Volunteer Opportunities
Mendocino Family and Youth Services: Looking for volunteers to be on the board. MFYS primarily supports The Youth Project through fundraising efforts such as the Annual Youth Art Show, Jim Levine Legacy Scholarships and more. Members of the board are community members who have an investment in the youth of Mendocino County. Members meet once a month(by phone or in person) 10 months out of the year. Please contact Randi at 707-463-4915 or email rsmellus@mcyp.org if interested in sitting on the board.
Project Sanctuary: Isin need of volunteers to work the after-hours crisis line. Training provided free of charge. Evening classes to become a certified crisis counselor in exchange for a one-year commitment to the agency. Training to begin in March. Contact Mary @ 462-9196 or Vicki @ 961-1507.
Plowshares Community Dining Room: Looking for friendly, reliable volunteers to help in the kitchen, garden, service line, and board members. We would like to expand our Mealson-wheels program, more drivers and runners will be needed to deliver food to disabled, homebound seniors. Volunteer positions available M-F. Substitute/ on call positions available as well. If you are interested in becoming a Plowshares volunteer or for more information, contact Lani at plowsharesmow@ pacific.net or 707-4628582.
Adventist Health Certified Hospice of Mendocino: Looking for volunteers to provide compassionate comfort care for patients with a life-limiting illness. For more information, call Jackie Beck at 456-3232 or email beckjl@ah.org. Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County: Volunteer drivers are needed to take cancer patients to and from local and regional medical appointments. Help is also needed with yard work. For more information, call 467-3828.
Hospice of Ukiah: Hospice of Ukiah offers grief support, individually and in groups, with horse-facilitated support available for children. Call Kay at 391-1817 for information. Hospice of Ukiah is a volunteer hospice and palliative care provider. Training and grateful support is given our wonderful volunteers who give respite to the families and who help in our Hospice Gift and Thrift Store. Call 462-4038 for information.
Become a HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program) Volunteer: HICAP volunteer counselors help Medicare beneficiaries understand Medicare. If you are a retiree looking for a meaningful opportunity to work with seniors and persons with disabilities, and can commit six hours per month after certification training, email hicapinfo@sasnb.org or call HICAP at 1-800-4340222.
Adventist Health Ukiah Valley: Looking for volunteers to join the team in various departments. For more information contact Josanna Kiggins at 707463-7625.
KMEC Volunteer Opportunities: Seeking volunteers for radio production, tech positions, arts & entertainment, public affairs. The Mendocino Environmental Center is located at 106 W. Standley St. Contact Email: iijustjoel@gmail.com Phone: 707-234-3236 kmecradio. org.
Farmers Market EBT Match: Contribute to making locally-grown, nutritious fruits and vegetables affordable for everyone. Volunteers are needed at Farmers Markets in Ukiah, Redwood Valley, Willits and Finley to exchange Calfresh
EBT for Market tokens that increase EBT credits when spent on locally grown produce. Volunteers are provided with training. Come on out and make new friends while supporting your local farmers market and your community. Please contact Kayla at the NCO Volunteer Network at 462-1959 for more information. For more information about the Ukiah Farmers Market, call Robert at 707-380-9988.
CASA of Mendocino and Lake Counties: CASAOF Mendocino and Lake Counties is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) looking for volunteers of all backgrounds and educational levels trained to work with Juvenile Dependency Courts to assure that every child has a voice. Applications are now being accepted for the next training and are also recruiting couples to train as CASA Advocates. Sheryn Hildebrand, shildebrand@ mendocinocasa.org; 4636503 ext. 13.
NCO Volunteer Network: NCO Volunteer Network places volunteers in rewarding positions throughout Lake and Mendocino County. The Volunteer Network is currently recruiting individuals for placement at animal shelters, libraries, museums, community gardens, administrative offices, and in disaster and emergency training and services. Volunteers may also pre-register for one-time events such as Day of Caring, Make A Difference Day, and Martin Luther King Day of Service. Please call 462-1959 for more information.
Senior Peer Counseling Program: Seeking people 55 years and older to be trained to be Senior Peer Counselors in the homes of people 60 years and older. Training will be given at the Ukiah Senior Center for a total of 30 hours before counselors will be assigned to clients. The training will consist of recognizing the physical, emotional and social needs of the elderly and how best to communicate with them. After being trained and assigned clients, the Peer counselors will meet twice a month for ongoing training and supervision. For more information and for an application call Lauren Wantland, L.C.S.W at 472-0551. Referrals to receive a peer counselor can also be left at that number. This program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act.
Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital: Positions offer flexible hours and the opportunity to work with a wide variety of departments in the hospital. Volunteer opportunities include bringing patients to visit the pet therapy dog; delivering meals, flowers, books to patients; assisting with the orthopedic joint program reunion luncheons and educational seminars; spiritual care services; helping in the Commonwealth Garden; clerical work; creating care packages for patients; fundraising for hospital equipment; planning social and team building events for employees, physicians and staff; and much more. To volunteer, contact Becky Hope: (707) 456-3245 or Rebecca.hope@ah.org. Peregrine Audubon Society: Volunteers sought for a variety of tasks, including PR, writing, meeting setup, conservation activities. Peregrine is specifically looking for persons with good computer and organizational skills to manage an email list. For more information, call Roger at 462-5734.
Phoenix Hospice: Volunteers will be taught about the history of hospice, the volunteer role, communication skills, family dynamics, body mechanics, bedside care techniques, community resources, grief and loss, pain management, comfort care, funeral procedures, advance planning documentation and spiritual care. This volunteer training is held once a week for eight weeks and classes are free of charge. For more information, call 456-3244. Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County: Volunteers being sought to socialize and groom dogs and cats; assist in fundraising events; write grants; help with mobile adoptions; work on shelter upkeep; aid in computer data entry; foster puppies and kittens, or nursing mom cats and dogs. For more information, contact the Humane Society at 485-0123.
Mendocino County Veterans Service Office: Volunteers are needed to serve as volunteer drivers, driving veterans from Ukiah to the Veterans Hospital in San Francisco. A regular California driver’s license is required. For more information, call 463-4226 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County: Volunteers are needed to drive people with cancer to and from medical appointments, answer phones, landscape maintenance, assist with fundraising. For more information, call 467-3828. Ukiah Senior Center: — Volunteers to help with the Thrift Store — some lifting, sorting and pickups. — Volunteers who can fill in for dishwashers, set up and take down tables and chairs. — Any volunteer who may have experience in local soliciting and fund-raising for special events. — Volunteers to pass out promotional materials and fliers locally. Contact the center at 462-4343.
Mendocino County Releaf: Help with tree planting, ongoing tree care, community education. Serve on the board of directors. For more information contact Linda Sanders at 463-2721. California Conservation Corps: Volunteers are being sought to provide leadership training to 18 to 23-year-old men and women. — Training skillsets sought include interview skills, math, literacy, home finance, and basic garment repair. For more information, call Brian Bishop at 463-2822. Court Appointed Special Advocates of Mendocino & Lake Counties (CASA): CASA has been providing trained volunteer advocates for foster children since 1994. There are several ways one can volunteer with CASA: — Court Appointed Special Advocates work alongside the many local agencies that are involved in determining the interests and future of our foster and delinquent children; — Educational Advocates are needed as well to act specifically in the educational arena to ensure that these children receive the best education possible; — CASA’S volunteer Board of Directors are a vital part of the business of advocating for children via critical planning and funding development that supports the work of our other volunteers. Trainings take place several times each year. For more information call CASA at 463-6503; email them at casamc@pacific.net; or visit their website, www. mendocinocasa.org. Investing your hours in the future of a child can make all the difference in the world!