success Corps (ESC) is a nonprofit organization which seeks seasoned professionals for high-impact, skills-based volunteer opportunities. If you would like to use your hard-earned business or nonprofit leadership skills to give back in a meaningful way to the community you care about, become a part of a network of more than 175 ESC Fellows. ESC matches nonprofits with high-caliber, volunteer consultants who help  organizations operate more effectively to better meet the needs of their communities. ESC Fellowships are time-limited assignments, usually full-time for six months or part-time for a year. ESC fellows receive a stipend paid for by the nonprofit or funded by a sponsor. www.empowersuccesscorps.org/

reacHIRE partners with both small and large companies [eg., Amazon, Ipsen] to create 6-month paid Returnship programs designed for professionals returning to the workforce after a 2+ year career break. It is a cohort-based model that allows individuals to re-enter the workforce in a supported way with a group of fellow returning professionals. reacHIRE provides an intensive onboarding specially designed to build the skills needed to successfully re-enter the workforce. This proven approach fosters camaraderie among colleagues, builds confidence and upgrades technology and professional skills that will be invaluable throughout this next phase of their career.  Addie Swartz, the founder of reacHIRE believes that  ”a career break shouldn’t be a career breaker.”™ www.reachire.com

ReServe® is a national nonprofit that leverages talent, experience and commitment of retired professionals 50+ (“ReServists”) to strengthen their communities by matching their skills and passion with part-time service work in nonprofits and public institutions. ReServists are not volunteers. These dedicated and skilled professionals work for a modest hourly stipend, and the satisfaction of giving back to a worthy cause. Partners are nonprofit and government agencies who strive to make a positive impact in areas of health care, education, environment, workforce, poverty, arts & culture, at-risk youth and many other causes. www.reserveinc.org