Volunteer Now

Make the Mom in your life an Angel Acres Feed Angel for Mothers Day!

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:46:01 +0000

Angel Acres will post your name and the name of your chosen Mom, sister, aunt, etc. up on the Feed Angels page for the world to see!

Example text for this special page: "Sandy was made an Angel today by her loving daughter, Monica"

This is a great way to help feed a horse in need and honor that special lady or ladies in your life!

Mother's Day May Angel Page will be revealed at 7am on Mothers Day!

Please visit the website http://www.angelacreshorsehavenrescue.com/feedangels.html and make your Mom an "Angel" today!

Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue is dedicated to saving horses bound for slaughter for human consumption. The haven also assists in cases of neglect and abuse but it exists to rescue thoroughbreds and sometimes other breeds.

Reminder - Global Youth Service Day Event - 18 April 09

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:00:09 +0000

Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is the largest annual celebration of young volunteers, where millions of young people in countries everywhere carry out thousands of community improvement projects. All organizations are encouraged to plan youth-led community service projects that involve the broader community in GYSD or showcase existing projects to the media and surrounding community.

The project for GYSD has changed, we are now seeking volunteers to help clean up John Rudy County Park, which is located near Central High School in York. Help us mulch, pull weeds and clean so that all members of the community can enjoy a clean, safe park.

Our event will take place on Saturday, April 18th from 10-2 pm at John Rudy County Park, located near Central High School in York, to sign-up contact Kim Goff, 717-771-3822 or email goffk@unitedway-york.org.

Volunteer Opportunity! Childcare help needed!

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:02:53 +0000

The Parent Support Group at Christ Lutheran Church needs a volunteer for its Thursday evening meetings from 6-8 pm at the Christ Lutheran Church at 126 Main Street in Dallastown. Volunteer position is to assist with childcare, therefore volunteer must be at least 14-years-old, able to obtain police and child abuse clearances and have transportation. Must love kids, be creative, and have lots of energy!

If interested, please contact Raegan at 1-800-635-6619 or 717-845-5771, or email
raegan@castlc.org.

Volunteer Spotlight - Y.O.U.T.H. Program, Inc.

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:36:19 +0000

The Y.O.U.T.H. Program, Inc. was founded by Debbie Mancuso in 1987 and is located on a 10-acre farm in Felton, PA, which is known as "Shady Pines Farm". This program offers educational and recreational programs, as well as animal therapy. It was created to help familiarize youth with the textile arts and teach them how to run a agricultural business. Over the years they have held fundraisers, hosted picnics, Halloween parties and field trips. The program ran privately for seven years and in 2003 became a nonprofit organization.

Volunteers are needed to assist with art projects, animal recreational therapy and fundraisers. Volunteers get to help care, train and socialize animals!

To volunteer or schedule a tour for your class or organization, please call Deb Mancuso at 717-244-8353 or email: youthprograminc.hotmail.com. Shady Pines Farm is located at 12637 Mt. Olivet Rd, Felton, PA 17322. Check out their website: www.youthprograminc.org.

Event Spotlight: 4th Annual Autism Awareness Fair

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:22:35 +0000

The Autism Society of America York Chapter announces that 4th Annual Autism Awareness Fair will be held on Saturday, April 4th, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The fair will be held at York Learning Center 300 7th Avenue, York, Pennsylvania (The Old Central High School Building).

Come join the ASA of York for a day of information and fun! If you or a loved one is affected by autism this event is designed with you in mind. Join hundreds of vendors, providers, professionals, and parents for information about autism and the available services in South Central Pennsylvania.

This fair will include information about autism services available in Central PA as well as a large vendor area with service providers, autism information, raffle items and autism related products. There will also be a HUGE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA with bounce houses, slides, obstacle course, and much more!! Staff will be available for a play area drop off so parents can browse the vendor area.

This year will include a new event, the ASA York's 2009 Talent Showcase. They are interested in hearing from artists, performers, experts and authors on the autism spectrum. If you or your child has a special talent (i.e. drawing, music, writing) or an area of interest that they wish to share, this is the place. Tables will be provided for displays, and presentations. Children and/or adults on the spectrum may participate at whatever level they are comfortable (staying at the table all day is not required unless preferred).

The following questions must be answered in order to insure participation in the Talent Showcase Area.

1. Artist/Performers Name:
2. Artist/Performers Age:
3. Parents Name (if above is under 18):
4. Phone number:
5. E-mail address:
6. What is the talent or artwork that will be showcased?
7. Are you planning to display a completed work or works? If so,
a. Will you be dropping your work off and allowing us to display it?
b. Or, will you be present to discuss your work?
c. How would you like your work to be displayed (on a table, hanging, etc.)?
8. Are you planning to perform in some way or share a special interest? If so,
a. How much time do you need?
b. What would you like us to provide for you (a table, an open area, etc.)?

Please provide responses to the above questions to Stacy Kunkel no later than March 20th. You may respond via e-mail to stacy.kunkel@comcast.net or mail to Autism York, c/o Stacy Kunkel, PO Box 20566, York PA, 17402. You will then be contacted regarding specific instructions and times. A complete listing of those 'showcasing their talents' will be published prior to the event. Contact Stacy at 764-5192 with any questions or concerns.

Source: Autism Society of America York, Pennsylvania

Visit Kim's Page -

Philadelphia Special Needs Kids Examiner

Volunteer Opportunity - Salvation Army Donation Drive - Update

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:55:44 +0000

The United Way of York is sponsoring a donation drive for the Salvation Army of York County. They are in need of art and gym supplies that are needed for the Community Center's after-school program. Children are our future; let's help them be creative!
Free pizza and subs will be offered to all who donate. Food will be provided by Domino's Pizza and Subway.

The donation drive will be held at the United Way of York, 800 E. King St, York, PA 17403, in the community room on April 4, 2009 from 11am-1pm. For more information or to participate, please call Amanda Seiffert at 717-858-2159 or email her at ams682@psu.edu.

Donations needed are listed below:

Art Supplies:

• Construction Paper
• Gymp
• Paint
• Clay
• Glitter
• Markers
• Crayons
• Pipe Cleaners
• Craft Magnets
• Beads for Stringing
• Perler Beads

Gym Supplies:

• Basketballs
• Pool Sticks for Gaming tables

Volunteer Spotlight - Tax Preparers Needed!

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:54:15 +0000

The AARP Tax-Aide program, which is coordinated by The York $ in Your Pocket Coalition and the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program provides free tax preparation for low-income families (income less than $42,000) and senior citizens age 60 and over. In 2008, over 2000 federal tax returns were prepared and $1.7 million in federal refunds.

The success of these programs is a direct result of the dedication of the volunteers. All volunteers are required to take tax training and pass an IRS certification exam each year. Since 2007 tax season, the United Way of York County has provided leadership for the VITA program. AARP Tax-Aide members provide the tax training for the coalition. York College, with support from their SIFE organization, has provided a majority of the VITA volunteers as well as the training facilities for the coalition. Other volunteers are community members, including some students from Penn State-York and HACC.

There has been a significant increase in the number of taxpayers requesting appointments to have their taxes prepared this year and most of the AARP Tax-Aide sites are completely booked through April 15. Each year the number of taxpayers in York County requesting the free tax preparation services increases.

We are in need of additional volunteers to answer phones, schedule appointments, greet taxpayers when they arrive at the sites, provide assistance to non-English speaking taxpayers and prepare tax returns. To find out how you can help with the program contact the Financial Stability Partnership at Lutheran Social Services: (717) 854-3971, ext. 453. We will begin training for the 2010 tax season in November.

Information provided by Paul Brubaker, an instructor/volunteer for the AARP Tax-Aide group since 2002, and an instructor for the VITA program since 2006.

"Tax Blitz Day" - Free Taxpayer Assistance Programs

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:51:37 +0000

The number of requests for this program has significantly increased and availability is very limited. As a result, a special one-day event, "Tax Blitz Day" will be offered from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on March 14, 2009. IRS certified tax preparers from both the AARP Tax-Aide and VITA programs will be available for "walk-ins" only. This event will be held at the York County School of Technology, 2179 S. Queen St. (Exit 16 off I-83) in York. For information, contact the Financial Stability Partnership at Lutheran Social Services: (717) 854-3971, ext. 453.

If you cannot attend "Tax Blitz Day" and you meet the qualifications for free tax preparation, please contact either the York Area Agency on Aging at 771-9042, or the United Way of York at 771-3813 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Appointments are required for tax preparation.

Information provided by Paul Brubaker, an instructor/volunteer for the AARP Tax-Aide group since 2002, and an instructor for the VITA program since 2006.

Volunteer Spotlight - Jr Curators/Docents - York Heritage Trust

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:37:52 +0000

The York County Heritage Trust (YCHT) was founded in 1999 after a merger of the Historical Society of York County (HSYC) and the Agricultural and Industrial Museum of York County (AIM). Today, the York County Heritage Trust maintains eight sites that preserve and present 300 years of York County's rich and diverse history.

The York County Heritage Trust offers two youth volunteer opportunities, Junior Curators and Junior Docents, which support the Trust's educational mission. While limited to 10 high school juniors and seniors, Junior Curators will enjoy an in-depth look at the life of a Museum Curator as they work with Trust staff to choose a topic relevant to York County history, research the topic, and follow the steps involved when installing an exhibit, including the excitement of an exhibit opening.

As a Junior Docent, teens ages 13-17 will come face-to-face with the history of York through the historic buildings of the Colonial Complex, which includes the Golden Plough Tavern, General Gates House, Barnett Bobb Log House, and the Colonial Court House. Junior Docents dress in period clothing provided by the York County Heritage Trust while providing tours to visitors of Colonial Complex and participating in Living History events. Junior Docents also help the Coordinator of Living History maintain the site.

For additional information on the Junior Curator Program, contact Jennifer Hall, director of collections and exhibits, at 717-848-1587 ext. 228 or jhall@yorkheritage.org . For additional information on the Junior Docent Program, contact Linda Neylon, coordinator of living history, at 717-846-6452 or lneylon@yorkheritage.org.

Volunteer Spotlight - York Little Theatre

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:14:48 +0000

Attention Theatre Lovers!!!

York Little Theatre (YLT) exists to foster the creative art of live theatre through production, education, and outreach. These functions are fulfilled through the presentation of an annual season of public performances and educational programs. YLT has many wonderful opportunities for people interested in the arts. The opportunities can provide credible theatre experience as well as educational opportunities.

The following volunteer opportunities are available at YLT:

Audition Desk Assistants

Build, Paint & Design

Building Maintenance - Handyman

Costume - Altering, Sewing, Sorting and Organizing

Front of House - Usher, Concession Sales

Computer Techs

Musician

Office/Clerical - Grant Writing, General Office Help

Show Tech - Back Stage Work

Help with our touring Company - Traveling Theatre Company

Volunteer Coordinator - Contacting Volunteers, Scheduling

For more information or to sign up please call

Stacy Ryan, (717) 854-3894
27 S. Belmont Street
York, PA 17403

Web Site: http://www.ylt.org

Volunteer Spotlight - YorkArts

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:01:34 +0000

YorkArts was founded in 1990 to support local artists in all disciplines and to make the arts accessible to the general public. YorkArts fosters creativity and community through the arts.
YorkArts' educational outreach programs and first-class facilities in historic downtown York draw their success from the arts' unique ability to stimulate, challenge, illuminate, and inspire.

Recognized as a leading cultural partner, YorkArts offers individuals engaging and accessible opportunities to discover and connect with their creativity. YorkArts is also proud to provide outreach programs to the youth of York City and York County. A focused effort is made to reach at-risk children in the City of York. YorkArts' Art in the Parks summer program features art-making activities that teach social skills, respect for others, group decision-making, teamwork, and positive self-expression to more than 600 children yearly.

YorkArts also serves a broader audience through free art exhibits, its participation in Yorkfest, and many other mission-related activities. Additionally, YorkArts encourages the revitalization of the community by serving as the Resource Center for the Cultural District of York and enhances the beauty of York through its Mosaic Visions program.

Yorkarts is seeking volunteers for teaching, special events, community outreach programs, exhibit installation, fundraising, marketing and communications, administration support and gallery docents.

Contact Person:
Mindy Lombardo, Project Director (717) 848-3200
10 N. Beaver St.
York, PA 17401

Web Site: http://www.yorkarts.org

Volunteering can lead to a new career and a new you!

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:39:09 +0000

In September 2008, I was unemployed and not feeling very satisfied with my life. Even with a published book to my name and other previous accomplishments, not being immersed in a career was starting to get to me. Formerly, I worked for the Government (1989-2005) and had quit when my son, who is autistic, started school and therapy sessions on a full-time basis. Working as a technical writer, I made a high-end salary and, to this day, I still get inquiries offering these types of positions. Yes, I know in these hard economic times, I should consider job offers such as these and am probably a "fool" to turn them down. However, to be quite honest, I did not find technical writing that exciting and did not care for the type of environment I previously worked in. For me, I wanted to have a job which I enjoyed and a job that allowed me to make a positive impact in the community.

One day while talking with a friend, I mentioned that I wanted to go into public speaking and mentoring to help people learn to empower themselves to reach their full potential. She suggested that I volunteer, since it was hard to "get a job" as a public speaker or mentor. She said, "If you really want to help people, start by volunteering." I thought, "That's a great idea!" So, later that day, I e-mailed the United Way of York County asking them about volunteer opportunities and attached my resume for background purposes.

To my surprise, on my birthday to be exact, I got more than an e-mail response to my inquiry; I actually got a job offer! I read the job description and could not believe what I was reading. They needed a Youth Volunteer Initiatives Coordinator (YVIC) for SecureCorps, an AmeriCorps program. The purpose of the position is to increase awareness to middle school and high schools students about the importance of volunteerism. I couldn't believe it! I thought "Wow! This job is perfect for me!" On October 1, 2008, I started my new position, and two months later, I had spoken to more than 1,000 students, conducted the National Family Volunteer Day service project, and had started planning for our MLK Day of Service event.

The purpose of this blog is to encourage volunteerism and show that the experience may lead you to learn something new about yourself and/or find a new career. Every day the local news reports about increases in layoffs for many local residents and throughout the United States. A job or the company you previously worked for should not define who you are or what you are; it is your skills and talents that should define you. The challenge is for you to find another employer who will pay you for your skills. No, volunteering may not lead you to another career as it did for me, but you never know what is possible until you try. Therefore, if you are one of the recently unemployed waiting in between interviews, filling out job applications and have some spare time, why not utilize the skills and talents you have to help others? The help you can give to others may help someone to lead a more productive life, for which they may forever be grateful. In the end, you too may also walk away feeling grateful.

Volunteer presentations now offered to Elem. Schools

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:46:45 +0000

I am happy to announce that our volunteer presentations, which have only been given to middle and high school students, are now being offered to elementary school students. Our volunteer requirements, through our volunteer center at the United Way of York, mostly consists of agencies looking for volunteers who are 13 years or older. However, there are many activities that younger children can participate in to help others in need. When conducting our National Family Volunteer Day and MLK Service Day events, we had many children participate by decorating and writing "Get Well" cards for children at local hospitals as well as creating arts and crafts. Some also helped create care packets for the homeless. I noticed that the children seemed very pleased to know that the cards they were decorating were going to help "cheer up" other children. Therefore, it occurred to me that our presentations could also be conducted at the elementary school level and that it is never too early to encourage the importance and benefits of volunteering.

As I mentioned above, they may not be able to volunteer with certain local agencies, due to certain guidelines and, most of all, age requirements, but I can give them many ideas of what they can do on their own, as a family, or as a community to help others in need. Other ideas could include activities to raise money for charities such as a car wash, bake sale or participate in a neighborhood clean-up day. Again, the presentation would include a very basic, brief explanation defining volunteering, it's importance and benefits. At the end of the presentation I would have the children participate in a fun activity such as coloring or decorating cards or other arts and crafts for children at local hospitals or for seniors at local nursing and/or retirement homes.

I think these presentations would make a positive impact on children and a chance to instill a life-long interest in helping others. Our volunteer presentations are available to all schools, local agencies/organizations and/or church groups. If interested, please contact Kim Goff at the United Way of York County, 717-771-3822 or email goffk@unitedway-york.org.

Global Youth Service Day 2009

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:16:18 +0000

MLK Service Day Update

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:37:45 +0000

MLK Service Day, for the United Way of York County, was a success! Originally, we had 25-30 people signed up to participate and ended up having 51 people show up and some were nice enough to bring donations. Our project for that day was to create care packets for the Bell Family Shelter. 113 packets were made. We also had arts and craft activities for younger ones that included coloring "Get Well" cards for children at York Hospital. I would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this event. I would also like to thank Northeastern High School for their donation drive for which they collected the toiletries we desperately needed and they also collected $55 in monetary donations towards our event.

However, the event in Hanover was not so successful. I only had 6 students and 3 adults participate in the event. However, they did create 32 care packets for the Hanover Area Council of Churches homeless shelter. The students were from the Southwestern School District.

I wish we could have had more participation and donations towards our service project, overall, however, I am very, very grateful for the turnout we did get. For 2009, my goal is to try to increase the number of community participation and donations for our 2010 event. I would like to thank the reporters and photographers from the York Daily Record, York Dispatch and Evening Sun who came out to report on our event and future events. We, for some reason, could not get the media attention we needed for this project and I am very grateful for the media coverage we did get today from the local papers.

If anyone, at anytime, would like to make any type of donation towards this project we would greatly appreciate it. We can take donations anytime throughout the year for the next MLK event. To me, MLK Service Day is not only about people helping people, but also about people being able to witness, first-hand, how important volunteering is to their community and the positive impact it can have on everyone.