United Way MLK Weekend of Service

Join a Service Project in Multnomah County

Thank you for considering joining us for the 5th annual United Way MLK Weekend of Service 2012 in Multnomah County. We look forward to seeing you in January!

* Note: Some projects have more than one volunteer day or time to choose from.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Join the Oregon Zoo Horticulture Team

Enjoy beautifying exhibits while you make a real difference at the Zoo!

Volunteers will get a chance to do some landscaping among the exhibits at the Zoo while helping the horticulture department by removing invasive species, mulching, planting and other projects in the Zoo's conservation areas and the parking area.

Serve It Up at Loaves & Fishes Central Kitchen

Volunteer duties range from pre-plating meals, assisting in assembly line to the bakery, dishwashing and food prep in our main kitchen located at our headquarters.

Plant Natives Shrubs and Trees at Fulton Park

Help plant native shrubs and trees in the natural area near Fulton Park with Portland Parks & Recreation City Nature. 

*Serve It Up for Seniors

Loaves and Fishes seeks to enrich the lives of seniors and assist them in maintaining independence by making available nutritious food, social contact, and other resources. Over 5,000 meals are served daily to homebound seniors and others at 36 meal sites.

Join us in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King as we serving others by helping prepare, serve and clean-up a meal for the seniors who come in to eat at the center. Following the meal volunteers will have a chance to eat together and read the I have A Dream speech.

*Salvage Building Materials

Reduce, recycle, reuse! Help reduce the flow of useable building materials into the waste stream by volunteering at the Rebuilding Center's non-profit resource center for used building materials. We'll be doing a hands-on project, so come ready to work and have fun! We will be working with the various building materials that are donated to The ReBuilding Center on a daily basis. Tasks may include: sorting materials such as trim, lighting, tile, and miscellaneous materials, pulling nails, sweeping, measuring doors and more. The ReBuilding Center’s needs are different every day.

Wheel Barrels of Fun: Restoration at Whitaker Pond

Join for a trail maintenance and planting party at Whitaker Ponds. This 25 acre nature park is home to two ponds, a ½ mile loop trail, and a black cottonwood forest full of critters. It’s also a site frequented by loads of kids and adults who come to learn about water. This winter, stewardship groups will be helping restore five new plantings areas. We’ll need help with all phases of the planting process, including spreading wood chips, flagging plants, and weeding.

Answer Prisoner Mail with PSJ

If you have a couple of hours this week, please help us answer prisoner mail from prisoners in Oregon and across the country. For ten years, Partnership for Safety and Justice has been receiving mail from prisoners, and we answer each letter, providing resources and information about laws, policies and civil rights. You can help prisoners advocate for themselves and be more successful when they are released. We will show a short movie to start us off, followed by a discussion as we answer mail.

Clean Bikes for Kids

Help the Community Cycling Center clean and/or recycle donated bikes and bike parts! No mechanical experience is required. With your help, the Cycling Center mechanics will use their magic to turn these reclaimed parts into "new" bikes for kids and commuters of all ages - saving the parts from the landfill, helping to keep kids fit, connecting people and jobs and helping to keep our air a bit cleaner!

*Stock the Pantry at Oregon Food Bank

Join Oregon Food Bank and help them in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in Oregon. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun! Please wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes, and clothing you wouldn't mind getting just a little dirty.

Get Artsy with Refugee Kids

Kateri Park is an affordable housing community, located just south of Powell on 28th Avenue. On Friday afternoons, we organize an art class for 20 of our kids. They work on individual and collective art projects like drawing, cut outs, and collages.We need some awesome volunteers to come and add your creativity and assistance to the class.

Wake up your inner artist and join us for an afternoon of fun! You will have a great time exploring art with kids from Somalia, Ethiopia, Burma and Nepal, and you'll really make a difference.

Garden Party at Jardines de la Paz

Volunteers join us for a garden clean up and painting party! The Jardines de la Paz needs help putting the community gardens to bed as well as painting to decorate the garden (great kid project). So bring your creative juices as well as work gloves! Great projects for familes and groups of friends!

Cully Clean Up!

Volunteers are needed for a variety of projects around the Clara Vista apartment complexes and Salon Comunal. Projects include weeding, winterizing the garden and bio-swale, painting the garden beds(a great kid project!) and organizing books/supplies. Great projects for familes and groups of friends! Dress in casual comfortables clothes and for the weather.

Serve A Meal (and Eat One, Too) at Blanchet House

Blanchet House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the hungry, helped by the men who live in Blanchet’s transitional housing and volunteers like you!

Come out and help with serving, busing, and the food assembly line for the 700-800 meals we serve each day. Volunteers will arrive half an hour before the meal begins to get oriented to Blanchet House and divvy up tasks. Meal service lasts approximately one hour, after which volunteers are welcome to stay and eat with the rest of the meal crew and the 29 men who live and work at Blanchet House

Lead Science Activities at OMSI!

Help guests discover the fun side of science at OMSI; join us as a science educator for the day! Following a short training session with OMSI staff, volunteers will facilitate an evening of hands-on science activities at various stations for OMSI visitors. such as spin art, fingerprint activities, making casts of dinosaur claws, gyotaku (fish printing) and other easy-to-learn activities. Volunteers will work in small teams and staff each station for 30-45 minutes, then move on to the next station. Please note dress code on sign up page.

Games, Snacks, & Friendship

Do you like playing scrabble? How about blackjack? Enjoy handing out snacks or helping give out free clothing? Perhaps you like conversing, or listening to fascinating life stories? Then come on down and spend an evening volunteering with the diverse patrons of Operation Nightwatch!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Weatherize Homes with the Community Energy Project

Using simple draft stopping and energy saving materials such as silicone-acrylic and rope caulk, interior vinyl storm windows, and door weatherstripping, individuals and teams of volunteers weatherize the homes of 250 seniors and people with disabilities every year. We provide training for all of our volunteers before heading out to the homes. Basic knowledge of tools is useful, but not necessary, for this project.

Volunteers will arrive at the CEP's office by 9am for a brief Orientation and Training and then split into two or three groups and carpool and/or walk (depending on proximity) to a few different home sites for the projects themselves. Each group will receive on site training by CEP staff and work on their project for a few hours and after we will reconvene for the last 30-40 minutes back at the CEP's office to reflect upon and discuss our day's experience over a brown bag lunch style session (Food will not be provided, but CEP has a refrigerator to store lunches).

Winter Wonderland Clean Up at De La Salle

Volunteers will help with a wide range of projects both indoors and on the grounds. Projects will include painting, weeding, and general cleaning (windows, desks, classrooms, library, etc.).

Plant Neighborhood Trees with Friends of Trees

Join Friends of Trees to plant street and yard trees in Vancouver and SE Portland this MLK Weekend. No experience is necessary! We’re aiming to plant over 5,000 street and yard trees in our award-winning Neighborhood Trees program -- help us make those goals a reality! For the SE Portland planting, we'll be putting in street and yard trees in the Lents and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods.

*Stock the Pantry at Oregon Food Bank

Join Oregon Food Bank and help them in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in Oregon. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun! Please wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes, and clothing you wouldn't mind getting just a little dirty.

Show Peninsula Park Community Center Some Love - Round Two!

Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of fun projects at Peninsula Park Community Center:

• Indoor Park Toy Car Wash! Help us spruce up our toy cars by scrubbin’ and sanitizing them. We will also clean and organize the sports closet and sort out/repair equipment.
• Basement organizing! Help us sort and organize our supplies and clean out the basement.
• Bulletin Board Blitz! We have five bulletin boards that need some TLC. Get your creative juices flowing and help us put them together.
• Good Old Fashioned Yard Work! Grab your gloves and help with some raking, weeding, edging, bark chip combing, etc.

Volunteers should wear clothes that can get dirty and if working outside, please dress for rain and bring work gloves.

Restore Terwilliger Blvd Forest

Join Friends of Terwilliger and the West Willamette Restoration Partnership to restore our urban forest in southwest Portland. Terwilliger Blvd has been a main thoroughfare for almost 100 years! Many hikers, runners, and bicyclists utilize this verdant boulevard.

Help keep this a high-quality natural area for people, native plants, and wildlife! Meet at the corner of SW Terwilliger and SW Hamilton St near the public restrooms.  We will have tools, gloves, water and snacks. Just bring your rain boots and a friend and come ready to work! Some work may be on uneven ground.

Meet Your Watershed: Wilkes Creek Planting

Have you met Wilkes Creek?  It’s one of few surface streams in the watershed, and quite a beauty. The Columbia Slough Watershed Council will be hosting a down and dirty planting party along a 2 acre section of the creek, just downstream of the headwaters. A strong group of community members and organizations have been stewarding the site since 2003, removing weeds and litter and planting hundreds of native plants. Come out this MLK Day weekend to ensure that this natural area continues to thrive with community support.

What to bring: Tools and gloves will be provided, but participants should come prepared for all weather conditions. It could be wet, very wet. 

Keep the Portland Memory Garden Beautiful

Gardening makes beautiful memories. Help prepare the Portland Memory Garden for another season of meaningful outdoor experience for individuals and caregivers coping with memory loss disorders, and make your own memories too! This is a great family friendly project.

Garden tasks include weed, groom, sweep, general cleanup. Most tools provided. Optional: bring your own pruners or other sharps. Rain or shine, please dress for the weather. Light refreshments served.

*Get Books to Children at the Children's Book Bank

Lend a hand as we spruce-up community-donated books which will later be distributed to low-income preschool children in the Portland area! Every gently-used donated book is inspected and cleaned by volunteers. Tasks include wiping covers, taping torn pages, erasing scribbles, covering inscriptions, and reinforcing worn spines.

Please note, there are three steps leading into the Children's Book Bank space and no wheelchair ramp at this time.

Offer Respite Care and Support to Families Affected by Lupus

Volunteers will assist us in taking care of the children of lupus survivors with fun and educational games. We’ll also be putting together care packages for our support group members during their meeting. Afterwards, we’ll put together a healthy meal for all of us to enjoy.

Recycle Electronics with Free Geek

Curious what your printer looks like on the inside? Do you love taking things apart? Interested in helping with technology recycling? This is the project for you! Volunteers will help tear-down and recycle electronics components at Free Geek - a non-profit that recycles and refurbishes used technology and provides training on re-building electronics.

SCRAP Creative Reuse Center

Do you love art, craft & environmental sustainability? Come join in on a fun work party doing a variety of projects to help SCRAP fulfill their goal of diverting usable items away from the landfill and into the hands of our community at a very low cost. Who knows what you may discover as you sort, organize and tidy up the retail store & workshop room. Guaranteed to be a creatively enlightening experience!

*Salvage Building Materials

Reduce, recycle, reuse! Help reduce the flow of useable building materials into the waste stream by volunteering at the Rebuilding Center's non-profit resource center for used building materials. We'll be doing a hands-on project, so come ready to work and have fun! We will be working with the various building materials that are donated to The ReBuilding Center on a daily basis. Tasks may include: sorting materials such as trim, lighting, tile, and miscellaneous materials, pulling nails, sweeping, measuring doors and more. The ReBuilding Center’s needs are different every day.

Closed toe shoes required, bring a water bottle and work gloves if you have them. Please dress for the weather, our building is not climate controlled and can be very cold. Some tasks may involve medium to heavy lifting. Youth welcome with parent or guardian. Enter thru the big brown community trees (you'll know them when you see them). Please be as punctual as possible.

Get Out and Garden!

Portland Community Gardens provides garden space and educational events within Portland's neighborhoods. Each month we are working in the common areas of a local garden -- laying paths, weeding, mulching, removing invasive species, pruning, building beds, planting, and more, depending on the needs at each month's garden. 

Please dress for the weather, bring garden/work gloves if you have them, and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. It is also a good idea to bring a water bottle, as not all gardens have drinking water readily available on site.

*Get Books to Children at the Children's Book Bank

Lend a hand as we spruce-up community-donated books which will later be distributed to low-income preschool children in the Portland area! Every gently-used donated book is inspected and cleaned by volunteers. Tasks include wiping covers, taping torn pages, erasing scribbles, covering inscriptions, and reinforcing worn spines.

Please note, there are three steps leading into the Children's Book Bank space and no wheelchair ramp at this time.

*Stock the Pantry at Oregon Food Bank

Join Oregon Food Bank and help them in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in Oregon. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun! Please wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes, and clothing you wouldn't mind getting just a little dirty.

*Get Books to Children at the Children's Book Bank

Lend a hand as we spruce-up community-donated books which will later be distributed to low-income preschool children in the Portland area! Every gently-used donated book is inspected and cleaned by volunteers. Tasks include wiping covers, taping torn pages, erasing scribbles, covering inscriptions, and reinforcing worn spines.

Please note, there are three steps leading into the Children's Book Bank space and no wheelchair ramp at this time.

The Operation Nightwatch Mobile Hospitality Center is the only evening facility to serve homeless individuals and families in SE Portland. It does this through distributing food, clothing, and blankets. But most importantly, recognizing that homeless people also suffer from social isolation, it does this by reaching out with a simple human connection.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Teaming with Microbes at Ariadne Garden

Want to see a lean mean composting system in work? Ariadne Garden is seeking volunteers to help with our winter composting projects. We'll be digging up our wood chip pathways, turning these chips and other inputs into the compost, and putting fresh chips down. There will also be opportunities to weed, nibble fresh greens, and learn about this cool community garden. 

Volunteers should come prepared for any weather. Gloves and tools are available. Please wear shoes that are appropriate for digging and shoveling

Love to Cook? Cook for Homeless Kids at p:ear

Come cook in p:ear's kitchen! We will be making soups and stews to freeze, which will carry us over the winter. You will be prepping food, cooking and cleaning up. p:ear will provide the ingredients and recipes... you provide the expertise and love! .

Blueberry Pie with NAYA

Do you like blueberry pies? Help NAYA plant an educational blueberry garden!

Volunteers will help plant blueberries at the Native American Youth And Family Center. The blueberry garden will create opportunities for education and intergenerational relationship building. NAYA elders will provide the long term care and cultivation of the blueberries and teach NAYA youth how to can, preserve, and bake with blueberries! 

NAYA Family Center will supply the blueberry bushes and mulch. Volunteers will supply the human power. 

Please wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty, sturdy shoes, and remember to dress for the weather!

Potluck in the Park

Potluck has been serving a free hot meal to anyone in need since 1991. Rain or shine, 52 weeks a year, we provide a hot meal, every Sunday, at O'Bryant Square in downtown Portland. Come on down and lend a hand this Sunday!

Each Sunday, O'Bryant Square, a public park, becomes a community of those wishing to serve anyone in need. Volunteers should sign-in at the Check-in Table at 2:00pm. Set up begins at 2:30pm and the meal service starts at 3:00pm.

By 4:30pm, we wind down the meal service and breakdown and clean up of the site begins (some heavy lifting is involved in this stage, but there are always tasks to be done that don't require strong arms and backs).

When there is unfavorable weather we move to the parking garage which enters on the Stark Street side of O'Bryant Square; look for a large sign directing you downstairs.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Deep Clean Time with VOA's Recovery Community

The majority of people in prison are not considered dangerous – they are there for petty crimes committed to feed their addiction.  By recognizing that “clean time” is deeply connected to living a life without crime, the Men’s Residential Center supports men transitioning from addiction to being strong, positive fathers, sons, husbands, and community members.

Help Build It!

Volunteers will help build eight additional new homes for low-income, hardworking families to complete the Victoria Cottages sub-division. Victoria Cottages is located on Southeast 204th Place in the Rockwood and North Central neighborhoods of Gresham. There are currently 14-preexisting new homes neighboring the Habitat build site.

Plant Native Trees with Friends of Trees

Friends of Trees restores green spaces and natural areas in the Portland metro region by planting native trees, plants and shrubs.  Help improve wildlife habitat, improve water quality and beautify these public places by planting with us this season!

We'll provide gloves, tools, skilled guidance - as well as free coffee and breakfast treats. All we ask is that you dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. This is a great project for families! Kids from age 6 and older are welcome to join in the fun if accompanied by an adult.

Weatherize Homes with the Community Energy Project

Using simple draft stopping and energy saving materials such as silicone-acrylic and rope caulk, interior vinyl storm windows, and door weatherstripping, individuals and teams of volunteers weatherize the homes of 250 seniors and people with disabilities every year. We provide training for all of our volunteers before heading out to the homes. Basic knowledge of tools is useful, but not necessary, for this project.

Volunteers will arrive at the CEP's office by 9am for a brief Orientation and Training and then split into two or three groups and carpool and/or walk (depending on proximity) to a few different home sites for the projects themselves. Each group will receive on site training by CEP staff and work on their project for a few hours and after we will reconvene for the last 30-40 minutes back at the CEP's office to reflect upon and discuss our day's experience over a brown bag lunch style session (Food will not be provided, but CEP has a refrigerator to store lunches). All volunteer under 18 years old must have CEP Liability Waiver signed by Gaurdian/Parent and youth under 14yrs old must be accompanied by an adult.

Earl Boyles Elementary Courtyard Makeover

Help  Earl Boyles Elementary revamping the school courtyard to make it a place for  learning activities for students, as well as a space for community gathering.  Volunteers to help clean, weed, remove existing plants and sod to prepare the existing courtyard and garden for its new plan.  Bring your family and friends for a super fun volunteer experience!

Help Retired Books be Rejuvenated!

Volunteeers will help Multnomah County Library's Title Wave Used Bookstore prepare to put retired library materials  into the hands of the public.  Will involve handling books, moving, sorting and shelving material. Wear casual clothes, as it can be a little dusty!

Help Beautify Friendly House, Inc.

Help us beautify Friendly House! We are looking for a enthusiastic and dedicated group of volunteers to help us paint and deep clean at our NW Portland campus. Skilled painters preferred.

Spruce Up Tryon Creek Park

Come join us for an active morning at Tryon Creek State Park. On these days, we will assist with invasive species removal in this wonderful urban protected nature area. The mission of Tryon Creek State Park is to conserve and enhance the natural resources, and promote the educational, interpretive and recreational programs of Tryon Creek State Park. Please dress for the weather and bring your own water. Gloves will be provided.

*Serve It Up at Loaves and Fishes Central Kitchen

Volunteer duties range from pre-plating meals, assisting in assembly line to the bakery, dishwashing and food prep in our main kitchen located at our headquarters.

*Serve A Meal at Loaves and Fishes MLK Center

Serve lunch for local seniors and make their day! Volunteers will help prepare, serve and clean-up a meal for seniors who come in to eat at the center. Please wear closed-toe shoes.

Help Beautify Hartley Elementary!

Love to garden? Want to support kids? Help make Hartley Elementary School a safe, fun, and positive place to learn and play! Volunteers are needed to help provide some TLC to the fields, courtyard and playgrounds! This beautification project will be wonderful way to show these kids how much we care for and support them. We want to surpirze the kids when they get back to school on Tuesday Jan 17th with beautified school grounds!

No experience necessary. This is a great project for groups- bring your friends and coworkers. See immediate results at the end of the project!

Please wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty, be ready for any weather and if possible bring work gloves and gardening type tools (rakes, edgers, small shovels)

January Spay Patrol w/ Oregon Humane Society!

A Spay Patrol is a targeted canvassing event in a neighborhood with a high concentration of stray and feral cats and a large number of cats coming in to local shelters. We will canvass the neighborhood and distribute door hangers and flyers with information about the Spay & Save program. 

Lend a Hand at SnowCap Community Charities

In observance of MLK day of service, we are having a special volunteer day for people that have the day off that wouldn't normally be able to volunteer. Join us as we work on a number of special projects here at SnowCap, including clothes sorting and hanging, garden debris cleanup, food box packing, light office work, pantry repair and cleaning, breaking down and assembling bulk items.

Volunteers should wear clothes they don't mind getting dirty and bring a sack lunch so you can stay well-nourished! Upon your arrival, please sign in at the front door.

**SnowCap is especially encouraging volunteers from East County neighborhoods to come out on this shift; SnowCap is located near SE 178th and Stark, and would love to see friendly faces from its own community!**

Earl Boyles Elementary Courtyard Makeover

Help  Earl Boyles Elementary revamping the school courtyard to make it a place for  learning activities for students, as well as a space for community gathering.  Volunteers to help clean, weed, remove existing plants and sod to prepare the existing courtyard and garden for its new plan.  Bring your family and friends for a super fun volunteer experience!

Help Keep Cats Healthy!

One of the best ways to keep cats in a shelter healthy is to have a clean shelter. Join Animal Aid to help make the shelter extra clean for the cats! 

Volunteers will be doing a deep clean of the shelter getting into the nooks and crannies. This will include, but is not limited to: steam cleaning the walls and litter box houses, wiping down all surfaces, and vacuuming and disinfecting cat trees. Volunteers will also be able to play with the cats after the cleaning is completed (or if they need a "kitty break"!).

*Get Books to Children at the Children's Book Bank

Lend a hand as we spruce-up community-donated books which will later be distributed to low-income preschool children in the Portland area! Every gently-used donated book is inspected and cleaned by volunteers. Tasks include wiping covers, taping torn pages, erasing scribbles, covering inscriptions, and reinforcing worn spines.

Please note, there are three steps leading into the Children's Book Bank space and no wheelchair ramp at this time.

Stock the Pantry at Oregon Food Bank

Join Oregon Food Bank and help them in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in Oregon. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun! Please wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes, and clothing you wouldn't mind getting just a little dirty.

School Supplies for Kids

Schoolhouse Supplies collects new and used supplies (from pencils, paper and crayons to staplers, puzzles and art supplies) to stock a unique store for Portland Public School teachers – where everything is free! The Free Store for Teachers program touches the lives of thousands of children in need and helps teachers create an exceptional learning environment for all students.

At the Free Store our volunteer needs change from month to month and week to week. Possible projects include: sorting and shelving donated books or supplies, assembling materials for mailings or special projects, cleaning and organizing the Free Store or helping staff with another immediate need.

*Get Books to Children at the Children's Book Bank

Lend a hand as we spruce-up community-donated books which will later be distributed to low-income preschool children in the Portland area! Every gently-used donated book is inspected and cleaned by volunteers. Tasks include wiping covers, taping torn pages, erasing scribbles, covering inscriptions, and reinforcing worn spines.

Please note, there are three steps leading into the Children's Book Bank space and no wheelchair ramp at this time.

Cook A Meal at the Clark Center

From stock in the Clark Center's food closet, we'll prepare a meal and then serve it to the residents in this 90-bed transitional housing shelter for men.

Serve A Meal & Play Bingo at Jean's Place

Volunteers will be asked to bring ingredients to contribute to the meal and the group will prepare dinner on-site to serve to the ladies living at Jean's Place. The volunteer leader will contact each volunteer to instruct you on what ingredients to bring. 

Please note: no volunteer will be turned away due to lack of resources. If bringing a food item is a hardship for you, please alert the project leader.

Everyone will then help facilitate a game of bingo, which will include prizes for the winners! Join us for this unique experience! Volunteers are asked to refrain from wearing strong fragrances, such as perfume and cologne, during their volunteer shift.

A part of Transition Projects, Jean's Place is a transitional housing program for adult, single homeless women.