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Service-Learning Community Partner Bios
A growing network of service opportunities.
Below you will find a list of volunteer opportunities at specific community agencies that may help you with your Service-Learning needs. These are only part of a much larger list that is available in the Service-Learning Office (SC 108). In addition to those opportunities listed the agencies are also open to creative, new ideas from you. If you have a specific project you would like to explore, you are welcome to contact them or let us know and we will help you out.
We would love to hear about any ideas or programs that you would like to participate in. To do so or to simply learn more contact Alison Whiting.
STUDENTS: First and foremost, in thinking about these agencies, be sure to check with your faculty member to make sure it fits your assignment.
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A New Leaf Foundation (formerly Pre-Hab Arizona)
A New Leaf Foundation is dedicated to helping families and changing lives. The foundation serves a diverse need base in the Phoenix area and Maricopa County. This service includes two domestic violence shelters (one of which was the first in AZ), a homeless shelter, a men's center, programs with MesaCAN, etc.
A New Leaf Foundation would be interested to have volunteers assist them in a variety ways, including:
- Volunteer to tutor and work with children (La Mesita/Family Homeless Shelter)
- Assist with food service (East Valley Men's Center)
- Sponsor a group project, such as a dinner (East Valley Men's Center)
- Assist with childcare at domestic violence shelters (Faith House and Autumn House)
- For an extensive list of opportunities click here
- Volunteer at the teenage drop off center
Age restrictions apply to some volunteer positions. For the wide range of volunteer opportunities available, please visit A New Leaf Foundation's website. Please allow for a couple of weeks in order to set up a volunteer position.
For more information please contact Heidi Anderson, the foundation's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 464-4648 or by email at: handerson@turnanewleaf.org A New Leaf has locations in Mesa and Phoenix.
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Arizona Museum of Natural History
The Arizona Museum of Natural History, the valley’s only natural history museum includes dinosaur fossil exhibits, a history courtyard where visitors pan for gold, an Indian gallery including a replica village and pottery, an indoor waterfall, and three changing exhibition galleries. With over one million volunteers, the museum offers a variety of volunteer placements.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- This agency prefers a 20-hour commitment and they are open to group/class projects
- Help with tours of exhibits (particularly the children's exhibits)
- Perform lab tests in the fossil lab or work in the field doing archeological work
- Develop administrative and customer service skills in the museum gift shop
For more information please contact Yvonne Petersen, Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at (480) 644-2760 or by email at yvonne.petersen@mesaaz.gov MAP
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Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley
With over 4.8 million boys and girls served, the Boys & Girls Club continues to be a Positive Place for Kids. Staff at the Boys & Girls Club are committed to keeping the youth dedicated facilities open daily and the club services affordable for all youth.
The Boys & Girls Club offers a variety of volunteer placements. These placements can range from teaching basketball or dance to helping with a discovery lab or after school program. There are also three convenient locations Service Learning places volunteers - Chandler, Gilbert, and Williams.
The Chandler Branch is looking for volunteers to help with:
- High school classroom from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm (Monday through Thursday) where volunteers are welcome
- Holiday programs and you can help with getting gifts for families and providing a nice holiday
- This branch could use help at their "Power Hour" for tutoring. Call the Club for more details
- Thanksgiving dinner
The Gilbert Branch is looking for volunteers to help with:
- Discovery Lab with after-school tutoring program (especially between the hours of 3:00-5:30 p.m.)
- Welcome volunteers to teach activities to children and youth (such as dance, basketball, music studio, etc.)
- Welcome volunteers to help the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to help with the Thanksgiving dinner for the community (500 or more served)
- Welcome volunteers to help the Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the Community Breakfast (January)
- Thanksgiving dinner
- Assist children with music lab
The Williams Campus Branch is looking for volunteers to help with after-school programs.
For additional information about a particular site opportunity please contact the site coordinators:
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CARE Partnership
CARE Partnership, located in Mesa, brings together community assets, resources, and skills to improve the condition of people's lives. This grassroots organization provides numerous opportunities for volunteers and is always open to creating new options for faculty and students.
CARE was started in a backyard and now through a wide range of comprehensive programs, CARE works to build up the community and empower its members.
Emergency, dental, and pediatric clinics are some of the many medical services offered. Also, programs encompassing topics like economics, leadership, education, emotional wellness, etc. are available to the community through CARE.
CARE has many volunteer opportunities, including:
- Help maintain and sustain community garden
- Assistance with youth activities (i.e. arts, sports, tutoring), ESL and outreach programs, special events, and clinics would be greatly appreciated
- Help with collecting, sorting, and distributing basic needs donations
- CARE is also looking for community advocates
- Filling the Volunteer Wish List
- After-school tutoring
For more information please contact Tammie, CARE's leadership developer, by phone at: (480) 962-5197 or by email at: tammie@carepartnership.org MAP
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Catholic Charities Community Services
The Catholic Charities Community Services resettled over 800 refugees in Phoenix last year. The charity provides resources and assistance to acclimate and adjust refugees who are being resettled.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Create “Welcome Baskets” for new refugees
- Assist with apartment setup on a scheduled basis
For more information please contact Patricia Gillem by phone at: (602) 749-4442 or by email at: pgillem@cc-az.org. MAP
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Chandler C.A.R.E. Center (formerly San Marcos Family Resource Center)
The Chandler C.A.R.E. Center promotes students' school attendance through meeting the needs of students, their parents, and the community. The center provides free medical treatment, dental work, prescriptions and immunizations for uninsured children. Additionally, the center hosts parent education programs, a food bank, a clothing bank and special holiday events. Last school year the center serviced over 20,000 people.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Do a donation drive for food bank staples - rice, flour and beans
- Assist at special events
- Raise money to help with the construction cost of the new center
- Sort food and clothing
- Design health awareness booklets for children
- Coordinate a fundraiser for medical supplies
- Collect toothpaste and tooth brushes
For more information please contact Susan Scott Haran, Resource Development Project Director by phone at (480) 883-4246 or by email at horan.susan@chandler.k12.az.us MAP
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Chandler Public Library
The Chandler Public Library serves the community in numerous ways. The library seeks to promote literacy, offer a variety of classes, and encourage education.
While traditional library volunteer opportunities are available (i.e. shelving books), the library is looking for volunteers who would like to assist in one of their many services. This could include helping children with after school homework, teaching a class, assisting with adult education, reading books, etc. Creative ideas or projects for the library are very welcome, but here are some existing opportunities:
- Help in computer lab
- Develop business skills in gift shop
- Traditional library volunteer positions available (i.e. shelving books, cleaning books, working with circulation, etc.)
- Work with reading/writing program through the Gila River Indian Community
- Assist with ESL and Adult Education Classes
- Volunteer as a tutor or read to children
The library asks volunteers to make a 10-20 hour minimum time commitment.
For more information please contact Tara M. Anglin, the library's community outreach coordinator, by phone at: (480) 782-2815 or by email at: tara.anglin@chandleraz.gov MAP
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Chandler Senior Center
The Chandler Senior Center provides a variety of activities, programs, and events for senior adults. Located in downtown Chandler, the center hosts classes, supplies meals, and works to keep the senior community agile.
There are numerous ways to volunteer at the Chandler Senior Center, including:
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Volunteer to assist with home meal deliveries
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Help seniors in the computer lab at the center
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Participate in the Quilting Group
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Volunteer at a workshop
For more information please contact Lily Ann Martinez, the center's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 782-2720 or by email at lily.martinez@chandler.gov MAP
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Child Crisis Center
The Child Crisis Center is committed to the prevention of child abuse and neglect through strengthening families, providing a safe environment for children, and raising awareness in the community. The center houses over forty children and actively participates in the community.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Spend quality time engaging with children (ages range from 0-11 years old)
- Bring games/activities to do with children
- Tutor children
- Advocacy in the community
For more information please contact Carrie Welch, Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at (480) 969-2308 or by email at carrie.welch@childcrisis.org Child Crisis Center is located in Mesa.
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Gilbert Historical Museum
Since 1960, the Gilbert Historical Museum has been enlightening the community on the rich history of Gilbert. Their motto is, "Explore the Past, Experience the Present, Imagine the Future".
The museum is dependent on volunteers to keep the past alive. There are numerous individual and group placement positions available. The museum offers a variety of opportunities, including:
- Broad range of volunteer hours needed
- Group and individual placements
- Maintenance activities on property available
- Volunteer writing positions (i.e. press releases, children's material updates, writing projects, etc.)
- Help with cataloging inventory (minimum volunteer time commitment of 20 hours)
- Special event volunteers needed
For more information please contact Kayla Kolar, the Museum's executive director, by phone at: (480) 926-1577 or by email at: kolaraz@msn.com MAP
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Gilbert Senior Center
The Gilbert Senior Center offers an array of activities, programs, and events for active adults. Seniors are hosted in the new Gilbert Community Center near downtown Gilbert.
The center offers many great opportunities to volunteer with Gilbert seniors:
- Public welcome for lunch (suggested donation of $4.50), so you could go interact with the seniors and the community
- Would welcome students/faculty to teach a specialization class (writing, computers, art, dance, World War II discussion, book club...anything you can think of). These opportunities are available on a short or long-term basis and would be coordinated through the Senior Center staff and the CGCC Service-Learning staff in advance.
- Would like volunteer runners to assist with home meal deliveries.
- Volunteers are always welcome to visit with residents--call bingo, Wii Bowling tournament, they have a weekly live-music and dance event
For more information please contact Kriz Balzan, the center's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 503-6060 or by email at: kbalzan@csainc.org MAP
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Hope Community Health Center
Hope Community Health Center exists to provide primary care medical services to those without insurance in the East Valley. The clinic is located in Chandler and synergizes with medical professionals and hospitals to treat those in need.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Data entry
- Tax credit awareness in the community
- Opportunities for medical professionals
- Marketing (especially on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.)
- Grant writing
For more information please contact Dave Engel by phone at (480) 963-2720 or by email at dave4hope@aol.com MAP
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House of Refuge East
House of Refuge East assists homeless families and individuals by providing transitional housing and supportive services for participants as they strive toward self-sufficiency and seek to attain permanent housing.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Organize and sort donations for the Donation Center
- Assist children at the after school program
- Do landscape work on the property
- Volunteer at the Community Center
- Organize a diaper drive
For more information please contact Andrea Swartz, Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at (480) 988-9395 or by email at andrea@hreast.org MAP
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ICAN
ICAN (Improving Chandler Area Neighborhoods) empowers youth in the Chandler neighborhoods to be productive, self-confident, responsible, and leading citizens. By providing free, all-inclusive out of school programs for youth ICAN keeps kids off the streets- steering them away from drugs and violent behavior.
Volunteers have an excellent opportunity to interact and make a difference in the lives of youth. ICAN is looking for homework, program, special event, administrative, technology and maintenance volunteers.
ICAN is looking for longer time commitments(i.e. once a week for the semester).
If you have any questions or would like to play an instrumental role in the lives of children contact ICAN's volunteer coordinator, Ben York, by phone at: (480) 821-4207 EXT. 108 or by email at: volunteer@icanaz.org MAP
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International Rescue Committee (IRC)
For over 75 years, the International Rescue Committee has worked to bring sustained support to victims of violence in conflict regions and offered assistance to internally displaced people and refugees. As a global leader in humanitarian relief, the IRC continues to advocate on behalf of people affected by war and violence.
Some of the opportunities include:
- Organize food drives
- Organize cloth diaper, laundry detergent, sanitary item, etc. drives
- Refugee apartment setup (long term)
- Mentor refugee families to help them adjust to American life (for example, taking them to the grocery store and the bank) (long term)
- Advocate against human trafficking
- Volunteer at the community garden
- Teach or assist refugees in classes
- Other opportunities are available
For more information please contact Rachel Aherin, Community Outreach VISTA, by phone at (602) 433-2440 x213 or by email at Rachel.Aherin@theIRC.org MAP
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Luthern Social Services
The Luthern Social Services encompass a wide range of services including food banks, refugee assistance, counseling, job assistance, after school program, senior activities, etc. Volunteer opportunities span across the East Valley.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Assist with sorting and distributing food items
- Volunteer with children in the after school program
- Serve at the "One Stop" homeless program in Phoenix
- Share computer experience
- Marketing
- Teaching classes, such as nutrition
For more information please contact robert Sanders by phone at (602) 957-2153 or by email at rsanders@lsmsaz.org MAP
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Maggie's Place
Maggie's Place provides housing for pregnant women that are alone or on the streets, encouraging them to promote positive social change and personal growth.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Sponsor a meal for the women
- Host a class (i.e. yoga, nutrition, journaling, etc.)
- Throw a party/game night for the residents
- Help with the community garden
- Sponsor a drive in the community
For more information contact the Volunteer Coordinator by phone at (420) 491-0446 or by email at tempe.volunteers@maggiesplace.org Maggie's Place has locations in Phoenix, Tempe and Glendale, Arizona as well as Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Cleveland, Ohio.
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Mesa Active Adults Center
The Mesa Active Adults Center provides multiple services, opportunities, and events for senior adults. The center, located in the heart of Mesa, is dependant on volunteers to assist with the variety of programs offered, which includes providing 350-400 meals per day.
There are many great opportunities to volunteer with Mesa seniors:
- Opportunity for student(s) and/or faculty to teach a specialization class (i.e. writing, art, computers, yoga, etc.; the staff at Mesa Active Adults Center very open to ideas and themes for a class)
- Ride alongside and deliver meals to the home-bound
- Opportunities for nursing students to work at the center or with an outreach program visiting seniors in their homes
- Group Project- Assist the staff and host a dance at the center
For more information please contact Leslie DeJong, the center's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 962-5612 or by email at: dejongmsc@evseniorservices.org MAP
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Mesa Arts Center
The Mesa Arts Center, the largest art center in the state of Arizona, seeks to inspire people through a variety of diverse art venues and experiences. A variety of art classes, music venues, architectural features, and studios are available as a service for the public.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Volunteer at special festivals
- Develop administrative and customer service skills in the gift shop
- Volunteer in art galleries
- Assist with marketing and public relations
For more information please contact Courtney Tjaden, Volunteer Coordiantor, by phone at (480) 644-6627 or by email at courtney.tjaden@mesaartscenter.com The volunteer application is available online. MAP
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Mesa Fire Department
The Mesa Fire Department provides a variety of services for the community including the Connector Program, the Community Response Team, Bilingual Assistance Team, and Home Safety Inspection Team.
Possible Placement Ideas:
For more information please contact Carrie Castillo, Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at (480) 644-2508or by email at carrie.castillo@mesaaz.gov MAP
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My Sister's Place
My Sister's Place offers physical and emotional support for women who are victims of domestic violence, The shelter provides them, and often their children, a place to live, eat, and learn while giving theman opportinity to get back on their feet. Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Assist with childcare while mothers are in workshops
- Coordinate a gift card drive
- Collect bus passes
- Donate time in the center (This requires a fingerprint clearance card and dedicated time commitment.)
For more information please contact Peggy Dudinyak by phone at (480) 963-1024 or by email at mdudinyak@cc-az.org My Sister's Place is located in Mesa.
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Paz de Cristo
Since 1988, Paz de Cristo has been providing food and resources to the homeless and hungry. Paz provides daily meals, food boxes, and empowerment programs to people in the East Valley. Quarterly sign-ups start in January, April, July and October. Please sign up at the beginning of the quarter.
The main service opportunities at Paz are preparing food boxes and assisting with the daily meal service. Both are incredible ways to assist the needy in the community. Students can call to individually schedule hours or a group(s) can arrange a special project or service day:
- Meal Service Opportunity (meals served seven days a week)
- Assist with food box preparation
- Volunteers sign up quarterly (try and call the first Monday of the quarter to sign up)
- Groups can call and arrange a special project
For more information visit Paz de Cristo's website and contact Christine Oliviero, Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at: (480) 464-2370 MAP
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Save the Family
The average age of a homeless person in the United States is only nine years old. Save the Family, founded in 1988, is devoted to assisting homeless families break the cycles of poverty, abuse, and homelessness. Save the Family's holistic approach is centered on helping homeless families achieve self-sufficiency, thus decreasing their dependency on governmental support.
Save the Family has a variety of remarkable volunteer opportunities. Tutoring, Classroom Assistance, Donation Center, Read 2 Me, or Special Project volunteers are always appreciated. Flexible hours among the many volunteer positions are available Fingerprinting will be required in some situations:
- Donation Drive and Sack Lunch/Dinner Volunteers needed
- Read to children the first and third Wednesday of every month from 6:30-7:30
- Tutors and Case Manger Assistants needed
- Group projects available
- Fingerprint card may be required for certain positions
- Volunteer List available here http://www.savethefamily.org/STF_volunteer.htm
For more information contact Michelle Alvis, Save the Family's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 898-0228 EXT 229 or by email at: michellea@savethefamily.org MAP
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SCORE
SCORE provides free seminars and business counseling for small business owners. They also have opportunities for interns and volunteer work. To see if this is a good fit for your community service, please contact the Chandler-Gilbert Community College Service-Learning Department.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Help with social networking/marketing (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Help at business workshops or business counseling sessions
- Class projects are a definite possibilty!
For more information please contact Maryanne Weiss by phone at (602) 745-7250 or by email at maryanne@gustare.com SCORE has several locations throughout the Phoenix area. MAP
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Si Se Puede
Si Se Puede Foundation was founded in 1993 to advocate non-violent conflict resolution amongst all youth by increasing positive behaviors and by encouraging parental involvement in the lives of their children. The foundation focuses on educational programming, community activities and advocacy, and recreational activities for youth.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- After-school tutoring programs focused on reading and mathematics skills
- Lego Robotics Program
- Youth Soccer
- Baile Folkorico
- Adult English as a Second Language (ESL), citizenship and GED classes
For more information please contact Alberto Esparza, founder and President, by phone at (480) 812-1693 or by email at als1723@aol.com Si Se Puede is based in Chandler.
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Sojourner Center
1 out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence during the duration of her life. The Sojourner Center, the nation's largest domestic violence shelter, assists women and children in overcoming the impact of this brutality. The center empowers families to discover hope through building a future liberated from the presence of violence.
Sojourner can be described as, "The shelter that the community built". There are numerous opportunities to volunteer at Sojourner ranging from painting and organizing to assisting with childcare and counseling. Group projects and individual placements are available. Individual placements require a DPS fingerprint clearance card, which cost sixtyfive dollars and is valid for six years:
- Help maintian and sustain cummunity gardens
- Individual Placement and Group Placements available
- Assistance with daycare needed
- Help organize boxes of donations
- Creative projects available
- Assist the Crisis Desk
- Individual placements require finger printing (which cost forty-three dollars and last six years)
- Drives for necessities welcome
For more information contact Katie Parker, Sojourner Center's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (602) 443-6256 or by email at: kparker@sojournercenter.org Sojourner Center is located in central Phoenix.
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St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Phoenix, has been serving homeless and economically disadvantaged populations since 1946. Through home visits, shelter, food assistance, employment services, thrift stores and outreach programs St. Vincent de Paul provides compassion and support to individuals in need, regardless of race, origin, religion or gender.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Volunteer at the St. Vincent's Thrift Store (Chandler)
- Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
- Look at their website for an extensive list of opportunities
For more information please contact Cassidy Zoellner by phone at (602) 261-6870 or by email at CZoellner@svdp-phx-az.org Phoenix MAP Chandler MAP
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Sunshine Acres
In 1954, James and Vera Dingham dedicated their lives to caring and meeting the needs of homeless children. Now, more than fifty years later, their dedication continues to be the inspiration behind Sunshine Acres. Currently, the staff at Sunshine Acres houses and loving cares for around seventy children.
Volunteers play an important role at Sunshine Acres. Consider volunteering in one of these exciting opportunities:
- Semester long internship available with Case Managers
- Office Assistants greatly needed (training provided)
- Kitchen/Meal helpers needed
- Tutors needed- especially on Tuesday/Thursday from 4-5 p.m.
- Volunteer to work with children in the garden
- Sports leaders needed
- Assist with retail/sales at the boutique
- Fingerprint cards may be required in some cases
For more information please contact Zelda Fortner, the center's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 832-2540 or by email at: volunteer@sunshineacres.org MAP
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United Food Bank
Over 30% of people living in Arizona are considered, by federal guidelines, to be working poor. And about half of those people are living in constant poverty. The United Food Bank seeks to serve these people by providing nutritious food. This service includes collecting, storing, and distributing food through a network of social service agencies to place the food in the hands of those who need it most.
Volunteer at the food bank individually or in groups, one time or on a regular basis:
- Help sort food and package food boxes
- Group projects available but must arranged through volunteer coordinator
- Clerical assistance needed
- Citrus Gleaners needed January through March
If you have any questions or would like more information on how to get involved, please contact DeAnna Yazzie, the bank's volunteer coordinator, by phone at: (480) 926-4897 or by email at: dyazzie@unitedfoodbank.org MAP
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YMCA
The YMCA encourages the success of children and adults of all ages, races, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels through a variety of programs and opportunities. The YMCA functions as a community center by meeting needs in areas such as exercise, education, awareness, etc.
Possible Placement Ideas:
- Assist with membership
- Volunteer at different programs
- Create a personal, group or class project to assist the YMCA (i.e. nutrition, exercise, Activate America, etc.)
For more information please contact Steve Hewitt by phone at (602) 212-6102 or by email at shewitt@vosymca.org MAP
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