United Way of Larimer County - Pathways Past Poverty Volunteer Opportunities

Below, you will find a list of Pathways Past Poverty Goal Oriented Volunteer Opportunities. To volunteer, contact the person listed with the opportunity you're interested in.

GOAL 1: Ensure families in Larimer County have access to quality child care that they can afford, that supports their children’s development, and supports their ability to be present and productive at work, school and/or training (including when children are sick).

Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County
Volunteer Opportunity: In 2008 we served 2,750 children, a 38% increase over the previous year. Average
daily attendance at each club was 160 kids. With increased youth membership, the need for more volunteers
also increases.Volunteers play a key role in helping out with Club programs, such as tutoring/ homework
assistance. Youth members can get their homework done at the Club before going home, with the assistance of caring volunteers.
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 14 and older unsupervised. Background screenings for all volunteers over the age of 18 required. Court ordered community service accepted, with some limitations. No minimum commitment required.
Contact: Liz Jack, 970.223.1709 ext. 100, e-mail Liz
EVICS (Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Volunteer advocates to raise funds for our Child Care Scholarship Program which assists low income families with childcare and preschool fees.
- Volunteer Board Members who possess a passion for community service, especially meeting the needs of families and young children.
- Bilingual Volunteer with ability to outreach and communicate needs and services to Hispanic community.
Volunteer Requirements: Adult volunteers needed to serve as committee members, Board members, or assist
with special projects. Occasional office duties also available. Must have a passion for, and interest in, serving the needs of families and young children in Estes Park and a willingness to advocate for quality early childhood care
and education.
Contact: Nancy Almond, 970.586.3055, e-mail Nancy
United Day Care Center
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Volunteers needed to come in and rock babies and read to children.
- Volunteer maintenance person.
Volunteer Requirements: Background check and drug test at the cost of the volunteer required.14 years + old unsupervised.
Contact: Jennifer VanCleave, 970.493.2628, e-mail Jennifer

GOAL 2: Significantly increase the availability of, access to and quality of job training, critical life skills and education opportunities that lead to self-sufficiency.

ELTC (Education & Life Training Center)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Instructors trained and effective in adult education.
- Support in the organization and implementation of Circles Mentoring Program.
Volunteer Requirements: Ages 18 and older, background check required, time commitment is dependent on position, court ordered service acceptable depending on skill sets.
Contact: Lyn Karius, 970.484.4357, e-mail Lyn
Larimer Center for Mental Health - Spirit Crossing Clubhouse
Volunteer Opportunities: LCMH Spirit Crossing is in need of a shuttle driver(s) to provide daily trips to and from the Clubhouse. Hours may vary.
Volunteer Requirements: Ages 18 and older, background check required, time commitment is dependent on position, court ordered service acceptable depending on skill sets.
Contact: Natalie Brown, 970.493.4051, e-mail Natalie
Project Self-Sufficiency
Volunteer Opportunities: PS-S program participants are best able to succeed in their career when they have opportunities to mentor with community members successful in that career; to experience internships in top notch community placements; and secure employment that will lead to living wages. PS-S would like to work with volunteers in career development related capacities to best assist participants in identifying an appropriate career goal and in reaching subsequent career goals.
Volunteer Requirements: Background check required.
Contact: Mariah Kelley, 970.635.5908 , e-mail Mariah

GOAL 3 : Develop and implement a multi-dimensional approach to low-income housing to help ensure that no persons or families lack access to adequate housing.

The Center for Justice, Peace and Environment (CJPE)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Tabling at the Sustainable Living Fair
- Leafleting in low income neighborhoods
- Conducting surveys with low income renters
Volunteer Requirements: 14 + years old unsupervised, no background check, no min time commitment, yes, we are glad to work with folks who are on court ordered service.
Contact: Cheryl Distaso, 970.419.8944, e-mail Cheryl
Habitat for Humanity: Fort Collins
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Construction site on Thursdays, Fridays, and some Saturdays from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. No construction experience necessary
- The Home Supply Store, Monday thru Saturday, any time between 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. Volunteer duties include loading/unloading donations, setting up store displays, customer service, upkeep and cleaning of the store and
merchandise.
- Staffing Habitat Booths or helping at various events.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers must be 16 years old or older. No minimum time commitment. Accept court ordered service volunteers depending on the type of offense.
Contact: Debbie Pyles, 970.461.0744, e-mail Debbie, or sign up to volunteer at: www.fortcollinshabitat.org
Homelessness Prevention Initiative
Volunteer Opportunities:
- We are recruiting volunteers for client screening at the Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope for Mondays from 12-2 pm. This is a new location for our program and may change into an intake center in time. Training provided.
- We will soon be starting a 3 month follow-up study and need a research assistant to help staff meet with clients at interviews to get approval to call them to follow up and then to actually conduct follow up surveys and compile results. Training provided.
Volunteer Requirements: Shifts last 3-4 hours. Do not accept court ordered service.
Contact: Sue Beck-Ferkiss, 970.407.7021, e-mail Sue
Homelessness Prevention Initiative seeks Bilingual Spanish volunteers for the Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope location. These volunteers will translate for both screening clients and at intake interviews. Hours are currently Mondays from 12-2pm, and Tuesdays 2-5pm. Volunteers will work one or more shifts per month. Training provided. Long term commitment sought. Contact Sue at 407-7021 or sbeckferkiss@uwaylc.org.
Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Support Neighbor to Neighbor’s housing counseling programs with outcomes measurement. Contact (by phone) recipients of Emergency Rent Assistance and First Month’s Rent Assistance funds 3 and 6 months after they
receive assistance to assess their current housing stability. Compile pre- and post-counseling surveys. Record outcomes in Excel.
- Support Neighbor to Neighbor’s low-income communities with landscaping projects. Design and install low-water-use landscaping, xeriscape or zeroscape options; trim bushes; pull weeds; plant and manage flowerbeds. These improvements to our apartment complexes enhance the image of affordable housing in the community, and ensure that our low-income neighbors have a safe, friendly and cheerful place to call home.
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 6-16 supervised and ages 16 and older unsupervised.
Contact: Tracy Schwartz, 970.488.2369, e-mail Tracy

GOAL 4: Provide better jobs for residents in Larimer County (better jobs are jobs that have a sustainable wage; value employees as people; and are long-term, career oriented).

GOAL 5: Ensure that families facing poverty will have the opportunity to take part in a community supported process that enhances their own individual and family resources. In this process, individuals take responsibility for building their future as they identify their goals and assess their resources (financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, support systems, relationships and role models, and knowledge of the hidden rules of class). They continue with the process by making choices and creating plans to enhance
their resources.

Alternatives to Violence
Volunteer Opportunities: Most often our volunteers are the first people to have contact with our clients. Most of our clients are referred to us by the Loveland Police Department via our 24-hour hotline. The volunteers who work this hotline inform our clients not only about the services ATV is able to offer them, but also about other resources in the community. Many times our clients call the hotline when they are ready to leave their abuser and they need the support and information our volunteers offer them, such as information about our transitional housing program that can assist our clients in becoming self-sufficient.
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 13 and older are supervised. Volunteers must pass our background check.
Contact: Sara Zidon, 970.669.5150 ext. 224, e-mail Sara
CARE Housing, Inc
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer tutors are needed to assist with CARE’s After School Tutoring programs which are aimed at ensuring and encouraging each participant‘s academic success.
Volunteer Requirements: 16 years + old supervised
Contact: Betsy Emond, 970.282.7522 ext. 105, e-mail Betsy
Catholic Charities - Larimer County
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed one night per week to help with client sign-in, bag check, basic orientation, and new client registration at The Hostel of Hospitality, our Emergency Homeless Shelter . Volunteers also help run evening activities for shelter guests, such as movie nights or craft projects. Shelter check-in is from 7 PM to 9 PM, 7 days a week.
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 8-15 supervised and ages 16 and older unsupervised.
Asked to commit to volunteering once per month or once per week, depending on the position. Accept court ordered service on a limited basis. Require background checks and safe environment training for volunteers interacting with children and families.
Contact: Laura Grette, 970.484.5010 ext. 217, e-mail Laura
Estes Valley Victim Advocates
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Transportation assistance: Women leaving a violent living situation often have no access to transportation. We need volunteers willing to drive to and from medical appointments, errands, housing and job opportunities.
- Food pick-up. At this time, Estes Valley Victim Advocates must drive to and from Fort Collins to purchase food from the Larimer County Food Bank. Having volunteers be responsible for this task weekly or bi-weekly would help immensely.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers must be 18 or older and have a valid driver’s license and current auto insurance.
Contact: Mary Mesropian, 970.577.9781, e-mail Mary
House of Neighborly Service
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Regular or substitute drivers to pick up donations.
- Volunteers to help sort and hang donated clothing in the clothing room.
- Volunteers to help receive and organize donations, and package and distribute food baskets in the food room.
Volunteer Requirements: 14 and up unsupervised; no background checks required; most volunteer positions are one morning or afternoon per week, although volunteers are occasionally needed for fundraisers or special projects; court-ordered service possible depending on violation, number of hours and available space.
Contact: Erin Becerra, 970.667.4939 ext. 19, e-mail Erin
Lutheran Family Services of Colorado (LFS)
Volunteer Opportunities: Prevent child abuse and family disruption through positive parenting education by providing volunteer assistance for children’s groups which run concurrent to the parent education classes and
support group.
Volunteer Requirements: A weekly commitment of at least a month is required; 10-14 weeks is desirable to complete a full parenting class session. Background check required.
Contact: Julie Witkowski, 970.266.1788, e-mail Julie
Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope
Volunteer Opportunities:
- In order for us to track and record data, we utilize the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) HMIS implementation presents communities with an opportunity to re-examine how homeless services are provided in their community, and to make informed decisions, and develop appropriate action steps. A volunteer who is willing to be trained in HMIS, and to oversee data entry of this information, would be extremely helpful to our organization.
- The front desk/reception area of Murphy Center is a place of ongoing activity. An energetic volunteer who is comfortable interacting with visitors, and able to guide people to showers, laundry, lockers, etc. would be helpful.
Volunteer Requirements: We ask that our volunteers make a one year commitment of at least two hours a week. Volunteers must be over the age of 18, and pass a background check. Because of the structure of the time commitment and background check requirements, people seeking to fulfill court-ordered service requirements may not qualify.
Contact: Nancy Mendenhall, 970.494.4388 or Stephanie Madsen-Pixler (with Larimer Center for Mental Health), 970.494.4341, e-mail Stephanie
Partners Mentoring Youth of Larimer County
Volunteer Opportunities: Partners Mentoring Youth is currently looking for mentors (Senior Partners) to mentor youth in Larimer County. With over 100 youth waiting for mentors, positive adult role models in our community have a great opportunity to step in and make an immediate impact by providing them additional support. By spending as little as three hours a week working with the same youth for one year, Senior Partners help these youth experience: an increase in self confidence; a less-accepting attitude toward drugs and alcohol; increased bonding to positive adult influences; and a better attitude toward their future and what it holds.
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 15 and older supervised.
Contact: Fort Collins: Zachary McFarlane, 970.484.7123, e-mail Zachary
Estes Park: Diana Laughlin, 970.577.9348, e-mail Diana
Loveland: Eric Santi, 970.667.0911, e-mail Eric
The Matthews House
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Male Mentors: Mentor a male youth/young adult that is currently in poverty and needs support and assistance as he transitions into independent living.
- Host Home: Provide emergency and short-term housing to a young adult as they work toward living on their own.
- Business Champions: Provide internships, apprenticeships and jobs for youth/young adults in poverty.
Volunteer Requirements: Background check required for all volunteers that work with youth/young adults
Weekly Mentoring Requirements - 6 month commitment (2 hrs/wk), must be at least 21 years-old.
Contact: Vanessa Aschmann,: 970.472.4293, e-mail Vanessa

GOAL 6: Develop and implement a multifaceted integrated health care, wellness & preventative system to help ensure that every resident of Larimer County has access to quality mental, dental, physical, and vision services throughout their lifespan.

Health Care for All Colorado
Volunteer Opportunities:
- We need volunteers who have time/facility to make calls to our members and enlist their help with our education and advocacy efforts.
- We can use volunteers who have skills in database entry.
- We need volunteers who can write letters to media outlets, monitor blogs and websites on health care reform and write to elected officials on the need for comprehensive, affordable health care.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers over age 12 will be accepted; no background check is required. Minimum commitment is 2 hours per month. Court ordered service persons will be considered on a case by case basis if their interests and skills match our needs.
Contact: Linda Mahan, 970.484.2259, e-mail Linda

GOAL 7: Increase awareness of diversity and poverty to create an inclusive and involved community that honors the value of all people in Larimer County.

Disabled Resource Services (DRS)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Disabled Resource Services is in need of volunteers willing to do household chores and provide companionship for homebound people and seniors who are disabled. Assignments vary and can include chores such as light housecleaning, lawn mowing, weeding, organizing bills and paperwork, and other miscellaneous tasks as requested.
Volunteers for front desk coverage are also needed.
- Disabled Resource Services needs volunteers with marketing, fundraising and communication skills to help the Sustainable Funding Team raise awareness of agency services. Duties may include making short presentations explaining DRS services to church and service groups, or one-on-one to business owners, or helping with events and other marketing/fund-raising activities. Board members with financial, legal, or medical skills and a website developer are also needed.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers must be over age 18 and be willing to comply with a background check. Community service workers also welcome provided the offense is not a felony and meets the agency requirements for in home assistance.
Contact: Gail Barrera, 970.482.2700 or 970.581.2617, e-mail Gail
Lambda Community Center
Volunteer Opportunities: Our organization is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable community. We are in the process of developing and implementing a community organizing program for the GLBTIQQA community. We are looking for individuals who are willing to participate as canvassers in the community with the goals of distributing community assessments, engaging the community around GLBTIQQA issues and to educate the community-at-large about creating safe and inclusive environments for all Coloradans.
Volunteer Requirements: Any community member ages 12+ who is committed to the mission of our organization. Volunteers wanting to work with youth must be at least 21 years old and have no prior history of sexual or violent crime and be willing to undergo a background check, a full-day of facilitation/mentor training and commit to 5 hours of clerical/support work before being able to work with actual youth participants. We do accept court ordered service for all positions except those working with youth.
Contact: Andy Stoll, 970.221.3247, e-mail Andy

GOAL 8: Engage a broad range of community stakeholders in examining policies and implementing best practices that support children, youth and families.

Community Organizing to Reach Empowerment (CORE) Center
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Bilingual tutors for after school programs for children and youth (K- Gr. 12)
- Bilingual volunteers to assist with our English as a Second Language adult learners (including the INEA program/National Institute for Adult Education through the Mexican government)
- Volunteers to assist serving meals for our Kids Café Program (dinner during the school year, lunch during the summer program)
Volunteer Requirements: No age requirement; background check required; minimum of at least two hours a week for a semester; individuals who are required to complete court ordered services are sometimes placed on-site (depends on the circumstances and situation).
Contact: Marilyn Thayer, 970.484.2580, e-mail Marilyn
Larimer County Department of Human Services: Children Youth & Family Division- Volunteer Program
Volunteer Opportunities: Mentoring our youth saves lives and can lead them to becoming productive and healthy adults.
Volunteer Requirements: Online application, background checks, clean driving record, CBI FBI fingerprinting and 6-hour training required. 1 year commitment preferred. 2 month screening and training process so we do not take community service volunteers.
Contact: Christina Ulrich-Jones, 970.980.2239, e-mail Christina

GOAL 9: Develop and implement a seamless, affordable, integrated multi-modal transportation system, providing uninterrupted coverage for the area from Wellington to Berthoud and including Timnath, Windsor and Johnstown.

Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op
Volunteer Opportunities:
- We could really use a volunteer with experience in systems analysis and strategic planning as we have an immediate need to develop a strategic plan to guide us to independence from the City of Fort Collins. This would help us to build our Earn-a-Bike programs for low income and the socially disadvantaged.
- We need a volunteer who can help us develop an overall fundraising plan, including grant writing, donation campaign, and business or commercial sponsorships. Having a steady, if modest, cash flow will help us to put more bikes into our Earn-a-Bike program and help to alleviate the transportation needs of low income families and children.
- We could use a volunteer “community organizer” to adopt one or more of our volunteer programs (Earn-a-Bike, Bike Library, Bike Safety in Schools) and to develop the operations to make that program work from intake of bicycles to output of product (whether that is bicycles, services for Bike Library Patrons, or Bike Safety Classes for kids).
Volunteer Requirements: Youth volunteers ages 10-13 supervised and 14 and older unsupervised.
Contact: Paul Lugo or Rick Price, 970.484.3804, e-mail Paul and Rick
SAINT (Senior Alternatives in Transportation)
Volunteer Opportunities: SAINT always needs more drivers. There is no charge to our clients for our service. For many of our clients this means they can afford to access the community resources and services necessary to maintain a reasonable standard of living. We are often fully booked and occasionally must decline a particular request for transportation because we do not have enough volunteers available at the times needed.
Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers need a clean, safe, dependable vehicle, driver’s license with a clean driving record and a desire to help their neighbors. Our volunteer opportunity is flexible - drive a regular schedule or drive occasionally as a back up or special occasion driver. We do the scheduling, carry supplemental insurance, and reimburse you for mileage. Volunteers must be 18 years of age.
Necessary Skills: Interpersonal and communication skills - a friendly smile and pleasant conversation make the rides fly by. Navigation skills - familiarity with Loveland or Fort Collins is a great plus, but driving for SAINT is a great way to learn your way around town. Map reading skills also come in handy. Driving skills - SAINT requires an authorization to obtain a driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles; serious infractions (e.g.: DUI or reckless driving) will disqualify a candidate. Good citizenship skills - a criminal background check authorization is required; criminal convictions will disqualify a candidate.
Contact: Connie Nelson-Cleverley, 970.223.8604, e-mail Connie

GOAL 10: Increase the academic success of all youth in Larimer County.

Poudre School District Volunteers & Partnerships - Partnership Center
Volunteer Opportunities: PSD Volunteers & Partnerships always has needs for group and one-on-one tutoring/mentoring to increase academic success of our students.
Volunteer Requirements: Criminal background checks required.
Contact: Cyndi Gile, 970.490.3208, e-mail Cyndi or Kris Cord, 970.490.3207, email Kris
Thompson School District-VITAL Program
Volunteer Opportunities: Classroom assistance and working with elementary children one-on-one in reading or other subject areas..
Volunteer Requirements: Completed application available on our website www.thompsonschools.org or by calling 970-613-5072. We do not accept court-ordered service.
Contact: Chris Ingold, 970.613.5072, e-mail Chris
The Center for Adult Learning, Front Range Community College
Volunteer Opportunities: The Center for Adult Learning (CAL) needs volunteer tutors especially for math, but also for reading, writing, and English as a second language.
Volunteer Requirements: A volunteer intake form is available on our website www.frontrange.edu. Click on Student Services, Center for Adult Learning. For court-ordered service, contact Margie Wagner 970-204-8373.
Contact: Margie Wagner, 970.204.8373, e-mail Margie

GOAL 11: Ensure financial justice and a level playing field for those in poverty.

AND

GOAL 12: Increase the level of financial literacy and stability in the community.

Larimer County Extension Office
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Volunteers who are knowledgeable in financial management and education may request to be included on a list of resource people. A Speaker’s Bureau is being developed to offer non-commercial education and information to individuals and groups who desire and/or need additional financial knowledge. Volunteers must be able to motivate individuals to adopt improved financial practices and be willing to collect and submit evaluation data to the financial literacy initiative coordinators.
- Volunteers may also apply to become members of the Larimer County Extension Advisory Committee.Volunteer Requirements: Applicants must be residents of Larimer County and be at least sixteen years of age. (Three Committee positions are reserved for individuals age 16 to 18).
Contact: Laurel Kubin - Extension, 498-6004 (Staff Contact), e-mail Laurel or Kathay C. Rennels (Commissioner Contact)
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (Realities Focus, Inc)
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Train to become a certified volunteer tax preparer working with low- to moderate-income and senior citizens in Northern Colorado.
- Greeter at one of our tax preparation sites – signing in clients, answering basic questions and making clients feel welcome.
- Spanish language translator at one of our tax preparation sites. Assist clients and tax preparers to ensure accurate information is received and given.
Requirements:
- Minimum age is 21.
- Volunteers must have a desire to provide assistance with preparation of tax returns for members of the community
who qualify for VITA services.
- Tax preparers must commit to attend all relevant training sessions, complete the certification tests and provide
service only through VITA as a volunteer.
- Basic computer skills are required for tax preparation using IRS-provided software.
- Willingness to work at least one 4-hour session each week during the 10-week schedule. Volunteers often trade
work days and shifts to help accommodate travel plans and other absences.
Contact: Hugh Price, 970-372-5419, e-mail Hugh or Harry Love, 970-227-0307, e-mail Harry