[Volunteers] OVP Volunteer Listserve 11/29/05

Tue Nov 29 15:32:31 CST 2005

Tuesday, November 29, 2005
OFFICE OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS WEEKLY LISTSERVE
Brought to you by CUVolunteer.org, the most comprehensive source for volunteer opportunities in Champaign county.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Holiday Toy Drive
2. Perfect Prom Project Donations
3. Parade of Lights
4. Calls from Santa
5. New Orleans Service Trip
6. Eastern Illinois Foodbank Intern
7. Child Care Volunteers
8. Computer Assistance
9. AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps

1. HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE 
**BRING IN YOUR DONATIONS**
The holidays are coming!  Want to help brighten a child's holiday season this year?   The Office of Volunteer Programs is hosting our annual Holiday Toy Drive until December 7.  Last year, we collected over 400 toys to donate to local agencies and we need the help of you and your organization to collect even more this year!  If you are interested in donating, please contact the Office of Volunteer Programs at ovp at uiuc.edu for more information.  We will need the number of children your organization would like to sponsor and we will then send you more details, including a specific age bracket for which gifts are needed.  The student organization or group that donates the most toys will receive a free pizza party from OVP!  Thanks in advance for your support!  

2. PERFECT PROM PROJECT DONATIONS
The Perfect Prom Project is ready to accept your donations of formal dresses, shoes, purses, and accessories.  These donations will be provided for free to Champaign-Urbana high school girls who may not be able to otherwise afford them.  There will be a donation box at the Office of Volunteer Programs from Wednesday, November 16 to Friday, December 16.  Other dates and locations will be added as the school year progresses.  Visit http://www.uiuc.edu/ro/prom/ or the Perfect Prom Project group on facebook for more information on how you can help with this cause.

3. PARADE OF LIGHTS
The Champaign Park District is looking for volunteers to help with blocking the streets with barricades during its annual Parade of Lights on Saturday, December 3.  Volunteers will meet at the News-Gazette Building at 4:45 PM to find out where they will be located and handed a map to help give directions to the public and parade participants.  Please e-mail Kari Hester at kari.hester at cparkdistrict.com if you are interested.

4. CALLS FROM SANTA
The Champaign Park District is looking for a few male volunteers to play the part of Santa and make 5-minute phone calls to children in the Champaign-Urbana area.  Volunteers are needed from 6 PM to 8 PM on Tuesday, December 13 and will be provided with a meal after the phone calls are completed.  Please call Kari Hester at 398-2571 or e-mail her at kari.hester at cparkdistrict.com if you are interested.

5. NEW ORLEANS SERVICE TRIP
Do you wish there was something direct you could do to help the victims of Katrina?  Does Winter Break mean little more than a month of TV Land marathons?  The Office of Volunteer Programs is helping to coordinate a student-led public service trip, sponsored by The First Baptist Church of New Orleans, to aid residents of the devastated city.  During the first two weeks of January 2006,  students will help in the deconstruction of damaged residences so that homes can be restored from the inside out.  Lodging for volunteers will be provided at no cost.
It isn't that actions speak louder than words, but that actions are all that speak.  Be a part of the reconstruction this winter.  Please contact Adam Shu at adamshu at uiuc.edu for more information.

6. EASTERN ILLINOIS FOODBANK INTERN
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank exists to alleviate hunger in east central Illinois by providing a reliable source of food for the hungry through cooperation with a network of food pantries and agencies.  In 2004-2005, EIF supplied its 14-county area with over 4.6 million pounds of food--enough to feed 24,000 people per month.  We are currently setting an aggressive growth campaign to increase to 5.0 million pounds and need motivated individuals to help us develop new strategies to attain our goals.  

EIF is looking for an External and Agency Relations Intern for Spring 2006, who will help Eastern Illinois Foodbank staff work and communicate with the non profit food programs that it serves. Duties will include: assisting in the publication of our monthly newsletter and in the research and development of other informational and outreach materials. The intern will also be involved in assessing and revising EIF's current agency relations processes and materials, working with both EIF staff and community members. Other duties will include some clerical work such as filing and editing. Intern will be able to attend several professional association meetings and will work 10-25 hours each week.  A small stipend is available.

The position is open to all majors; those students involved in food and nutrition systems, community health, community development, social work, or marketing and communications may find it most interesting.  We are especially seeking students who are inspired by helping others, interested in a challenge, and professional in nature.  Please forward a letter of interest to: 

Andrea Rundell
Director of External and Agency Relations
Eastern Illinois Foodbank 
2405 NorthShore Drive
Urbana, IL 61802 
arundell at eifoodbank.org

7. CHILD CARE VOLUNTEERS
The Center for Women in Transition is looking for child care volunteers for their playgroups.  The playgroups are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 11 AM and 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.  Please contact Diana Dudzienski at 352-7151 or dudzie83 at hotmail.com if you are interested.

8. COMPUTER ASSISTANCE
An elderly woman named Alvena from Grandma's Soup Kitchen needs help with her computer. She needs someone to show her how to check her e-mail, save files, attach files to e-mails, and save files to a disk.  Please call the Office of Volunteer Programs at 333-7424 if you can help her out.

9. AVODAH: THE JEWISH SERVICE CORPS
Join AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, a one-year program combining work for social change, Jewish learning and community building!  WORK full time at a grassroots anti-poverty organization. Make positive changes on the issues you care about--hunger, literacy, public health, domestic violence and housing.  STUDY with other corps members throughout the year. You will learn from traditional Jewish texts, take workshops from local activists, and share your knowledge and passion with one another.  BUILD COMMUNITY with other young Jewish adults who are committed to integrating social change and Jewish values in a pluralistic environment. AVODAH participants, of all Jewish backgrounds, live together, forming a powerful community with bonds that last a lifetime! 

There is no cost for AVODAH. All participants receive health insurance as well as a living stipend to pay for food, rent and other expenses. Student loan deferrals are available. All participants receive a $1,000 exit stipend and most qualify for an AmeriCorps Education Award voucher of up to $4,725 for continued education or repayment of student loans. 

For more information about AVODAH, or to download an application, please visit our website at www.avodah.net. You can also contact us at info at avodah.net or 212-545-7759.

Have a superb week! 

Stu Schaff
Williams Intern

Office of Volunteer Programs
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
277 Illini Union (in the Student Organizations Complex)
Phone: 217-333-7424
E-mail: ovp at uiuc.edu
Web: http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/