General Volunteering Opportunities
Want to volunteer but don’t know where to start? Would you like to explore different options for volunteering?
Here are a few things that you can do to start:
- Visit the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs in 325 Egbert Hall and talk to a Student Leadership Consultant or Assistant Director of Community Service, Don Austin. We will help you consider volunteer programs that match your skills and interests.
- Join the Ithaca College Volunteers listserv to follow the most up-to-date community engagement opportunities in the area by Joining Here
- United Way offers the premiere opportunity for Volunteers to GET CONNECTED in Tompkins County
- Join a Student Organization! Visit the Student Organization Directory on IC Link and select "Community Service" from the "Browse by Category" bar to view the list of organizations that self-identify as service groups.
Fall Break 2012: Volunteering in Northern Virginia!
We will be heading to Sky Meadow State Park in White Post, Virginia, to work with Virginia Parks and Recreation on some trail building and maintance! This is an excellent opportunity to spend your fall break exploring a new area, building new experience, meeting new people, or completing a community service requirement.
The fall break volunteer trip will be October 18 - 21. Non-driver participants will be expected to pay a $50 registration fee to cover food and transportation during the trip. There is no application. Participants need only register, pay the $50 deposit, and volunteer! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
If you would like more information before registering for the Fall Break trip, please contact austin@ithaca.edu at your earliest convenience
Ongoing Service Opportunities:
This is a short sample of ongoing service opportunities located in the area.
An information and referral service that connects individuals to community resources such as employment, healthcare, heat assistance, and other community services. Volunteers may help provide direct assistance to clients, or help with outreach/publicity/other special projects.
Tuesdays through October- Ithaca Children's Garden - 5pm-6:30pm - No Cost. No experience necessary. ICG provides tools and leads each project. Bring a waterbottle and wear clothes you are OK to getting dirty!
The nature center needs help with painting, cleaning, trail blazing and office work. You can help clear a trail or paint a mural – there’s a job for everyone.
Help construct a house in downtown Ithaca! CBW will teach you everything you need to know and give you the tools to get started. Contact Sheila at 319-0113 or ssquier@twcny.rr.com to get involved.
The Ithaca Free Health Clinic is an excellent place for students who want to volunteer with an organization that addresses issues in the medical field. Students interested in volunteering are strongly encouraged to volunteer regularly throughout the semester. Visit the Ithaca Free Health Clinic website for more information.
Loaves and fishes provides nutritious food, as well as hospitality to community residents who have determined themselves food insecure. Loaves and fishes provides food for everyone who desires to eat together in a community setting, bar none. You can help them prepare food and provide a warm setting for their weekly meals by going to their website to learn more. Go to their "Get Involved" section to lend a hand.
Books Thru Bars is a prisoner activist program for people who believe that education is as important for those behind bars as it is for those in mainstream "civil" society. Many inmates are incarcerated in places that do not have adequate libraries; yet reading is one of the few tools that prisoners have to keep their minds moving forward. Books Thru Bars raises money and accepts donated books to send to prisoners across the United States. Volunteers help raise funds, serve on the Board of Directors, and help prepare and package the ever growing number of requests for reading materials. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact volunteer@ithaca.edu
The Wood's Earth Living Classroom is an educational program that helps local folks learn more about sustainable gardening and farming. They offer a large community garden plot just outside of Ithaca, as well!
Tompkins County Public Library
For many people, libraries serve as the symbolic centre for community resources. The Tompkins County Public Library serves as one such example. Patrons of the library have access to books, music, movies, magazines, computers, academic lectures, community reads, childrens programs, and more. Ithaca College students can give back to the community's library in many different way. Check it out!
