For many people, summer is time for basking in the sun, cookouts and other outdoor activities. What many don’t know is there are numerous summer volunteer opportunities available to make a difference in the community without taking away from personal summer events.
Several organizations based in Colorado Springs have individual and group volunteer options available for summer volunteers. Commitments can be anything from a one-time effort to several hours a week. Opportunities are available for adults as well as children.
Volunteer Opportunities and Cleaning up Your Neighborhood
If you have a neighborhood or designated area that needs a good cleaning and sprucing up, the City of Colorado Springs Neighborhood Services Division can help. Mitch Hammes, Neighborhood Services Manager, said support is available for those looking to remove trash and improve the appearance of the property.
“The program focuses on bringing neighbors together in an effort to clean up their neighborhood,” Hammes said. “Individuals are responsible for forming their own group of volunteers or we can connect them with established groups looking for people to help.”
Many of the individuals and groups that volunteer for this program are from homeowners’ associations, faith-based groups, or those doing trail and creek clean-ups. The city provides trash bags and in some cases trash pickers for these events. Dumpsters are located throughout the city to drop the bags, or the city can be contacted to pick them up if they’re piled. For large areas, the city will deliver and pick up a dumpster for trash removal.
Hammes said those interested in doing a clean-up project need to complete the form online at https://coloradosprings.gov/neighborhood-services/webform/neighborhood-cleanup-application.
Helping Our Community Senior Citizens
For many of our Colorado Springs senior residents, the delivery a hot meal each day or a friendly visit from a volunteer makes a huge impact on the quality of their lives. Jayme Holligan, Director of Volunteer Events and Community Engagements with Silver Key Senior Services, said there are numerous summer volunteer opportunities with her organization.
Silver Key Senior Services, Holligan explained, provides older adults in the Pikes Peak Region with a wide variety of services including behavioral health, companionship, case management and government food distribution.
“Silver Key volunteers provide meals, commodities delivery support, transportation to appointments using our vehicles, client support in companionship programs, office support, food pantry, thrift store and veterans support,” she said. Volunteers can work behind the scenes or directly with the individual.
Holligan said Silver Key has volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups for a short- or long-term commitment. Children ages 12 to 17 are encouraged to participate and must have a consent form on file and must be always accompanied by a parent or an adult guardian.
Specific summer volunteer needs include morning food preparation for the food pantry. Silver Key is home to the largest food pantry in Southern Colorado and distributes over 1 million pounds of food yearly. “We also need volunteers in the community to deliver meals to our seniors’ door and give them a smile,” Holligan said. “For many of our seniors, this is the only individual they socialize with all day.”
The program, Holligan added, delivers up to 900 meals daily and is short 10 volunteers daily due to the demand.
There are numerous other volunteer needs, Holligan said. Individuals who don’t want to make a time commitment can make a difference by donating clean, gently used items to the thrift store and food, personal supplies, cleaning supplies, and unopened pet food and supplies to the food pantry.
“We are a staple in our community for our seniors and we’ve been around a long time,” Holligan said. “The heartbeat of our organization is our volunteers, and we couldn’t do this without them. We call this our VIP: volunteer impact program. We call our volunteers our VIPs.”
For questions about the program and opportunities, or to volunteer contact the Silver Key Volunteer Engagement Department at 719-884-2300 or email volunteers@silverkey.org. Questions may also be directed to Jayme Holligan at 719-884-2315. Information is also available on the website at www.silverkey.org.
Feeding the Hungry
Colorado Springs is home to numerous food banks and food pantries, and almost all have volunteer opportunities.
Care and Share Food Banks distributes food to a network of 282 partners in 31 counties across Southern Colorado. Its distribution center and main office are in Colorado Springs. Brittany Smith, CVA (Certification of Volunteer Administration), is the Volunteer Engagement Manager for the program. Smith explained there are summer volunteer programs available for individuals and groups.
“The most meaningful opportunity is sorting and packing food that comes into our warehouse,” Smith said. “Volunteers simply sign up for a shift and show up.” Smith explained this opportunity can be for individuals or groups of up to 20 persons. Volunteers ages 9 and older can help. Those 9-15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and all volunteers under 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
Other volunteer opportunities include working the donation desk, assisting with SNAP applications and clerical duties. Volunteers are also needed to teach healthy cooking classes to outside organizations. Non-perishable food donations are always accepted.
For information, visit the website at careandshare.org or call Brittany Smith at 719-418-4295. Interested parties can also email her at Brittany@careandshare.org.
Marian House Kitchen is operated by Catholic Charities of Central Colorado. Rochelle Schlortt is the Chief Communications Officer and Douglas Rouse, CVA (Certification of Volunteer Administration), is the Director of Volunteer Services. A variety of volunteer opportunities, they said, are available through their mission.
“We serve up to 700 hot, nutritious meals a day,” Schlortt said. “We are open 365 days a year and our kitchen is operated by a small Catholic Charities staff of 45 volunteers each day.”
Kitchen volunteer opportunities include preparing the food, cooking, serving and cleaning up. Volunteers 13-15 years of age may participate on weekdays if volunteering with a guardian or parent. Those 12 and under can assist with other appropriate volunteer opportunities. “We treat people as if they’re in a restaurant,” Schlortt said. “We call them guests, not clients.”
The Helen Hunt Campus, Rouse explained, is the base of where the family services are located. Volunteer needs here include volunteering in the children’s resource center and cooking a monthly meal for clients. The Hanifen Employment Center is looking for volunteers to help clients’ job search via the computer and provide other computer lab assistance.
The Market Place, Schlortt said, is a food pantry set up like a grocery store. Volunteers are needed to stock shelves, process donations, and serve as volunteer shoppers who help guests make nutritious choices, answer questions, and ensure they are taking enough food for their needs.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering must first register on the website at www.ccharitiescc.org/volunteer prior to contacting the organization. For questions or information about all volunteer opportunities visit the website or call Douglas Rouse at 719-866-6286.
Mercy’s Gate Food Banks has been helping empower families since 1982 by aiding with rent and mortgage bills, utilities, medical needs, transportation, clothing, household items and the food pantry. Micah Parker, the Community Engagement Coordinator, explained volunteers are needed for everything from front-line crisis intervention to food pantry helpers.
“Food pantry shoppers and stackers are in need for the summer,” Parker said. “Neighbors walk through our store with a cart and take what they want. This gives them dignity and the ability to choose. Volunteers are needed to talk to them, answer questions and build a relationship. Since we are a Christian organization there is always an invitation to pray, but we don’t force this.”
Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to be in direct contact with neighbors. Those 14-17 years old can serve alongside a parent or behind the scenes with parental or guardian consent. All volunteers must pass a background check, sign a confidentiality statement and agree to the organization’s Statement of Faith. Group volunteer opportunities are offered and individuals or groups can always donate both perishable and non-perishable items.
For questions or additional volunteer roles visit the website at https://mercysgatecs.org or contact Micah Parker at 719-470-2503.
Helping the Kids
The Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department operates three community centers that offer a combined eight summer camps for children 13 and older. Amber Rotramel, CPRP (Certified Park and Recreation Professional), is the Recreation Assistant for the Meadows Park Community Center. Rotramel explained there are a number of volunteer opportunities for those of all ages.
A summer program that is always in need of volunteers, she said, is the day-long camps. “Camps are held at local parks or the community center,” Rotramel explained. “Participants enjoy health and wellness activities, creative time, activities and games, swimming days and field trips. We look to our volunteers to be an extra set of hands on-site to help group leaders, engage with the kids and help with preparation for the programs.”
Camps began June 6, but Rotramel said volunteers are accepted throughout the summer. To volunteer, Rotramel said individuals need to create an account on the service website and someone will contact them. To create an account or learn about other volunteer opportunities, visit coloradosprings.gov/parks/page/summer-teen-volunteering? For questions, contact Amber Rotramel at 719-385-7943.
