Civic Engagement Opportunities

Service Type

Organization

Details

In person*

Downtown Bloomington Farmer's Market

The Downtown Bloomington Farmer’s Market takes place Saturday mornings through the end of October. They have multiple volunteer opportunities, including set up/vendor load in, market beautification, information booth, vendor substitute, and tear down/vendor load out. Visit their sign-up form to register. If you have questions, email cdunlap@cityblm.org or call (309) 434-2295.

In person*

School Street Food Pantry

The School Street Food Pantry is located on the edge of campus, serves local college students, and has a variety of volunteer needs. Complete their volunteer form in order to sign up for specific volunteer positions.

In person*

Home Sweet Home Ministries

Home Sweet Home Ministries (HSHM) is a non-profit Christian shelter that provides service to those experiencing homelessness in our community. HSHM has multiple opportunities for volunteers to serve year-round. Groups are encouraged to participate in HSHM's holiday meal deliveries as well as their Night In A Car experience and fundraiser. Visit their website for more information on current openings and opportunities.

In person*

Mothers against Drunk Driving

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a non-profit with the primary mission of ending all forms of impaired driving, providing prevention education for underage drinking and drug use, and supporting victims. MADD is currently recruiting volunteers for their Court Monitoring Program, grant funded by IDOT, which involves observing the adjudication process of misdemeanor DUI cases and compiling relevant data. This information can be used to evaluate how certain jurisdictions are processing and enforcing DUI laws. Volunteering for this program is a great way for students gain insight and real-world experience in the Criminal Justice System. Volunteers are needed in Peoria, McLean, Knox, Tazewell, and Champaign Counties. Remote volunteer options are also available for special projects. For more information, contact Terri Klein.

In person*

YWCA of McLean County

YWCA of McLean County needs several groups of volunteers to help complete a new outdoor learning environment for their Young Wonders Early Learning Program. The work includes painting a playground, leveling and laying bricks, and shoveling sand in garden beds. They hope to have the space completed in the next month. For more information or to volunteer with your RSO or student group, contact Melissa Breeden at mbreeden@ywcamclean.org.

In person*

Illinois Art Station

The Illinois Art Station provides children, youth, and their families with transformative learning through hands-on experiences in the visual arts. Interested in being a part of IAS? They’ll have a lot of volunteer openings this fall. Learn more about getting involved today.

In person*

Heartland Head Start

Heartland Head Start is currently looking for Spanish interpreters/translators to help prospective families with paperwork and questions about services. Volunteers will serve on an as-needed basis, typically during normal office hours Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Chasmine Thornton, Volunteer Specialist.

In person*

INtegRIty Counseling, Inc.

INtegRIty Counseling is in need of volunteers for front desk, counseling, and interpreting positions. Front desk volunteers greet clients, answer phones, handle client contributions, schedule appointments, etc. Counselors require credentials to volunteer. For more information, contact Sophia at sophiam@integrityhelps.org or call (309) 827-9100. For additional information about INtegRIty, visit their website.

Virtual

PATH Hotlines

PATH answers phones for multiple hotlines. The lines for are 24-hour services, and they depend on volunteers to answer those calls. The volunteer training course touches on many topics such as communication, crisis intervention, suicide assessment and prevention, mental health, etc. Learning in-depth about these topics and having the opportunity to help others in need is an extremely rewarding experience. The next 8-week training class begins in the spring. If interested, visit the PATH website to complete a volunteer application. Questions? Contact Eva at (309) 834-0507 or ekomar@pathcrisis.org or Stacey at (309) 834-0542 or sdelathouwer@pathcrisis.org.  

In person*

Sunnyside Community Garden

Sunnyside Community Garden needs volunteers to help with a variety of garden tasks. The garden is located at the end of W. Illinois Street in Bloomington. Message them on Facebook to join a volunteer group that meets weekly to serve. They also welcome student groups who would like to volunteer. To arrange a time for your group to volunteer, contact Farm Manager Caleb Phillips.

In person*

Midwest Food Bank

Midwest Food Bank is a local non-profit with national and international reach. They are looking for a variety of volunteers.

• Distribution volunteers: lift and load boxes of food for various agencies. Register online.
• Service project volunteers: complete a variety of projects such as repackaging food or assembling boxes/bags of food. Register online.
• Photographer: to take photos of volunteers; must have access to their own equipment
• Writer for nutritional newsletter: must have strong writing skills and nutrition proficiency to help create content for monthly nutrition newsletter
• Front desk volunteers: answer phone calls, direct walk-ins, answering volunteer questions, and assist with volunteer check-in; must commit to a regular weekly time slot

For more information on these opportunities, contact Shelby Moore, Volunteer Coordinator.

In person*

McLean County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

McLean County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) trains and supports volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children residing in foster care. McLean County research indicates that children who have a CASA volunteer achieve a safe and permanent home sooner than those who do not. CASA training takes place in spring, summer, and fall. Visit the CASA website for more information and the volunteer application.

Virtual, In person*

Western Avenue Community Center

Western Avenue Community Center is located in Bloomington and offers many programs to support members of the community. They are currently looking for volunteers to help with their Hispanic Outreach Program (Interpretation & Translation Services), Senior Programs, and Food Program. Visit their website to learn more. If you'd like to help, email their staff.

Virtual

Card Ministry, Carle BroMenn Medical Center

Carle BroMenn Medical Center is reinstating their Card Ministry and is looking for groups and individuals to create hand-made get well and seasonal (Spring, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Holiday, Winter, etc.) cards. A simple drawing and greeting on plain paper would bring joy to a patient during their hospital stay.

Completed cards can either be left at the Carle BroMenn main entrance (Attention: Sue Seibring, Volunteer Manager) or mailed to the following address:

Sue Seibring, Volunteer Manager
1304 Franklin Ave.
Normal, IL 61761

Virtual

Crisis Text Line

The Crisis Text Line is looking for volunteers to serve as Crisis Counselors and respond virtually to needs across the United States. They require a minimum of four hours of volunteer time per week, and their peak hours are overnight. Visit their website for more information.

In person*

The Baby Fold

With the help of volunteers, The Baby Fold serves over 1200 children and families annually through 12 programs across 28 counties in Central Illinois. Through Foster Care, Adoption Support, Special Education, Autism Services, and more, The Baby Fold helps create healthy happy families and breaks the cycle of abuse and neglect. Current volunteer opportunities include administrative duties such as data entry, preparing mailers, and office organization. For the safety and wellbeing of those they serve, volunteer opportunities typically do not include client interaction. Volunteer opportunities are in-person, available Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in Normal. Please click here if you are interested in volunteering at The Baby Fold.

In person*

Faith in Action

Faith in Action provides transportation to medical appointments for seniors. They are looking to fill a variety of volunteer roles, including medical transportation, grocery shopping, friendly visits/phone calls, maintenance, and more. For more information, contact Stacey Bill, Volunteer Coordinator, at stacey@bnfia.org, or visit their website.

In person*

Red Cross of Central Illinois

The Red Cross of Central Illinois is also looking for Blood Drivers, individuals interested in transporting blood and blood product throughout our region. You’ll be able to make your own hours, have the use of a Red Cross vehicle, and all training needed for this position is provided. They are also recruiting for volunteer Donor Ambassadors. As a Donor Ambassador, you help to provide excellent customer service at local blood drives to enhance the donor experience. To find out more about either opportunity please contact Sasha Welch-Moore at (309)322-0566 or Sasha.Welch-Moore@redcross.org.

In person*

Holy Trinity Saint Vincent DePaul Food Pantry

The Holy Trinity Saint Vincent DePaul Food Pantry needs volunteers for food distribution. For more details, contact them at svdp.htpantry@gmail.com.