Volunteer

VOLUNTEER

PLEASE NOTE

Not all positions may be available at all times. This is the list of the standard positions for which we seek volunteers. If a volunteer already fills a certain need, we may try to encourage you to volunteer for another position. Also, if you have a special interest not listed here, feel free to contact us to see if we can accommodate your energy!

Year-Round Opportunities

Board of Directors (multiple people / Hartford): These volunteers direct the mission and course of the agency by serving a multi-year term. Approval of new members will be determined by the current Board and based largely on the candidate's area of expertise versus the Board's needs.

Van Detailer (one or more persons / Bloomfield or Hartford): Volunteers are needed to clean interior and exterior of agency vans. The children are supposed to do the light cleaning, but the vans always seem to need more! This can be done at various times when the vans are not in use.

Equipment Maintainer (one or more persons / Bloomfield): Volunteers are needed to help clean, repair, and properly store equipment such as bicycles, tents, sleeping bags, etc. after major activities such as camping trips.

General Housekeeper (one or more persons / Bloomfield and Hartford): Volunteers are needed to help clean the Bloomfield Retreat House, including, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Volunteers are also needed to help clean the Hartford program and office location.

Professional Trades People (several people / Bloomfield and Hartford): An electrician, plumber and general carpenter on-call for occasional small building repairs or improvements. Y-US would pay for materials.

Special Activities Coordinator (multiple groups / Hartford and Bloomfield, or your site): Religious, corporate, civic and family groups are needed to organize and sponsor various holiday parties or meals for the children. We would also like to build up our contacts of business owners that can donate free or reduced admissions to area attractions. If you know someone, we would like to hear from you.

School-Year Opportunities

Meal Groups Come to our Bloomfield Retreat House and prepare and serve a meal to a group of teenagers during their weekly support meeting on Friday evenings. Organize a small group of family, friends, or co-workers to buy, cook and serve meals to our youth and also share an activity if interested. You will meet some of our youth and have the satisfaction of providing them with a nutritious meal and fellowship. The youth will have the satisfaction of knowing that people in the community (You!) care about them. This is a one-time commitment lasting approximately two hours from about 5 PM-7 PM, and is suitable for groups of up to eight people.

Enrichment Activity Leaders One or more individuals are needed Monday-Thursday between 5 PM-7PM to lead an enrichment activity for 12-25 youth in either Hartford or Bloomfield. Share a special talent, organize a craft, lead a game session, share your love of music, dance, or theater-the opportunities are vast. These children are attending their afterschool support program at Y-US. This is a one-time commitment lasting approximately one hour and is suitable for small groups of up to eight people.

GETTING STARTED

All regular volunteers working directly with our children require a background check by Y-US. Like many youth agencies, this is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our children.

For further information about volunteering with Y-US, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, currently our Program Director, Rafael Lopez, Jr., at (860) 951-7268 xt 102. There is a short application that we will ask you to fill-out. Soon after, you too can be helping children in our community. On behalf of our children, thank you!