Volunteer Opportunities
Due to safety precautions related to COVID-19, on-site volunteer opportunities are limited. For more information on what volunteer opportunities are available, please contact Ellen Balasco at ebalasco@cfsri.org.
Children’s Friend offers multiple volunteer opportunities. Below are our current opportunities but we are always open to suggestions and ideas!
Photography
If you are a photographer with your own digital SLR camera and a good eye, we could use your help! Children’s Friend has many events large and small that need to be photographed. This is a great way to practice, get experience, and enlarge your portfolio. If you are interested, contact Leila Hill at lhill@cfsri.org.
Graphic Design
Assist the Graphic Designer with agency flyers, publications, brochures, and website design. Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite is required and you must be comfortable working on a PC. If you are interested, contact Leila Hill at lhill@cfsri.org.
Event Volunteer Opportunities
We hold special events throughout the year for our families. We also hold annual events to raise awareness, support, and money for Children’s Friend. We often need volunteers to help set up, facilitate, and break down these events. This includes our Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive held in December.
Regular Volunteer Opportunities
Administrative:Â Volunteers help with administrative tasks including copying, mailings, filing, alphabetizing, data-entry, and other related tasks.
Programs:Â Volunteers work with a specific program (sometimes more than one) based on interest, skill, and/or need. Tasks vary and may include administrative assistance, clinical support, research, project assistance, helping with events, attending meetings, and other responsibilities that may come up.
Special Projects:Â Volunteers help with various projects that one of our departments or programs may be working on throughout the year. Tasks vary depending on the nature of the project and will be decided on a case by case basis.
Direct Contact Volunteer Opportunities
Please be advised that direct contact volunteers are required to complete all security and background checks required of employees, including but not limited to fingerprinting, BCI, CANTS, and multi-state sex offender background checks. It can take several weeks to obtain all the necessary clearances and volunteers can not begin their time with us until all of the necessary paperwork is completed and results returned to us by the state and federal agencies involved.
Classrooms:Â Volunteers help the staff in our classrooms. Tasks may include playing with the children, reading to the children, helping on the playground, helping during lunch and snack time, helping during nap time, playing games, and any other classroom activities.
Activities:Â Volunteers plan age appropriate activities to do with the children in our programs. Examples include: reading a book and doing a related activity, having a scavenger hunt, making cookies, arts & crafts, and educational activities.
Donation Drive & Fundraising Opportunities
Our children and families are always in need of various items. Below are different types of items that our children and families benefit the most from as well as some ideas for fundraising.
Donation Drive Opportunities
Backpacks & School Supplies: Many of our Head Start & Child Care children will be moving on to kindergarten next year and we want to send them with the tools they’ll need to succeed! We are looking for new and lightly used backpacks and school supplies.
Diapers, Pull-Ups, & Formula:Â These three items are such a necessity for our young ones and they go through them so quickly, so our families with young children are always in need of diapers, pull-ups, and baby formula. All formula must be sealed and all diapers and pull-ups must be packaged.
Books: What child can’t benefit from reading? Our families are constantly looking for educational books and reading materials. We are looking for new and lightly used books and reading materials. Bi-lingual material encouraged!
Clothing & Household Items:Â Clothing and household items are needed by all of our families all of the time! We will only accept new and lightly used donations.
Fundraising Opportunities
Holiday Drive: Sponsor a family for our annual Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive. Contact us in the fall to be matched with a family that you’d like to buy gifts for from their wish list for the holiday season.
Car Wash: Hold a car wash to raise money in support of Children’s Friend in your neighborhood, school, local business, park, or any place that would be suitable for a car wash.
Other:Â Have other fundraising ideas? Feel free to let us know what you think!
Please Note: 100% of the donations to Children’s Friend go directly to our programs and will be used to help our children and families receive the services and necessities that they need to thrive.
For more information contact us at info@cfsri.org.