Volunteering in your community is important for a number of reasons, the greatest being the sense of satisfaction you feel at the end of the day. There is something very empowering about taking the time to help others in your community, especially those whose needs are greater than your own. In addition, volunteering is a great way to gain experience and build your resume; whether or not you are volunteering in the field you wish to pursue, managers, directors and human resource personnel tend to look highly upon individuals that have volunteered. Now a days some colleges even take notice of a students history of volunteerism when looking through admissions applications. You can even use volunteering as a way to find out what particular fields are of interest to you, for example: if you wish to pursue a career in social work but are not sure which specific population you would like to work with, try volunteering a few hours at a local nursing home and a youth center to see which best fits your interests.
Volunteering is not only a great opportunity to gain personal experience and boost your resume, but also a chance to help improve your own community. Volunteering can be anything from serving dinner at a soup kitchen to helping local organizations plan events and raise funds. While volunteering can be a great way to gain exposure to certain career fields, for those that already have an idea of the field they want to pursue it is also a great opportunity to start networking and getting your name out in the community. If, for example, you know you want to pursue a degree in art therapy, volunteer to teach an art class to inner-city students at the local arts organizations. If you want to work exclusively with individuals with special needs, find an organization and volunteer to help organize activities and fundraising events. Once you're in, work hard and prove to those running the organization that you are dedicated and willing to work for free. Directors from different organizations talk all the time, and if they are impressed by your initiative and hard work they will more than likely tell someone else about it. You never know, if you can prove your committed to bettering the organization for which you volunteer, there just may be a job waiting for you once you get a degree. Even better, some places will pay for your college degree while you continue to work through school.
With all this in mind, below is a list of local organizations that are always looking for new volunteers. Flip through, choose a few that seem like a good fit, and give them a call! Taking the time to offer your service and time to others in the community is important for a number of reasons- so pick one that interests you, turn off the television or computer, and get out there and volunteer.
This list does not include all of the many volunteer opportunities available in our community. If your organizations is searching for volunteers please email us at info@eriesprout.com, and we would be happy to add you to this list.
The Barber National Institute
Contact: Bridget Barber, 814-453-7661 (Must be 18 or older)
Address: 136 East Avenue, Erie
Website: www.barberinstitute.org
Erie County Public Library
Volunteer opportunities available at Blasco Library in the gift shop and computer area. (Must be 16 or older)
Contact: 814-451-6959
Address: 160 East Front Street, Erie
Website: www.erielibrary.org
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Contact: 814-825-0900
Address: 850 East Gore Road, Erie
Website: erie.extension.psu.edu
Urban Erie Community Development Inc. Quality of Life Learning Center
Tutoring opportunities everyday from 2:30-5:00 PM
Contact: Jermyn Ault at 814-899-3904 or jermyault@gmail.com
Address: 2046 East 19th Street, Erie
Website: www.uecdc.org
Multiculural Community Resource Center
Homework help opportunities everyday from 2:30-4:00 PM)
Contact: 814-455-0212
Address: 554 East 10th Street, Erie
Website: www.multiculturalcrc.org
Erie County Diabetes Association
Opportunities to help with fundraising events throughout the year (No age limits)
Contact: Nicole Wolf, 814-454-0715
Address: 1128 State Street, Erie
Website: www.diabeteserie.org
Erie Art Museum
Opportunities to help with tours and mailings on 1st Fridays and 2nd Sundays of each month (Heavy lifting required)
Contact: Jude Shigle, jude@erieartmuseum.org or 814-459-5477
Address: 411 State Street, Erie
Website: www.erieartmuseum.org
Erie Philharmonic
Random opportunities throughout the year, call to inquire
Contact: 814-455-1375
Address: 609 Walnut Street, Erie
Website: www.eriephil.org
Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm
Opportunities Mary through October (No age limit)
Contact: 814-734-2833
Address: 5970 Koman Road, Edinboro
Website: www.woodennickelbuffalo.com
Please note that this article will be updated constantly. Please check back often for more volunteer opportunities in Erie County. For more information please contact us at info@eriesprout.com.
