Category Archives: Organization Highlights
Welcome American Diabetes Association!
American Diabetes Association is a new member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities. 1 in 11 Americans has diabetes today. Together, let’s help every 1.
Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Do you know someone with diabetes? Are you at risk? You can help by volunteering at the Tour de Cure on Saturday, September 8, 2018. Several volunteers are needed for event set up, registration, route marshals, tear down and more! Click here and register for a shift that works with your schedule.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at American Diabetes Association in Douglas County, Colorado, please email Lindsay Phelan at LPhelan@diabetes.org.
Welcome NMSS!
National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) is a new member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities.
NMSS exists because there are people with MS. Their vision is a world free of MS. Everything they do is focused so that people affected by MS can live their best lives as they stop MS in its tracks, restore what has been lost and end MS forever.
NMSS is more than an organization. They are a movement. United in their collective power to do something about MS now and end this disease forever. The gathering place for people with MS, their family and loved ones, healthcare providers, volunteers, donors, fundraisers, advocates, community leaders and all those that seek a world free of MS. A place to connect and take action. In order to
change the world, they mobilize all possible human and financial resources to achieve results.
To learn more about NMSS and their volunteer opportunities in Douglas County, Colorado, click here.
Welcome Project ReCycle!
Project ReCycle is a new member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities. Project ReCycle is a Colorado, Douglas county based 501(c)3 Non-Profit.
Project ReCycle was founded in 2010 to provide smiles to children all over Colorado via a bicycle. That has not changed today. Their first run at this venture led them to create a program that would not only guarantee smiles but would also influence children’s academic behavior in a positive manner. As part of the Dream Bike Program, children are encouraged to earn a bike by improving in 3 areas: Respect, Attendance and Academic Growth.
Project ReCycle works with multiple agencies to provide stability for children. The gifted bicycle becomes a constant in a life of change. Project ReCycle collects bicycles from participating locations on a weekly basis. Bikes are brought back to the repair shop and inspected. If a bike cannot be fixed for reuse, it is dismantled. Each reusable part is salvage for future use. All remaining bike parts are then recycled.
Do you enjoy helping kids? Do you have bike mechanic experience? Perhaps you would enjoy driving to pick up and deliver bikes? Match your passion with one of the many volunteer opportunities at Project ReCycle and make a difference in your community.
To learn more about Project ReCycle and their volunteer opportunities click here.
Welcome Sidekicks for Sight Puppy Club!
Sidekicks for Sight Puppy Club is a new member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities.
Sidekicks for Sight is a puppy raising club for Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). They raise puppies for about a year before they go in for formal guide work training.
Interested in becoming a puppy raiser? Puppies are placed in raiser homes when they are about 8 weeks old, and they return to a GDB campus for formal training when they are between 13 and 15 months old. Puppy raisers are responsible for teaching their puppies good manners and basic obedience. The club meets twice a month to work on specific skills and support raisers through the process. They also meet once a month for a socialization outing. No special training is needed; all training and support is provided.
If you aren’t able to commit to raising a puppy full time, or if a year is too much, there are still other ways to get involved. You could “start” a puppy from about 8 weeks until about 5 months, finish a “transfer” puppy, co-raise a puppy with another raiser, or be a puppy sitter. There are many ways you can get involved!
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Sidekicks for Sight, click here.
Welcome Colorado HorsePower!
Colorado HorsePower is now a member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities.
Colorado HorsePower, Inc. is a nonprofit therapeutic riding center which began in 1984 with a vision of supporting elementary children in the Castle Rock schools. Since then HorsePower has grown to work with children and adults with disabilities, and offers therapeutic riding. They are committed to meeting the needs of mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged children and adults by bringing the therapeutic power of horses and horsemanship to their students. Their mission is to provide a place for students where they gain a sense of freedom and independence, experience accomplishments, interact socially and learn new skills in a pleasurable environment. This is empowering not only the life of the rider, but the entire family.
Without volunteers, they could not operate their program. Colorado HorsePower offers many volunteer opportunities and horse experience is not needed. To learn more about Colorado HorsePower and their volunteer opportunities click here.
HRCA Volunteers of the Month
July volunteers of the month for the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) program at Highlands Ranch Community Association are the Basketball Coaches that helped in May and June. This program has grown thanks to the selfless efforts of a number of dedicated individuals. Many have been with TR basketball for over four years. They represent a wide age-range including students, working professionals, and retirees. When asked what keeps them coming back, they cite love of the athletes and love of the game. This program would not be possible without their help. Many thanks to these volunteers who bring so much joy to the participants!
Join the Slick Science Family!
Slick Science has been a successful program at Douglas County Libraries for over 18 years. The program teaches science literacy with hands on activities for kids and families to enjoy.
To pack in as many experiments as possible, we rely on our dedicated volunteers to help guide and teach simple science concepts to our patrons. Past volunteers have ranged from having an interest in science, to no science experience at all, but all have a desire to help in our community. Volunteers learn these themed science concepts and practice the experiment shortly before the program begins. During the program, they have fun demonstrating and helping our young scientists learn useful science that will enrich their lives. Without the help of our volunteers, the Slick Science program would not be able to reach as many families with fun science and interesting hands on experiments every month. In particular, two volunteers have been with the program for about 10 years! Jim and Pam know Slick Science so well that they can jump in and help wherever needed. Their knowledge is outstanding, they are always able to share a good laugh with the program’s attendees. We’d love to find more volunteers that would like to follow their lead and join our Slick Science family!
Welcome Advocates for Children CASA!
Advocates for Children CASA is now a member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities on the portal.
Advocates for Children CASA works to make sure that all children dream, thrive, and grow with a sense of belonging and empowerment to build a successful future. The organization recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate for children who have open dependency & neglect cases, truancy cases, need additional education advocacy, or are an adolescent that may need some additional support. Our compassionate Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers, and mentors speak up for these children’s’ best interests.
Advocates for Children needs your help to ensure they continue to grow and support the children in our community by having enough volunteers to operate effectively. You don’t have to be a CASA to help. Talk to other people in your life and spread the word. Share this information with anyone who is looking to get involved in their community. Lift up a Child’s Voice and make a difference today.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Advocates for Children CASA, click here.
Welcome Douglas/Elbert Task Force!
Douglas/Elbert Task Force is now a member of Volunteer Connect Douglas County and is actively posting volunteer opportunities on the portal.
The Douglas/Elbert Task Force is a human service organization that endeavors to meet the immediate needs of residents of Douglas and Elbert counties who are in financial distress and/or at risk of becoming homeless. Staff and volunteers help residents through troublesome times with dignity. Their motto is – Help & Hope Here!
Volunteerism is the key to the daily operations at the Task Force. Since 1984 people have given freely of their time to help their neighbors in need. Currently there are over 200 volunteers who work at the Task Force and this enables the majority of annual expenditures to go directly to their clients. Less than 8% of expenses are spent on general and administrative costs.
Do you have about 10 hours a month to give to help someone in need? Do you like administrative work? Perhaps you enjoy handyman repairs and maintenance work? Are you passionate about working in a thrift store, driving to pick up food donations, and/or helping at a Food Bank? The Task Force has many volunteer opportunities to choose from that accomodate most everyone’s schedule. Get involved, get connected and consider becoming a volunteer at Douglas/Elbert Task Force.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Douglas/Elbert Task Force, click here.
DCL Trivia Night for Volunteers
During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, Douglas County Libraries Director Bob Pasicznyuk welcomed a large audience at their annual volunteer appreciation event. The cruise-themed evening featured ‘Trivia Night’ aboard the Lido Deck. The library district celebrates its volunteers with a districtwide event every year in which volunteers across all seven libraries can mingle and feel the impact of being a part of a larger team and vision.
“I would like to thank Douglas County Libraries for the awesome event they held for all their volunteers,” shared Joyce Kramer, a library volunteer for the adult literacy program. “I attended with my husband, and we both had a great evening. We had really nice guests at our table, and we held our own for the Trivia game – a strong 4th place! The food was delicious. It was a very nice ‘Thank You’ for all the volunteers and I greatly appreciated it!”
