Find Community Engagement Opportunities
The following list of opportunities are not directly coordinated by the CSLC. Please be sure to sign up with the listed contact person.
The views and opinions represented by these organizations are not affiliated with Grand Valley State University.
March 2019
Provin Trails Invasive Control
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
March 2, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
February 28, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Use loppers, handsaws and herbicide to cut and treat invasive Buckthorn, Autumn Olive and Oriental Bittersweet!
April 2019
Grand Rapids Kidney Walk
Community Partner
National Kidney Foundation
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 28, 2019 from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Deadline
March 1, 2019
Contact
Shawn Fleet
sfleet@nkfm.org
616-458-9520
Duties of Volunteer
Packing, moving, set up in preparation for event. Doing miscellaneous tasks to ensure event runs smoothly. Breakdown, moving and unloading after event.
Hospice Volunteer
Community Partner
Spectrum Health Hospice
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
March 1, 2019
Contact
Yvonne Elliott
yvonne.elliott@spectrumhealth.org
616-391-4240
Duties of Volunteer
Would you like to read to a patient who can no longer see the pages? Play cards with someone who is lonely? Watch a Tigers game with a patient while their spouse goes out to get groceries? Document an amazing life for someone who wants to leave their story behind for their loved ones? Sing or play music - connecting a patient to another time in their life? Spectrum Health Hospice is looking for additional volunteers thru out our 11 county West Michigan service territory (volunteers choose what geographic area they would like support patients)that are interested in brightening our patient's week by sharing approx. 1hr/week with them. This opportunity is a significant encouragement, helps with feelings of loneliness and is a unique component of the patient's care plan.
School Carnival
Community Partner
Walker Charter PTO
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
March 8, 2019 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Deadline
March 1, 2019
Contact
Andrea Scheckel
wca.carnival@gmail.com
616-481-2698
Duties of Volunteer
Looking to have student help set up and run carnival games at the school and interact with families and students
Kaufman Annual Spring Clean and Volunteer Lunch
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
March 16, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
March 15, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-632-7842
Duties of Volunteer
Help clean the greens and get the golf course ready for spring!
Event Volunteer
Community Partner
Humane Society of West Michigan
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
March 18, 2019 from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Deadline
March 17, 2019
Contact
Amy Sherburn
sherbura@mail.gvsu.edu
616-791-8089
Duties of Volunteer
Duties vary depending on specific positions. Some require heavy lifting and being on your feet for extended hours.
Being warm and welcoming when in contact with event attendees and maintaining a professional attitude.
Rogue River Park Invasive Control
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
March 30, 2019 from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Deadline
March 29, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Volunteers will use loppers, handsaws and herbicide to cut and treat these non-native invaders to protect natural habitats!
Volunteer Tutoring for High School Students
Community Partner
Innovation Central High School
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
March 30, 2019
Contact
Martice Moffett
moffettm@grps.org
616-819-7848
Duties of Volunteer
Volunteer tutors will be working with senior students in their credit recovery class. The credit recovery class is where the seniors can make up the classes they have failed in previous years online. The students are in a class and a teacher is assigned to the class, however, students are still placed with a challenge. Our students are having to make up a class online on their own and often times struggle with completing the course in a timely manner because they do not understand the material. The teacher present is more so to make sure students stay on task and not there to teach the courses to them. We have two classes of credit recovery (1st and 4th Hour). Within the classes, there are about 15- 30 students in the class. During these hours, the college students will be working with the seniors one on one or in small groups to help them better understand the material they are working on, on their online course.
May 2019
Annual Fundraiser Committee Member
Community Partner
American Red Cross
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
May 1, 2019 from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Deadline
April 1, 2019
Contact
Erin Abel
erin.abel@redcross.org
616-402-2000
Duties of Volunteer
The American Red Cross of West Michigan is currently looking for event planning committee members and volunteers for day of event.
Event Planning Committee Members
- Meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 5:30pm
- The entire committee is divided up in to sub-committees and those are: revenue, communications, site, and volunteer. You may choose which area you wish to help with.
Day of event we need registration volunteers who will check guests in to the event, provide them with their name tag, bidder number, etc.
If you wish to have full descriptions of each position, please let us know!
Trail Improvements
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
April 1, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Help improve a park trail system! GPS mapping, trail clean up and trimming. Where: Various paved trails, hiking trails and nature trails including the Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail, Kent Trails, M-6 Trail, and more! Throughout APRIL, MAY, and JUNE!!
Student Scholars Day
Community Partner
Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS)
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 10, 2019 from 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Deadline
April 3, 2019
Contact
Jamesha T Tiner
tinerjam@gvsu.edu
616-331-8100
Duties of Volunteer
Registration:
The headquarters for the day is the registration table. As a registration volunteer, you will register students, give out name tags, distribute schedules, etc. You will be one of the first persons to welcome the presenters, faculty, guests, hosts and greeters to the Student Scholars Day. This position keeps the day running smoothly.
Session Host:
Throughout the day the classrooms will be used for the oral presentations. You will be in the classroom to welcome and introduce the student presenters just before they give their 15-minute presentations. In order to keep the presentations running smoothly, you'll have cue cards on hand to let the presenters know when it's time to wind down their talk. At the end of each presentation, you'll thank the audience and presenter for attending the event. A room greeter will be available to assist you as needed. This position supports the student presenters.
Greeter:
Throughout the day there will be many people coming and going throughout the Padnos and Henry Halls, and the Kirkhof Center. Your job will be to welcome and direct guests. You will also fill in as Session Hosts as needed. In the event equipment is needed you will be the 'runner' that lets the registration table know assistance is needed. This position provides ongoing welcome and support to our guests and presenters.
Millennium Park Annual Spring Clean
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 6, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
April 5, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Trash pick-up, landscape support and more!
Caledonia Lakeside Park Spring Clean
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 13, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
April 12, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Spring clean including raking, picnic area clean-up and landscape support!
Mayor's Greening Initiative
Community Partner
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 27, 2019 from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Deadline
April 25, 2019
Contact
Dia Noble
dia@friendsofgrparks.org
616-288-7209
Duties of Volunteer
Planting trees! No experience required! Our team will give you step by step instructions on how to plant a tree as well as provide all the tools and equipment needed.
Seidman Park Annual Garlic Mustard Challenge Day
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
April 27, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
April 26, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
There will be a Garlic Mustard workshop for volunteers to learn how to ID this invasive plant, pulling and GPS mapping.
May 2019
Palmer Park Spring Clean and Garlic Mustard Pull
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
May 4, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
May 3, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Pull and bag invasive Garlic Mustard, pick up sticks and rake playground and picnic areas.
Millennium Park's Hansen Nature Trail Project
Community Partner
Kent County Parks and Trails
Opportunity Type
Event
Event Date
May 17, 2019 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Deadline
May 10, 2019
Contact
Ginny Sines
park.volunteers@kentcountymi.gov
616-826-0438
Duties of Volunteer
Clean and trim trails and prep nature station sites.
December 2019
Working with individual with disabilities in art and music class
Community Partner
Arts in Motion
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
December 30, 2019
Contact
Anne Hill
anne@artsinmotionstudio.org
616-446-7452
Duties of Volunteer
Volunteers will be assisting the teachers to make sure the class goes smoothly and to help students stay on task. After class is done helping clean up and enjoying time with students till pick up.
January 2020
Just Goods Volunteer
Community Partner
Extended Grace
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
January 1, 2020
Contact
Jenna Vipond
office@extendedgrace.org
616-441-9111
Duties of Volunteer
Extended Grace operates a fair trade/social cause store called Just Goods. Just Goods sells traditional fair trade items, as well as hand-crafted items made by inmates involved with Humanity for Prisoners and by students enrolled in CBI. CBI is a program of the Intermediate School District that provides Community Based Instruction for 18 to 26-years-with disabilities. It also serves Aldea coffee, Leppink's donuts, Grand Finale' cookies and tea from Lucky Tea Cafe. A volunteer would provide customer service to all guests, maintain store throughout their shift (restocking beverage cooler, cleaning tables, etc.), complete transactions using a register, serving tea, coffee, cookies or donuts and misc. tasks that one is willing to help with.
February 2020
General Volunteer Opportunities
Community Partner
Holland Hospital
Opportunity Type
On Going
Deadline
February 6, 2020
Contact
Jody Correa
volunteers@hollandhospital.org
616-394-3140
Duties of Volunteer
We have a variety of ongoing volunteer opportunities for students in health careers, business, and more! Volunteers assist staff in a variety of settings including Surgery, Emergency Department, Security, Gift Shop, Errand and Escort. If you are interested, contact Jody Correa at jcorrea@hollandhospital.org or 616-394-3140.