The Alewife area of Cambridge is home to shopping centers, office parks, some of the City's most prestigious businesses, and a unique and precious urban wetland. The Coalition for Alewife is a joint undertaking of a number of civic organizations in Cambridge, Arlington, and Belmont which have come together to protect and enhance the area's environmental quality in the face of ongoing pressures from economic and transportation development. The Alewife Watershed Trust, the brainchild of that Coalition, will be governed by a board of directors made up of representatives from the three towns, including members of their respective Conservation Commissions, business communities, and neighborhood residents, as well as the MDC.
With the formation of the Trust, volunteers interested in helping with a range of special and ongoing projects to protect and revitalize the Alewife watershed area, including clean-ups, water quality monitoring, wetland restoration activities, public education and awareness initiatives, and fundraising, will be able to contact a single organization to find out how and when they can get involved. In the meantime, interested persons can contact the above-listed number for information about the activities of member organizations (some of which are separately listed under the Safe Neighborhood Initiative), including the Friends of Blair Pond, the Friends of Little Pond, the North Cambridge Stabilization Committee, the Neighborhood 9 Association, the Neighborhood 10 Association, the Cambridge Highlands Neighborhood Association, the East Arlington Good Neighbors, etc.
The Alzheimer's Association sponsors a variety of services addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer's (a degenerative disease of the brain) and their families. The Association operates a helpline (weekdays 9AM - 5PM) providing information, referral, and guidance for concerned callers; provides leader training and resource materials for caregiver support groups; publishes a "Family Care Guide" and distributes related books and videotapes; sponsors workshops for professionals; participates in legislative advocacy at the state and federal levels; offers advocacy assistance to families who meet obstacles to obtaining needed services; and operates a 24-hour "safe return" program that helps track and return missing family members who have wandered away from their home.
Volunteers are needed to staff the helpline, work with families in conjunction with the "safe return" program, provide assistance in the office, and help out with fundraising activities, including the annual "memory walk". Volunteers interested in the helpline or "safe return" program receive specialized training, and are expected to take responsibility for a weekly shift for a minimum of six months. Office volunteers are also asked to make a regular commitment for a six month period. Volunteers interested in helping out with fundraising activities typically make a commitment for the duration of the project; work in support of the memory walk tends to occur during the evening.
The American Friends Service Committee is an international and national social and political change organization that is Quaker-based. This office coordinates regional activities related to:
Volunteers of any age are needed during business hours (weekdays 9 AM - 5 PM) to aid in such things as administrative duties, data entry and other computer work, mailings, collating, previewing rental films, making phone calls, proofreading, etc. Volunteers should be willing to commit at least 2 hours/week.
Volunteers of any age are needed to help with sorting, washing, mending, and packaging donated clothing (at 5 Longfellow Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM). No specific commitment is required.
The BCOM is a state-wide membership-supported bicycle advocacy organization that works to improve bicycling conditions for both recreation and transportation. Volunteers are needed on flexible time schedules to support coalition efforts to pass bicycle-friendly legislation, and to assist with advocacy related to bikeways, bicycle tourism, and bicycle commuting. Volunteers help with community relations, general office work, data entry, telephone calling, and distributing literature to bike shops and other sites.
The Big Brothers Association matches boys (age 7-14) who have no "significant males" in their life with adult males who establish one-to-one relationships and offer companionship, guidance, role-modeling, and mentoring in the course of weekly get-togethers (at the boy's house, on a walk, at the movies, at a museum, at a sporting event, or wherever the boy and Big Brother decide to spend time).
Volunteers must be 18 or older, working or going to school full-time, and willing to make a commitment to spend 3-5 hours a week for at least 1 year with the young man with whom they are matched. Volunteers go through a screening process; not all volunteers will be matched. Volunteers are trained.
The Big Sister Association matches at-risk girls, aged 7-15, in the greater Boston area with "big sisters" who establish one-to-one relationships and offer companionship, guidance, role-modeling, and mentoring in the course of weekly get-togethers (at the girl's house, on a walk, at the movies, at a museum, at a sporting event, or wherever the girl and her Big Sister decide to spend time.
Volunteers, 20 or older, must make a commitment to spend 4 hours a week for at least 1 1/2 years with the young woman with whom they are matched. A 1 day training session is held for each volunteer before matching is completed. (Big Sister also operates a mentoring program for pregnant and parenting teens; volunteers must be 23 or older and sensitive to issues of parenting as a teen.)
The Cambridge Council of the Boy Scouts sponsors a range of recreational and skill-building programs for school- age boys and girls (e.g., Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting and Exploring).
Volunteers, aged 21 and older, are needed to help with troop leadership, and to assist with activities, including day trips, outdoor activities, camping, and community service. Training is provided. A one year commitment is preferred.
Bread and Jams is an organization of and for people who have experienced homelessness. In addition to providing evening van transportation to shelters, Bread and Jams: (1) operates a midweek drop-in center offering cooking, showering and typewriting facilities (Tuesdays through Thursdays, 1:30-5:30 PM); (2) sponsors a coffee house (alternate Thursday evenings during the academic year); and (3) operates a weekly Sunday dinner outdoors on the Cambridge Common during warm weather months (May 1 - October 15), and indoors at St. James Church during cold weather months (October 16 - April 30).
Volunteers are needed as followed:
CASCAP provides housing and supportive services for elders, persons with AIDS, and persons with mental disabilities.
Volunteers can help at residences with yardwork, tutoring, and transportation, and/or can help in the office with clerical and computer work. Skills needed and training offered depend upon the nature of the assigned responsibilities. Volunteers work flexible hours between 9 AM 5 PM. Reliability is a must.
The Cambridge/Somerville Program for Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Rehabilitation (CASPAR) provides a continuum of substance abuse services in Cambridge and Somerville, including a homeless shelter (located at 240 Albany Street) for actively drinking/drugging persons; in-patient detoxification programs serving men and women, including pregnant women and their babies; an outpatient counseling service; and prevention, intervention and treatment services targeting youth.
Volunteers, 14 and older, are needed for preparing and serving meals at the shelter, sorting clothing donations to the shelter, helping out with landscaping and grounds maintenance at the shelter and other residential sites, and providing clerical and administrative support and support for special projects as they arise.
The Women's Program needs help from volunteers with specialized skills (electricians, plumbers, space/facilities planners, computer experts, babysitters, etc. Also needed are persons who can help with file reorganization.
On site training is provided by the different programs. Hours during which volunteers are needed vary.
Cambridge Community Television provides a range of media-related services to Cambridge residents, including broadcast of local interest programming, school and community-based training in critical viewing/media literacy, training in the use of videographic equipment, and access to that equipment and to the studios of CCTV for production of video programming by City residents.
Volunteers are needed to serve in one of the following capacities:
Reliable volunteers are needed in the emergency food pantry to stock shelves, distribute food to customers, do inventory, and help with clean-up. The pantry is open Mondays & Wednesdays 4-6PM, and Tuesdays & Thursdays 11AM-1PM. Volunteers are needed before, during, and after pantry hours. Training is provided. A six month commitment is requested.
Volunteers 16 or older, are also needed to provide classroom-based one-to-one support for the children in the child care program (i.e., playing with and engaging in developmentally appropriate activities with children). Volunteers must be willing to make a 6 month commitment, and must be reliable. Training is provided. The child care program operates weekdays from 9AM to 5PM.
CUSP is a coalition of Cambridge residents, businesses, city officials, and other interested participants working to decrease smoking and tobacco use in Cambridge, and to reduce the harmful impact of second hand smoke. CUSP initiatives include educational and media events; advocacy in support of municipal and corporate policies which would prevent the sale of tobacco to under-age persons and increase the number of smoke-free establishments; and efforts to counteract promotions by tobacco companies.
Persons with similar concerns about tobacco use are invited to join the organization and volunteer their time with one of its committees.
The Arts Council supports and sponsors artistic and cultural projects, programs, and events that enrich the lives of Cambridge residents.
Volunteers are needed from time to time to help out at events in a variety of capacities, depending on their skill and artistic talents: setting up and breaking down equipment, face painting, and stage management at festivals in the community, etc. Different projects require different time commitments. Volunteers willing to make a commitment of a morning or afternoon per week are needed to help out in the office with such work as collecting arts-related newsclips, answering phones, and helping out with paperwork.
The Bike Committee is part of the Cambridge Environmental Program and promotes safe bicycle riding as an environmentally sound means of transportation, and as a healthy source of recreation.
Volunteers can help by periodically doing counts of bicyclists and pedestrians for 1-2 hours at targeted intersections, by distributing information about safe biking, and by creating promotional materials. Volunteers of all ages are welcome; training and hours of involvement depend upon the task.
The CBDC serves to Cambridge entrepreneurs by organizing peer groups with mentors, information modules, and other kinds of support, with particular emphasis on high technology companies run by women and minority owners.
Volunteers are needed for data/entry (2 hours a week), filing and general office help (4 hours a week), bookkeeping and accounting (once a month, using Peachtree for Windows); public relations (10 hours/month). Knowledge of Microsoft Windows and its applications is needed for computer work. Hours are flexible, day or evenings.
Cambridge Camping runs summer camps for Cambridge children, offering scholarships which permit participation by children whose families could not otherwise afford enrollment costs.
Volunteers, 19 and older, are needed to work directly with day campers and lead activities (e.g., crafts, sports, drama, and music). Volunteers may choose the hours that best suit them (9 AM to 3 PM), but should be prepared to make a firm commitment for the camping season (early July through mid-August).
One volunteer, 25 or older, is needed to serve as the overnight camp scholarship coordinator from May through August. The scholarship coordinator position has flexible hours.
Volunteers for all positions will receive an orientation to the camp, and ongoing support throughout the summer.
CCAA is a multi-cultural, non-profit agency dedicated to providing comprehensive client services to people living with HIV/AIDS and prevention education and outreach to people who are at risk of HIV infection.
CCAA needs volunteers for the following programs. All programs require a six month minimum commitment, except as noted. Volunteers must complete an application and interview process, and a training which includes agency overview, AIDS medical overview, confidentiality issues, and psychosocial issues of AIDS.
The Cambridge Cemetery is a burial ground. Volunteers are needed to provide landscaping assistance.
The Commission works to improve access for people with disabilities throughout Cambridge. The Commission provides information and referral services on disability issues, and helps consumers take advantage of programs which enhance access in the community. The Commission holds monthly meetings which are open to the public, and at which interested residents may participate.
Volunteers 15 and older, able to work autonomously, and willing to make a 5 hour/week 3-6 month minimum commitment, are needed
The Cambridge Community Center is a private, non-profit organization in the Riverside community providing afterschool programming for school-age children and drop-in programming for teens, serving as a community center for adult residents, and operating a summer camp for children.
Volunteers are needed during afterschool hours (weekdays 2-6 PM) to tutor children, to help out with special afterschool projects, to support chess club, to help out with the gymnastics program, and to assist with office work. It is preferred that volunteers be 18 or older, but responsible high school students may apply. There is no formal training but supervision is provided. A commitment of one semester is asked.
The Cambridge Community Schools program offers after-school, school vacation (field trips), and summer camp programming in every neighborhood of Cambridge. Children's activities include science, music, tutoring/homework help, chess, drama. dance, arts and crafts, cooking, and a range of sports and gymnastics. After-school programming occurs in the various neighborhood-based elementary schools (Agassiz, Fitzgerald, Fletcher, Graham and Parks (and New), Haggerty, Harrington, Kennedy, King, Longfellow, Maynard, Morse, Peabody, and Tobin).
Volunteers high school age and older are needed to help with children's activities and community school office tasks. Volunteers need to be reliable and enjoy working with children. Special skills related to programming components described above are particularly welcome, but not required. There are opportunities for both short and long term volunteering.
CCS is a human services planning and programming agency whose mission is to develop and implement collaborative programs that respond to human service needs in Cambridge. Initiatives focus on disadvantaged youth.
Volunteers, age 25 or older, are needed to serve as mentors for at-risk youth, including teen parents, immigrant youth, and youth at risk of dropping out of school. Volunteers receive extensive training over a five-week period and supervisory support for the duration of their involvement with the program. Volunteers are asked to make a one year commitment.
The Conservation Commission is a committee of seven residents appointed by the City Manager to provide advice and recommendations relative to the protection and enhancement of natural resources in Cambridge. The Commission is formally responsible for reviewing projects which might have an impact on local wetlands.
Volunteers can help with occasional clean-ups, wildlife surveys, storm drain stenciling ("do not dump" advisories), and other projects. People with technical expertise are invited to provide more project-specific assistance, as needed. From time to time, community members with demonstrated interest in environmental issues can petition the Commission for status as Associate (non-voting) members; associate members may participate in Commission meetings, and often take an active role in Commission-sponsored activities. The training provided, hours needed, commitment sought vary with the nature of volunteer involvement.
The COA provides a wide range of services for Cambridge seniors 60 years of age and older, including information and referral; benefits and health insurance counseling (SHINE program); transportation for medical appointments and shopping; help addressing substance abuse; a multitude of recreational, social, educational, and cultural activities offered at the City's two Senior Centers; and access to discounts and special status (for property tax abatement, homestead protection, etc.) reserved for seniors. The COA also operates a food pantry (Tuesday and Thursdays afternoons), and serves daily meals for seniors.
Volunteers can help in a variety of ways, which include:
Helping to set the agenda for the COA is its eleven member Board of Directors, including seven residents of Cambridge who are 60 or older. Members, who also must serve on COA committees, serve three year terms. Elders interested in joining the Board should send a letter of interest and resume to the COA Director. Monthly meetings of the Board (second Tuesday of the Month, except July and August, 10 AM to 12 Noon at 51 Inman St.) are open to the public.
The Dispute Settlement Center provides mediation assistance in resolving disputes between landlords/tenants, family members, roommates, employers/employees, persons involved in the process of divorce, gay/lesbian persons involved in separation proceedings or discrimination cases, businesses/consumers, etc.
There are limited opportunities for persons wishing to volunteer as mediators with the Center during both daytime and evening hours. Thirty hours of basic training is provided at the volunteer's cost (approximately $525). Additional advanced training specific to mediation of disputes related to housing, divorce, and gay/lesbian issues is provided at no charge by the Center. Volunteers must be available for two mediations per month for at least one year. The actual demand for volunteer time depends upon the Center's caseload. Supervision is provided.
Other volunteer interns are needed to assist with special projects related to outreach and public education, marketing, fundraising, and promoting diversity. A 9-12 month commitment is sought. Training and supervision appropriate to the intern's responsibilities are provided.
Persons who work or live in Cambridge are periodically needed to fill vacancies on the Center's Board of Directors. Board members make a 2-3 year commitment to attend monthly meetings, and to otherwise support the efforts of the Center, as situations of need arise. Training is provided.
The Election Commission is responsible for voter registration and census operations for the City of Cambridge. It is also responsible for the enforcement of municipal campaign finance and ethics laws.
Volunteers 18 and older who are registered voters in Cambridge are needed to assist with voter registration, voter education, and in completing the annual census. No special skills are needed, except in some individual projects. Both long and short-term projects, which offer flexible hours, are available.
The Environmental Program coordinates environmental planning, programming, and services among City Departments and agencies. Individual programs include air quality, water resource protection, transportation demand management, bicycle and pedestrian planning, and other natural resource-related programs.
Volunteers are needed to support data collection and research efforts, and to assist with ongoing and special projects administered by the program. Hours needed, the commitment expected, and training offered are project-specific. Good communication and research skills are preferred.
In addition to offering professional counseling services to families and individuals, Cambridge Family and Children's Services sponsors a "Parent-to-Parent" mentoring program matching trained volunteers with families transitioning from homeless shelters to their own apartment. Mentors serve as friends, role models, advocates, and resource persons for the family, helping them develop the skills and self-confidence they need to succeed.
Volunteers, 21 or older, who are (or have been) parents or have had other experience working with children are needed to serve as mentors. Volunteers must be willing to make a 4 hour/week, 1 year commitment. Training is provided. Volunteers receive a monthly stipend of $85.
The Cambridge Family YMCA is a charitable organization serving Cambridge youth, providing transitional housing to formerly homeless men, and offering fitness and recreational programming for youth and adults.
Volunteers are needed to provide after-school tutoring, to coach youth sports teams, and to help out with special events (e.g., road races, golf tournaments). The hours during which volunteers are needed vary and are flexible. A commitment of a 6 months or the length of a special event is asked. Training and orientation are provided, depending upon the position.
The YMCA also seeks volunteers for its governing Board of Trustees and for participation on operating committees which are advisory to the Board.
The Haitian Services Collaborative program offers assistance to Cambridge residents of Haitian descent, including information and referral services, advocacy, help with immigration-related issues, translation and interpretation assistance, adult education (Kreyol literacy, math tutorial, English as a Second Language, computer classes), and help accessing other programs and services for Cambridge residents. Haitian Services also sponsors a summer day camp especially for children up to age 13 from families of Haitian descent.
Volunteers, 17 or older, are needed to assist with instruction in English, math, and English as a Second Language (ESL); to serve as interpreters; and, during the summer, to assist camp staff, under the supervision of the director. Some training is provided. The level of commitment required varies with the activity.
Cambridge Head Start provides educational, health, and parenting support services to about 80 low income families with 3 and 4-year old children at 10 sites in Cambridge.
Volunteers, 14 or older, are needed to assist teachers with supervision in classrooms, child interactions, and other classroom-based activities and to assist with workshops for parents. Volunteers are needed primarily between the hours of 8 AM and 1 PM, with some programs going until 5:30pm. The level of commitment depends on the type of volunteer position sought. Training (overall orientation, child development) is provided and volunteers receive classroom supervision.
In the interest of educating its members and the general public about Cambridge and its residents, the Historical Society offers lectures, neighborhood walks, and field trips; produces publications; and maintains a research library. The Society operates out of an historical mansion open to the public two days a week.
The Society accepts interns on a volunteer basis to work on projects that are of mutual interest to the volunteer and the Society, including educational, curatorial, fundraising, research, and marketing and management. Volunteers are typically, though not necessarily drawn from among local college and university students. (Interns must be high school graduates.) Volunteers typically commit to working two or three days/week for a length of time that is mutually convenient, for example an academic term. Interns receive the support of staff, and are, in turn, expected to produce a project report at the end of their internship.
Candidates interested in applying should send a resume and cover letter, describing their field of interest and available time to the above-listed contact.
The Cambridge Homes is a small retirement home with 30 female residents.
Volunteers, 16 or older, are needed to help with coffee hour and "happy hour," to help residents walk or wheel their chairs, to read to residents or assist them with their correspondence, and to help maintain the residence library. Volunteer assistance can be provided anytime between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM, during which time supervision is provided by the Director of Activities. By special arrangement, volunteers may help out during evening or weekend hours. Consistency is more important than the number of hours/week that a volunteer commits to.
The Cambridge Hospital provides comprehensive inpatient, outpatient and community-based health care services.
Volunteers, 14 or older, are needed to aid the staff and patients in radiology, out-patient care, the medical records department, physical therapy, admitting, the child assessment unit, the registration clinic, the storeroom, risk management, the medical library, the laboratory, and with dietary programs. Help is typically needed between 8:30 AM and 5 PM; scheduling of volunteers is flexible. On-the-job training is provided. Volunteers are asked to make a commitment to work 3 hours a week for 3 months.
The Workforce Program provides pre-vocational training and employment opportunities for in-school children, aged 13-19, who live in Cambridge public housing. Job opportunities are offered with over 70 businesses in the Cambridge community. Children enrolled in the Work Force program receive encouragement and assistance in preparing for college application and attendance.
Volunteers are needed for one or more shifts per week of tutoring and homework assistance, primarily in math and English, to be provided during program hours Mondays through Thursdays 2:30 to 5:30 PM. Volunteers are asked to make a 1 year commitment. Basic orientation and training are provided.
Ctr for Families of North Cambridge: Caroline Ross (349-3002) Formally known as the Coordinating Council for Children, Youth and Families, the "Kids' Council" is a municipal planning and advocacy organization created to promote the development of a coordinated, comprehensive, prevention-oriented, and supportive approach to providing services for children and their families. Members include city officials, professionals, parents, and representative from other segments of the Cambridge community. One of the Kids' Council's top priorities is the development of school-linked, neighborhood-based drop-in centers serving all families, with particular focus on families with children aged 0-5. The first Center for Families is located in North Cambridge.
Volunteers wishing to support the work of the Kids' Council may apply to serve on its governing body as a Council member or may serve on one of the following subcommittees:
Volunteers 18 or older who are willing to make a six month commitment to help out on a weekly basis are needed to support the various program components of the Center. Interested residents of North Cambridge and/or families with children attending the Fitzgerald School are invited to participate as members of the Center's Community Advisory Council.
CMAC, a visual and performing arts center, produces approximately 80 events of traditional and contemporary arts every year. Events are designed to educate, entertain, and enhance cross-cultural understanding. CMAC also produces special programs for seniors and after-school programs for children and teens.
Volunteers, high school-aged or older, are needed to help with events (ushering, backstage work, technical assistance) and to assist in the office with publicity, mailings, data entry, and flyer design. Training is provided in working with the public, technical aspects of production, and publicity. Volunteers are needed weekdays during office hours, weekends, and during productions. The kind of commitment required depends on the nature of the volunteer work.
The Cambridge Performance Project offers theater and dance classes for children age 5-14 at a variety locations throughout Cambridge after school and on Saturdays. The CPP also sponsors the Back Porch Dance Company, an inter-generational dance and theater group which presents both public and special performances.
Volunteers high school age and older are needed to assist in children's classes. Enjoyment of children is necessary; experience with dance or drama is an advantage, but not essential. Classes run 10-12 weeks per semester, last from 1-2 hours and are scheduled once or twice a week. Volunteers should be willing to make a semester-long commitment to participate on a weekly basis.
Cambridge Recycling is a program of the Cambridge Department of Public Works that promotes and facilitates recycling (of all kinds of paper products, glass, plastics, aluminum cans, and a range of other materials), centralized composting of leaf and yard waste, and home composting of organics. Cambridge Recycling provides information and support to both individual residents and local businesses to enhance their awareness and participation in recycling. Cambridge Recycling operates a staffed recycling drop-off center (behind its offices on Hampshire St.) Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 PM and Saturdays 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM.
Volunteers 14 and older are needed to staff informational tables (at festivals, street fairs, etc.); help out in the office with mailings, phone calls, and data entry; organize tours of factories that use recyclables; organize educational forums; distribute recycling brochures; teach home composting; and maintain the compost piles at the Hampshire St. drop-off site.
Cambridge School Volunteers recruits, trains, places, and evaluates volunteers for the Cambridge Public Schools, and also assists the community-at-large with the development of education-related volunteer programs.
Volunteers are needed in grades K-12 as tutors, classroom aids, mentors, library assistants, guest speakers, and project leaders. Volunteers are also needed to assist with planning fund-raising and other special events. Volunteers include persons of all ages from all walks of life, including senior citizens and school-age youth. Orientation and training service are provided. A regular commitment is preferred. Volunteers are assigned to projects that correspond to their interests and availability.
CASLS is a non-profit community-based law office which provides civil legal services to poor, elderly, and disabled people.
Volunteers, 18 and over, are needed to assist attorneys, paralegals, and administration staff with library work, client intake, filing, and case preparation. Volunteers are needed 14 - 20 flex hours/week. Formal education is preferred but not necessary. In-house training is provided, as is other training, dependent upon the individual's responsibilities. There is a 6 month to 1 year commitment.
The Substance Abuse Task Force (SATF) is a citywide coalition/partnership of community residents, service providers, City officials and employees, school administrators, parents, youth, businesses, and other concerned members of the Cambridge community. The SATF works to build and support neighborhood-based and citywide partnerships that can sustain a comprehensive, long-range, multi-faceted effort to reduce alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and abuse. The SATF receives money from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) to work toward this end.
The Task Force meets the second Thursday of every month; many other working groups and committees of the SATF meet on an ongoing basis. Any member of the Cambridge community who supports the reduction in use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is welcome to attend meetings and become involved in SATF-sponsored events or activities:
The VPTF is a group of City residents, City employees and officials, and social service providers who work to address the problem of violence. The Task Force seeks to promote more widespread acknowledgement and understanding of the nature and causes of violence in Cambridge as a first step towards ending that violence. The Task Force also works to mobilize resources that can contribute to the prevention of violence. Ideas discussed at Task Force meetings have helped shape School Department violence prevention curricula and initiatives, have formed the basis for grant proposals, and have resulted in community meetings and events which promote better understanding among youth, adults, police, and the various communities in Cambridge. The VPTF is currently working to bring about an Ordinance requiring licensing of local gun dealers.
Any member of the Cambridge community interested in coalition work around the reduction of violence is invited to join the Task Force and attend its meetings.
Volunteers can serve as mentors to children and families through two programs:
Cambridge Youth Hockey is a hockey program for Cambridge children, aged 5-14. The season starts in September and ends in April.
Volunteer manager positions are open to persons with an interest in hockey; volunteer coach positions require a prior knowledge of the game. Volunteers willing to commit for at least one season are needed 1-2 nights/week and one weekend day, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours each day (i.e., a total of 4 1/2 - 6 hrs/wk).
The Cambridge Youth Program provides education, recreation, and leisure activities for over 1,000 Cambridge youths, between the ages of 9 and 19.
Volunteers committed to working with these youths can help with homework assistance, computer instruction, instructing/coaching sports, refereeing sporting events, chaperoning trips, teaching/supervising board games, and assisting with a range of other activities. Volunteers are needed 2-5 PM to work with pre-teens (age 9-13) or 6-9:30 PM to work with teens. Volunteers should be at least a few years older than the youths they are working with. Volunteers are asked to make a minimum commitment of 6-10 weeks. Training on program rules and regulations and limited supervision is provided.
Cambridge Youth Soccer provides opportunities for Cambridge children age 6 and up to learn and play soccer, regardless of ability.
Volunteers, especially women, are needed to serve as coaches, assistant coaches, managers (for administrative duties), and referees. Knowledge of soccer is helpful, but not required for many positions. Introductory and intermediate coaching clinics are offered to interested volunteers. Volunteers are expected to participate at two 2- hour weekday practices, and one Saturday game (usually one hour long). Volunteers should commit for one year (fall and spring seasons).
The Cambridgeport Baptist Church provides emergency food and quality secondhand clothing to low income households in Cambridge.
Reliable volunteers, college age or older, are needed Saturdays 9:30AM-12:20PM to work in the clothes closet and food pantry, to watch children while their parents are being served by the pantry or clothes program, and to conduct computerized intake interviews of clients. Volunteers who speak Spanish, French, or Haitian Creole are especially sought. On-site training is provided.
Camp Fire Boys and Girls Council sponsors small, coed, volunteer-led clubs, consisting of a leader and assistant leader and 6-8 children. Although the program serves children in grades K-12, the children in any given club are typically from only one or two school grades. Clubs engage in a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, community service, workshops on family and community roles (civics), visits to museums, discussions about topics of mutual interest, outdoor activities, etc. Clubs often meet in the homes of the leader or assistant leader.
Volunteers are needed to serve as leaders and co-leaders, hosting club meetings (60-90 min. each) once a week or every other week, as their schedules allow. Meetings are typically held after-school, but evenings and weekends are also possible, depending upon the availability and interest of members. Volunteer leaders and assistant leaders receive training, access to proven curriculum, and the support of the parent organization, including broad liability protection (covering, for example, transportation of members on outings, hosting meeting in one's home, etc.) A commitment for a full school year is requested.
Camp Rainbow offers youth with physical or mental disabilities the opportunity to participate in a range of recreational programming, including basketball, rollerskating, arts and crafts, cooking, bowling, swimming, volleyball, etc. Programming takes place at the Gately Shelter in North Cambridge, the War Memorial Pool at the High School, and other locations. The Special Needs program also coordinates local participation in Special Olympics
Volunteers 18 or older are needed to help out with after-school programming for children age 6-15 (Mon & Weds 2-5PM); after-school programming for older youth (Mon-Weds 5-8PM); Saturday programming for ages 6-22 (9AM-3PM); and weekday summer camp at the Morse School for children age 3-5 (9AM-12noon) and participants age 6-22 (9AM-3PM). A flexible schedule can be arranged at the time of the volunteer's interview. Reliability is more important than the length of commitment. On the job training and supervision are provided.
Catholic Charities provides a range of services for immigrants and refugees, including ESL classes, 1:1 tutoring, citizenship classes, newcomer resettlement assistance, and 1:1 mentoring to help newcomers adjust to their new lifestyle.
Volunteers are needed to teach ESL classes, serve as tutors or mentors, and teach citizenship classes. A minimum commitment of 2 hrs/wk for 6 months is sought. Training and administrative support are provided. Volunteers are also needed to help with occasional furniture pickups and deliveries to newcomer households.
Centro Presente helps with the common social, economic and legal problems of Central American refugees and immigrants living in Greater Boston.
Volunteers (esp. bilingual persons) are needed to provide legal, educational and social services, and computer training. A six month commitment is sought.
The Child Care Division operates 2 full-day and 2 half-day preschool programs for children age 3-5, as well as 8 afterschool programs for children age 5-12.
Volunteers 18 and older are sought to provide instruction to children in areas such as art and crafts, drama, storytelling, etc. Volunteers can choose their own hours weekdays between 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM, but must make a specific commitment.
CCRC is a child care resource and referral agency that assists parents in finding quality child care, and helps providers increase their skills and service capacity.
Volunteer positions include:
The Community Arts Center operates an arts-oriented after-school child care program and a program for teens enhancing media literacy through training and practice in video production. The child care program gives participants an opportunity to explore their own culture and those of their peers through a variety of media, including painting, clay, dance, theater, and other performance arts. The imminent acquisition of computers will enable expansion of arts programming to include multi-media computer-assisted art. The program serves approximately 100 children over the course of a year, primarily from the Newtowne Court housing development where it is permanently based. (The program is temporarily located in Kendall Square during a renovation of the permanent space.)
Volunteers are needed to assist with after-school programming and with full-day vacation and summer programming for youth, as well as with public relations, office support, development, fundraising, needs assessments, etc. during the business day. Volunteers are oriented when they begin, and may attend a 5 day intensive training given each summer. A 2 month commitment is preferred, except for one-time speaking engagements, short instructional classes, etc.
The Community Learning Center provides basic educational services including English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and high school-level classes for adults who are Cambridge residents.
Volunteers, 18 and over, are needed for a commitment of 1 year as one-to-one tutors, or classroom aides, and/or to help with fundraising, publicity, and other non-teaching activities. There is an initial 10 hour training class for teaching skills, and ongoing support throughout the year. Computer skills are preferred for those volunteers choosing non-teaching activities. A 1 year commitment is asked of teaching volunteers.
Volunteer attorneys are needed to represent clients in the following areas: family law, housing, immigration, and disability benefits. Legal program volunteers must have a law degree and be licensed to practice in Mass., except in the area of disability benefits, where law students or out-of-state law graduates my serve as advocates. A one year commitment is asked of all legal program volunteers.
The legal services program also has volunteer opportunities for law school interns, and persons without legal training who are interested in assisting with client intake or who can provide interpreter services (Spanish, Haitian Kreyol, and Russian).
Volunteer counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists are needed to provide counseling and psychotherapy services. Volunteers not independently licensed to practice in Mass. can apply to participte in the CLSCC's training program (6 hrs/wk). Licensed volunteers can see clients in individual and group sessions; senior counselors can become involved in supervision, training, and consultation activities. A one year commitment is asked of all pro bono staff.
Extensive training, supervision, and continuing educ opportunities are provided.
Concilio Hispano offers outpatient substance abuse services, HIV information and referral, interpreter services, drop-out prevention services, ESL classes, and citizenship classes to members of the Hispanic community of Greater Boston.
Volunteers, esp. bilingual persons, are needed to serve as tutors or mentors in the drop-out prevention program, to instruct ESL and citizenship classes, and to act as interpreters and translators. The hours needed and the training provided vary depending upon the nature of involvement; a 6 month commitment is preferred.
Daybreak is a Christianity-based pregnancy care center that provides support services and free pregnancy tests.
Volunteers are needed weekdays 1-4 PM to offer peer counseling to women and men faced with crisis pregnancies, to assist in administrative tasks and special projects, to provide housing for pregnant women who need it, and to help with fundraising. All volunteers attend an orientation; would-be counselors attend an additional 4 week training (offered in the Fall and the Spring). A commitment of 6 hours per month for one year is preferred. Volunteers must sign a statement of faith.
The Area Board of the DSS is a citizen advisory board overseeing the delivery of social services to families and children in the area that covers Cambridge, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn, Burlington, and Wilmington. Volunteers, 18 or older, willing to make a 2 year commitment are needed for community input to a human service program. Bilingual people are encouraged to join. Training is provided. Meetings are held 1 Wednesday evening each month.
The Foster Care Review Unit is an advisory body that provides input relative to the handling of cases by the Cambridge office. Volunteers, 18 or older, who are sensitive to the problems faced by families and willing to make a 2 year commitment are needed to provide a citizen perspective. Meetings, usually lasting an hour, are held during working hours as the need arises. Training is provided.
College interns with a human service-related major are needed to participate as assistants to social work teams. Interns may provide child care, go to court, and/or supervise visits between caregivers and children. All routine DSS trainings are open to interns. On the job training is also provided. A commitment of at least 2 days a week for 1 school year is preferred.
The Dubois Academy is an educational enrichment program for African American boys, grades 3-8. Classes in math, science, English, history, and living skills are offered Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 1 PM at the Cambridge Community Center. Volunteers of high school-age or older with expertise in any of the subjects offered are needed, as are others to help with meals and to chaperon field trips. Supervision and orientation are provided.
East End House is a community center serving residents of Cambridge and Somerville. The East End House operates full time licensed childcare programs for children ages 15 months to 12 years, an emergency food pantry and holiday food programs, summer camp, and "Partners in Prevention," a violence prevention program.
Volunteers 16 and older are needed to help with the children. Training is provided.
Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound assist Cambridge and Somerville students in grades 6-12 with academic preparation for college, including tutorial services and homework assistance, and with the process of choosing and applying for college. The program runs from 2-6 PM Mondays through Thursdays.
Volunteers able to work with middle- and high school-age youth are needed to assist with all aspects of this program. Volunteers are also sought for the Speaker Series, through which they can discuss with youth the path they took to gain a higher education. An orientation and support are provided. A commitment of at least one hour/week for on a regularly scheduled basis is preferred.
ESR develops and publishes curriculum materials for teaching social responsibility, and offers professional development workshops for teachers on such subjects as violence prevention and multicultural awareness.
Volunteers age 18 and older are needed during normal business hours to provide general office support, and to help with fundraising and general development activities, special projects, editing, and publishing. Volunteers must make a 3-month commitment. Skills needed and training offered are specific to the task.
The First Church Shelter provides temporary transitional housing for up to 15 otherwise homeless men during their average 6-month stay. The shelter provides guests with a daily dinner and breakfast and access to showers and storage space.
Volunteers, 18 and over, are needed from 7-11 PM to help staff distribute linen and food, and clean up after meals, and to socialize with the guests. Orientation is provided and a flexible but regular commitment is preferred.
First Parish hosts a Tuesday night community meal that is open to all persons in need. The program also collects clothing for distribution to Tuesday meal guests. Volunteers, high school age and up, are needed to help with meal preparation and serving, and clothes sorting, working flexible hours on Tuesdays between 11AM and 7PM. Consistency and reliability are expected.
Volunteers are needed to accompany the driver in making food pickups and deliveries. Trucking hours are from 7 AM to 1 PM, and the ability to lift 50 pounds is required. Gleaning and farming (weekends and some weekdays at suburban farms; transportation possible), computer work, and fundraising opportunities are also available.
The Foster Grandparent program is a federally funded program that trains, places, and provides supervision for men and women, age 60 and older, who offer one-to-one companionship and guidance to children with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities and/or children who have been abused or neglected, or court-involved, or who have other special needs. Most volunteers serve at public schools, day care centers, correctional facilities, or residential programs, where they provide approximately two hours/day of attention to each of two children. In some cases, children living at home receive daily home visits from Foster Grandparents.
Foster parents are engaged for one year periods, during which they are required to provide 20 hours/week of service, with certain allowable time off. Volunteers whose household incomes are below 125% of the federal poverty guideline are entitled to receive a small tax-fee stipend for their services under this program.
Fresh Pond Reservation, managed by the Watershed Management Division of the Cambridge Water Department, is part of a system of reservoirs which constitute the public water supply. As Cambridge's largest open space, it is a popular site for recreational activities including walking, bicycling, running, picnicking, ballplaying, and nature watching.
Volunteers can assist on ad hoc projects such as counting people and their activities, participating in seasonal clean ups, conducting natural and cultural research, writing articles for the Reservation News Letter, creating art work for display, adopting a section of the reservation to watch over, contacting community groups, establishing a filing system for the Ranger resource material, copying and collating information packets for school groups, and assisting on-going projects such as conducting tours of the Reservation. Training, hours during which volunteers are needed, and the commitment asked are all dependent upon the task.
Girl Scouting provides girls age 5-17 with diverse opportunities to engage in educational, social, and recreational activities which are fun, which expand self awareness, and which help girls discover their potential for greater participation as family and community members.
Volunteers (men and women) age 18 or older are needed to serve as troop leaders, and to assist with tutoring, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and leading specific activities and/or events, such as new games, workshop presentations, canoeing, camping, cooking, crafts, an annual drama weekend, Dads and Daughters day, the annual Jamboree, public speaking, etc. Training appropriate to the positions sought is provided. A regular commitment (weekly, every other week, etc.) for the program year is requested for troop leaders and other positions involving routine contact with girls; positions helping out at occasional events may be filled on an as-needed/as-available basis.
GBRS provides training and opportunities that enable young adults, adults, and elders who have been out of the workforce because of a disability or other employment barrier -- physical, cognitive, substance abuse-related, language, or environmental -- to enter or re-enter the workforce with the skills and support they need to maintain stable employment. GBRS provides training, placement in real jobs, placement in try-out jobs for clients participating in its contingent work force ("Flexforce"), and operates its own packaging business ("Pride Packaging") which serves as an on-the-job training ground for participants not yet ready to enter the competitive labor market.
Volunteers who have an understanding of the issues attendant to working with people with disabilities or other barriers to employment are needed to serve as job coaches for clients employed at Pride Packaging: providing one- to-one support and encouragement, and assistance with problem solving and with paperwork related to their work or their eligibility for benefits. Volunteers are also needed for light office assistance. A minimum commitment of 5 hours/week on a flexible schedule (during normal business hours) is required.
The Haitian-American Cultural Centers provides a range of services for members of the Cambridge Haitian community, including: (1) a food pantry on Tuesdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, and on an emergency basis; (2) and ESL program with evening classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (6-8:30 PM); (3) an after-school tutoring/mentoring program for adolescents; and (4) workshops on a range of topics, including expanding awareness and appreciation of Haitian culture, promoting substance abuse prevention among Haitians, and promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS among Haitian youth. HACC is looking to expand it's ESL program to include morning classes, if additional volunteers can be found. Volunteers are needed, as follows: (1) One or more volunteers who can make a weekly commitment for one year for flexible hours on Monday afternoons or Tuesdays to provide assistance with the food pantry, including: shopping at the Food Bank, unloading food purchased, stocking shelves, distributing the food, cleaning the pantry, and keeping pantry records; (2) Volunteers who can make a once-a-week commitment for the school year as ESL instructors for the existing evening program or, if enough volunteers are found, for daytime classes; (3) Volunteers who can make a once-a-week commitment for the school year to serve as after-school tutors or mentors.
Training and supervision are provided for all volunteers.
The Harvard Square Churches Meal Program operates a community supper each Thursday evening.
Volunteers who can make a once-a-month commitment are needed to help prepare and serve the meal, as well as clean up. Help is needed 2:30-8:30 PM. Two trainings per year are given on topics relevant to the work.
The Hildebrand Family Self Help Center provides shelter for homeless families through referral from the Department of Transitional Assistance (Welfare).
Volunteers 16 years of age and older are needed to tutor school-age children and adults in literacy. Volunteers work with children weekdays 3-6 PM. Volunteers work with adults at mutually agreeable times. An orientation and general supervision are provided. A minimum 6 month commitment is preferred.
Homeowner Rehab is a private, non-profit corporation which develops affordable housing for low and moderate income Cambridge residents. The agency also provides technical and financial assistance to low and moderate income residents attempting to purchase or repair their homes.
Volunteers, 16 or older, are needed help out in the office during normal business hours to assist with clerical work and outreach to new clients. Volunteers are asked to make a 6 month commitment. Basic training is provided.
The Horizons Initiative is a non-profit program of the Bright Horizons Children's Centers that provides shelter-based programming for homeless children.
Volunteers 16 and older with an interest in children are placed in family shelters to supervise and interact with children during play. Volunteers are asked to make a two hour/week commitment for 6 months. Volunteers can arrange their own schedules for mornings, afternoon, or early evening work. Six hours of training is provided before the placement. Trainings are offered three times a year.
Hospice is a non-profit organization devoted to the care and comfort of terminally ill persons and emotional support for loved ones during illness and bereavement.
Volunteers are need to work with patients and their families both in the community and at Chilton House, a 5-bed house in Cambridge. Help is needed with respite care, running errands, lending an ear, and light housework. A 10 hour training program is held 3 times a year for Chilton House volunteers and a 30 hour training is held twice a year for home care volunteers. Volunteer hours are flexible. A 6 month commitment is preferred at Chilton House and a 12 month commitment is preferred from home care volunteers.
In addition to a range of programming related to housing development and stabilization, Just a Start operates programs which provide diploma and/or GED preparation, job training, and work experiences for at-risk youth, pregnant and parenting young women, and unemployed young adults.
Volunteer tutors who are able to make a six month commitment to providing 1-2 hours/week of tutoring between the hours of 9AM and 4PM are needed to teach math, English, science, and other subjects to Youth Build participants age 16-24 (who are learning the construction trade and gaining their GED); high school-age youth participating in an alternative diploma program for youth who cannot be served in the public high school; and pregnant and parenting young women age 17-21 in the East Somerville-based "Futures" program.
The Futures program also seeks adult mentors who can make a one year commitment to sustain a supportive relationship with a pregnant or parenting program participant.
Limited training and supervision are provided for tutors; more extensive training is offered for mentors.
There are additional opportunities for individuals or groups to volunteer on occasional special projects (holiday parties, etc.).
Female volunteers age 23 and older are needed to serve as one-on-one mentors for program clients. Mentors are expected to meet with clients at least twice a month and to be in touch by telephone at least once a week. A 6- week training (one evening/week) is provided. A one year commitment is requested.
Male and female volunteers age 18 and older are needed to fill 3-4 hour shifts at Just-a-Start House helping with childcare, chores around the house, and spending time with the moms and kids. On-the-job training is provided. The hours during which volunteers are needed are flexible. Volunteers are asked to make a three month commitment to fill a weekly shift.
Volunteers, 18 and over (with some exceptions) are needed as coaches, assistant coaches, field crew, fundraisers, and concession stand help. Volunteer hours vary from League to League, but typically amount to 4-5 hours/week, including one or two weekday afternoons/evenings or a weekday afternoon/evening and a Saturday morning/early afternoon. A commitment of at least one full season is asked. For most positions, baseball knowledge is not important.
The Loaves & Fishes Meal Program prepares and serves a Saturday night dinner
The program has a lean staff (cook and director) and relies on volunteers, primarily from local colleges and churches, to set tables, to prepare food, serve food to the guests, and to clean up. Volunteers are needed Saturdays 4-8 PM.
A former settlement house, the Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House has been serving the community and helping families for 94 year. The agency currently operates an afterschool (weekdays 2-5:30 PM) childcare program, a Saturday youth enrichment program for 5-12 year-olds (from 10 AM to 4 PM), a full-day summer camp, an afterschool computer lab, adult education programs, a food pantry (Mondays 9 AM to 12 noon; Thursdays & Fridays 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM), and services for single parents.
Volunteers are needed, as follows:
MAPS is a private, non-profit health and human service agency dedicated to serving the Portuguese-speaking community of Eastern Massachusetts, especially in greater Boston. MAPS maintains an office in Cambridge (1046 Cambridge St.) and an office in Somerville (92 Union Sq.).
Volunteers, 16 and over, are needed to help with
The Mass. Ave. Baptist Church hosts a community supper on Monday and Friday evenings serving 125 to 150 people. On Friday nights, the program also prepares meals for delivery to persons with AIDS by Cambridge Cares About AIDS. The Church also operates a pantry on the last Saturday of the month in conjunction with participation in the SHARE cooperative food buying program.
Volunteers high school age and older are needed as follows: (1) to assist cooks and church volunteers with meal prep, serving, and clean-up, and to socialize with guests (Mondays and Fridays 4-7:30 PM); and (2) to assist church volunteers with pantry operations, including pickup and distribution of food and clean-up.
A 3 month commitment is preferred but a shorter one is accepted.
The Metropolitan Baptist Church hosts a community lunch at noon on Saturdays. Prior to the meal, at 11 AM, the church distributes donated clothing.
Volunteers high school age and older are needed to help with meal preparation and serving, cleaning up, clothes distribution, and visiting with the guests. Volunteers are needed 9:30 AM to 2 PM. Volunteers attend an initial orientation, and work under the supervision of a coordinator from the church. Volunteers may either commit on a day-at-a-time basis (in advance) or arrange a regular slot.
The District Attorney's Office is the prosecutorial arm of Middlesex County. Law students can volunteer to do research and assist the Assistant District Attorneys in the preparation of cases.
Volunteers need to be in or have graduated from law school. Training provided during the summer. Volunteers are needed between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday and a commitment of at least one semester is preferred.
Volunteer Services matches volunteers with various departments within the hospital -- nursing, emergency, transport, coffee shop, gift shop, etc. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age and take a tuberculosis test (provided by the hospital). Hours of assistance vary widely, and training is specific to thedepartment in which one volunteers. A commitment of at least 4-5 hours/week for three months is required. Some positions require longer commitments due to the amount of training required/provided.
Volunteers interested in providing hands-on assistance with programming should meet with the contact person listed above to discuss qualifications, hours needed, and level of commitment sought. Most such volunteers will be expected to make a one semester to one year minimum commitment.
The Neville Manor provides skilled nursing care for 179 men and women, both elders and people with disabilities, including persons who are there for short-term rehabilitation, and persons who are there for longer term residential care.
Reliable volunteers are sought to help address a range of needs, including: transporting residents to and from activities; assisting residents participating in group activities; friendly visiting with residents (unstructured visits, reading aloud, etc.); calling bingo games; providing clerical assistance to the social services department; helping with lawn and garden maintenance; helping the nutritionist and other dietary department staff with various projects; etc. The commitment required and training offered depend on the nature of volunteer involvement.
The OWD is the City's coordinating, planning, and outreach organization for expanding employment and training opportunities for Cambridge residents. The CYEO, within the OWD, serves youth age 14-21. The CYEO coordinates the "Profit from Experience" professional speakers' bureau and a drop-in Youth Employment Center at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School.
Volunteers can assist the OWD with research projects pertaining to the local workforce and other employment and training issues.
Volunteers can assist the CYEO in a variety of ways:
Outdoor Explorations is a young non-profit organization in Cambridge that fosters relationships among people of varying physical and cognitive abilities. Through hikes, canoe trips, rafting trips, camping weekends, environmental service projects and outdoor adventure trips, Outdoor Explorations enables people from diverse backgrounds to learn from each other and jointly experience outdoor activities.
Volunteers are needed to lead and assist with outings and environmental service projects; to provide technical support related to outdoor activities or working with people with disabilities; to provide administrative help, including computerized data entry, grant writing, fundraising, special events organizing, and graphic art design; to provide transportation assistance; etc. Training addressing safety and the special needs of participants with mental or physical disabilities is provided for outing/service project leaders and volunteers. In-house or in-office training is also provided, as needed. Hours and commitment sought vary with the role taken.
Parents Anonymous is a network of support groups for parents who are isolated, overwhelmed, or concerned about the ways in which their anger toward their children might be expressed. Weekly groups, led by one or two group facilitators, are designed to provide support, guidance, and linkage with other community resources for parents. Childcare is also offered.
Volunteers 20 and older are needed to answer phones, to help out in the office, to assist with childcare, and to work on special projects as the need arises. On the job training and supervision are provided.
Volunteers 23 or older, with group facilitation skills -- or with training or experience that might qualify them for this kind of work -- are needed to lead weekly groups. Volunteers must interview for the position, and must attend an individual orientation and an all-day workshop before they begin to work with a group. A one year commitment to prepare for and facilitate weekly meetings (approximately two hours/week) is required.
Parents' Forum is a mutual self-help program, offering parents an opportunity to find education and support related to the challenges of parenting in today's world.
Volunteers -- both non-parents and parents -- are sought to support the various programs of the organization, including lectures, workshops, potlucks, resource exchanges, and listening partnerships.
PSR is a non-profit advocacy and education organization working to identify and address the adverse health effects of environmental degradation, violence, miltarization, and nuclear weapons production.
Volunteers are needed to assist PSR staff with research, clerical tasks, computerized database management, organizing meetings, telephone outreach to other programs, grant writing, newsletter editing, legislative outreach, media relations, etc. Volunteers must be 16 years of age and over. Hours during which volunteers are needed depend on the nature of responsibilities assumed. A six month commitment is preferred. Knowledge of MacIntosh is helpful.
Planned Parenthood advocates for reproductive health care and sexual education.
Volunteers are needed to help with special projects; to plan and organize special events and mass mailings; to participate in legislative advocacy; and to help with filing, photocopying, and phone calling. Help is needed weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and some evenings. Hours and duration of commitment are determined on an individual basis.
RSVP is a federally funded program providing persons over 55 with volunteer opportunities that take advantage of their time, energy, life experience, and knowledge. Volunteers are placed with local non-profit organizations, where they may serve, for example, as teachers aides, tutors, home companions, money managers, advocates, or provide managerial, administrative, or clerical assistance.
Most agencies require a minimum commitment of time, for example, half a day per week for six months. Volunteers receive a small stipend for meals and travel, and excess accident and liability insurance while volunteering.
The Rape Crisis Center operates a 24 hour hotline to provide guidance and support to survivors of sexual assault; sponsors a community education and outreach program, and offers advocacy-related services on behalf of clients.
Volunteers 18 and older are needed to help survivors of sexual assault, friends and families of survivors, and the community-at-large as hotline counselors, advocates, public education and outreach volunteers, and face-to-face counselors in individual or group settings. Extensive training is required for all of these responsibilities; approximately 50 hours of training leading to Massachusetts certification as a rape counselor is provided to hotline volunteers. Generally speaking, face to face counseling is done by persons who have demonstrated their abilities and sensitivity through work on the hotline. Volunteers are needed at all hours of the day; a one year commitment is required.
The Center also seeks student interns who are interested in providing office-based clerical assistance. There are no extensive training requirements for that role.
RFB&D is a national, private, non-profit organization that serves people who cannot read standard print because of a visual, physical or perceptual disability. RFB&D produces and distributes free high-quality tape-recorded texts for print-impaired students and professionals located locally and worldwide.
Volunteers who are detail oriented and who have a technical, academic or professional background are needed to help produce these recordings at RFB&D's modern recording studio, near the Lechmere T stop. Volunteers are trained to read texts on microphone, direct recording sessions, or edit texts of recordings. RFB&D is looking for a minimum commitment of a 2 hour session per week, schedulable at any time of the day or evening, Monday through Friday, or Saturday morning. Because of the specialized type of training offered to volunteers, a long term commitment is asked.
Respond provides a range of services to battered women and their children, including a 24 hour hotline; emergency shelter; individual and group counseling; legal, housing, and other advocacy services; comprehensive children's services; targeted outreach to immigrant communities; and community education.
Female volunteers 18 and older are needed to staff the hotline, to facilitate support group meetings, to do one-on- one counseling, to help women when they go to court, and to provide general support to women at the shelter. Volunteers must complete a 35-hour basic training, after which they may attend a specialized training related to the type of assistance they hope to provide. A 5 hour/week commitment for at least a year is sought.
St. James Episcopal Church operates its Helping Hand Food Pantry on Tuesdays from 6-8 PM and on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11 AM to 1 PM. The pantry serves 150 to 160 families a week.
Volunteers of high school age or older are needed to assist with food selection and bagging during pantry hours and to help with shopping and stocking shelves (especially Friday mornings 8 AM-12 noon) and clean-up. An orientation is given and a commitment of at least once per month for 6 months is preferred.
The Church also sponsors a small, mostly vegetarian Thursday supper for approximately 15 women. The supper is not only a meal but a time for the women to support and celebrate each other's lives.
Volunteers 18 and older can help with meal preparation, serving, and clean-up, and by spending time getting to know the guests. Volunteers are needed from 5:30-7:30 PM. Training is not needed. A 6 month commitment is preferred.
The Safe Neighborhoods Initiative brings together concerned residents, businesses, clergy, City officials and employees, including representatives from the Police Department, in efforts to strengthen communities and prevent crime and violence, including domestic violence. Organizations operating under the loose umbrella of the Initiative work to enhance communication among City residents, and break down walls between neighbors, between youth and adults, between the Police and residents, and between the diverse racial and ethnic communities that make up our City. Participating organizations work to make local government more responsive to community needs (helping residents obtain prompt attention to street lighting problems; working out agreements between Police and youth about enforcement of park or playground closing times; targeting drug-dealing hot-spots, etc.)
Existing neighborhood-based coalitions (in addition to the Neighborhood Councils, which are listed elsewhere in this Directory) include:
Volunteers are needed weekdays 9AM-1PM to help out at "Our Place," reading to the children, participating in 1:1 activities, and assisting the teachers, as needed. A consistent schedule and a commitment of at least 3 months are asked. Supervision and training are provided.
Volunteers are needed by Silver Threads for flexible shifts during program hours (Tues-Thurs 9AM-4PM) to help with meals, cleaning, office work, and activities.
Sancta Maria provides long term nursing care for up to 141 facility residents who are no longer able to manage independently in their own homes. Residents include both frail elders and younger persons with disabilities.
Volunteers are needed to serve as friendly visitors; to assist activities staff by transporting residents to activities, to facilitate resident participation in games, exercise, groups, etc.; and to assist with clerical duties. Volunteers who help out during normal working hours (weekdays 8 AM to 3 PM) receive training and supervision appropriate to their role, and need not satisfy any minimum age requirements. Volunteers who do friendly visiting during evening hours must be prepared to work independently, and should be 18 or older. Although no minimum commitment is required, reliability in satisfying a mutually agreed upon schedule of volunteering is essential.
Shelter Inc. operates a drop-in center for homeless women during the daytime (10:30 AM to 2:30 PM) and a shelter for homeless men and women at night.
Female volunteers age 18 and older who can make a one-a-week commitment are needed to fill a variety of roles at the drop-in program, including:
Male and female volunteers age 18 and older who can make at least a once-a-month commitment are needed during evening shelter hours (5-9 PM) to help with preparation, serving, and clean-up of dinner, providing adult literacy support, doing guests' laundry, and generally socializing with guests.
Persons with special talents are invited to explore creative projects with the shelter. Special projects for groups can be arranged.
Shortstop provides emergency shelter and a range of transitional services for youth who are homeless, who have run away, or who have left abusive or neglectful home situations. In addition to basic services (food, clothing, and shelter), Shortstop provides counseling, educational programming, life skills training, job readiness training, substance abuse counseling, encouragement and assistance in participating in community service projects, and recreational programming.
Volunteers 18 and older willing to make a regular commitment for at least six months are needed to help with evening meals, evening and weekend social and recreational activities with the youth, and a range of office tasks during normal business hours. There are also opportunities for groups and individuals to participate in periodic painting, renovation, and cleaning projects.
Solutions is comprised primarily of people who are or have been homeless and who have come together to address problems related to homelessness. All of the programs sponsored by Solutions provide employment for persons transitioning from homelessness. Four of those programs also use volunteer help, as follows:
SCES offers a range of programming for elders living in Somerville and Cambridge. In addition to providing frail elders with access to professional in-home assistance with personal care and housekeeping, the agency coordinates a number of programs through which volunteers both young and old can help elders in the community. These programs include:
Burns Apartments
Contact: Lee Davidchick (492-7247)
Miller's River Apartments
Contact: Sharon Olsen (354-3789)
North Cambridge Senior Center
Contact: Rita Cericola (349-6324)
Finally, SCES also seeks volunteers who wish to donate time working in their administrative departments, or who wish to donate some other unique talent or interest to benefit the elders of Somerville and Cambridge. Because Cambridge and Somerville are home to elders from many nationalities, volunteers who speak other languages in addition to English are especially valued.
Appropriate training and supervision are provided for all volunteers. A minimum commitment of from six months to one year is required, depending on the activity.
Spare Change, a newspaper committed to empowering Greater Boston's homeless community, is written, distributed, and run by members of that community.
Volunteers 18 or older, preferably with computer skills, are needed to serve as office assistants, helping with general office work, subscriptions, and data base management. A minimum 8 hour/week commitment for 3 months is required.
An Editorial Intern is sought to assist with copy editing and layout. College students are encouraged to apply. Pagemaker experience is helpful, but not required. A minimum commitment of 15 hours/week for one semester is asked.
Training and supervision are provided for both positions.
The Thorndike Street School is a multicultural day care program serving up to 29 preschoolers with a structured curriculum.
High School work/study students and other volunteers 18 and older are needed between 8 AM and 5:30 PM to set up activities, help children with make up their beds, and to socialize with children. A commitment of 2 months is preferred.
Transition House is a battered women's program and shelter with a 24 hour hotline. It also operates a dating violence intervention project.
Volunteers are needed to work on the hotline, serve on various committees as part of the collective. No special skills are required for volunteering, but formerly battered women and persons who speak Haitian Kreyol, Spanish, or any Asian language are especially encouraged to volunteer. A 32 hour training is given initially; additional in- services are provided throughout the year. Hours during which one may volunteer flexible since Transition House is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. A commitment of 5 hours a week for 6 months is preferred.
Tutoring Plus is a 31-year old volunteer service organization which provides academic assistance and encouragement to school-aged Cambridge youth, as well as a "big sibling" mentoring program.
Volunteers, high school juniors and older, are needed, as follows:
The office works to raise local awareness about and to support fundraising for UNICEF efforts to help children and mothers in 149 developing countries.
Volunteers are needed to sell greeting cards, to work on special fundraising events and programs, and to telemarket for the corporate greeting card campaign. On the job training is dependent upon the task. Volunteers are needed weekdays between 9 AM and 5 PM. Greeting card sales extend to the weekends, as well.
The Union Baptist Church sponsors a weekly supper on Thursdays (5-6:30PM), serving approximately 100 guests. The program also prepares 10-15 meals for home delivery to persons with HIV/AIDS through Cambridge Cares About AIDS.
Mature volunteers are needed between 3:30 and & PM to assist the one regular cook, other volunteers, and dinner guests with meal preparation and cooking, setting the tables, wrapping silverware, serving meals, making coffee, cleaning, and helping with food shopping. Any commitment is the individual's choice.
The Western Ave. Baptist Church operates a monthly pantry on the second Wednesday of each month.
Volunteers are needed from 10 AM to 12 noon to help with unloading of the food from trucks, setting up of the pantry, distribution to clients, and clean-up.
Windsor House Adult Day Care Service offers frail elderly and disabled persons an opportunity to socialize, eat together, and obtain therapeutic care in a safe and supportive environment. Windsor House provides an important source of respite care for elders whose caregivers work during the day, enabling participants to stay independent and in their own homes instead of going to a nursing home.
Volunteers age 15 and older are needed to help program clients with participation in simple arts and crafts projects, moving-around activities like shuffle board and miniature golf, and other simple activities, during both morning and afternoon sessions. Volunteers also help with serving lunch. Experience leading arts and crafts would be helpful, but is not required.
The Women's Center provides resources, information, and support to women dealing with a wide range of problems.
Women interested in women's issues and comfortable working with a diverse group of peers can volunteer to help in one or more ways:
Two 2-hour training sessions are provided for volunteers who staff the phones. Training for other specific tasks is also provided, as is continued supervision. Volunteers are needed any hours between 10 AM and 10 PM Monday to Thursday, Friday 10 AM to 8 PM, and Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM. Persons volunteering to answer the phone should be prepared to make a 2-3 hour/week commitment for 6 months.
The YWCA is a membership organization providing women and girls with opportunities for leadership, education, and recreation. The YWCA also operates a residence for women, and transitional housing for families who have been homeless. The YWCA serves the community-at-large through programs that address racism, health promotion, and other matters of public policy or concern.
Volunteers high school age and older can help by assisting with programming for youth, by serving on committees and boards, and by helping with administrative work. Program and office-based assistance is needed weekdays 2-6 PM and Saturdays 1-5 PM. The hours vary for committee work. Training is dependent upon the project chosen. Commitment is up to the individual.
Youville provides inpatient medical care, as well as specialized rehabilitative care for children, people with disabilities, people recovering from injuries, and senior citizens, including persons with cognitive disorders.
Volunteers of all ages, high school students through senior citizens, are sought to provide an array of patient services and administrative assistance, including: