Volunteer Programs

1. Boys and Girls Club - 502 East Sample, South Bend, 232-2048; Contact Person:
Craig Van Meter. Volunteers are needed to work with the afterschool recreation program with school-age children, from 2:30-6:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.

2. Center for the Homeless - 813 South Michigan, South Bend, 282-8700; Contact Person: Katie Glynn. Volunteer opportunities days and evenings working with guests of the Center, many of whom are homeless families or homeless because of struggles with addictions. Students may concentrate their volunteer work in assisting with programs for adults, or working with children's programs (preschool or afterschool). A volunteer orientation is held early in the semester in January for student volunteers; this has proved a good start to volunteering at the Center for those interested.

3. Chapin Street Health Care Center - 326 South Chapin Street, 232-4070. Contact Person: Michelle Peters. This health clinic for the indigent serves those who have no other access to medical care. They prefer nursing or pre-med majors to do patient home visits or distribute food to the homebound.

4. Children's Dispensary - 2015 W. Western Ave., South Bend, 234-1169; Contact Person: Brenda Emmerth. This organization operates the Fun n' Learn Program on the campus of Saint Mary's on Saturday mornings, 9:30-ll:30 a.m. in Havican Hall for developmentally disabled children. Volunteers are matched one-on-one with a child each week in activities designed to help develop the children's abilities in play skills, music, and arts and crafts.

5. Dismas House - 521 South St. Joseph, South Bend, 233-8522; Contact Person: Maria Kaczmarek. A community living situation for ex-convicts seeking to re-enter society, Dismas offers a unique living situation where college students and former prisoners live together. Volunteers are needed to help cook or bring dinner M-F and visit with the residents afterwards.

6. Hannah's House - 518 W. 4th Street, Mishawaka, 254-5309. Hannah's House assists women who are dealing with crisis pregnancies, many of them teens. The home offers them a chance to learn life skills and find support to have their baby. Volunteers are needed during the day to be a friend to those at the home.

7. Hansel Head Start - 1820 S. Michigan, South Bend (main office), 287-5938; Contact Person: Ruby Walker. Work during daytime hours M-F with preschoolers in classroom setting on play and cognitive skills. Head Start operates several preschools in different locations of the city.

8. Heritage Foundation/Charles Martin Youth Center - 802 Lincolnway West. Contact Person: Jesse Whitaker - 631-7092 (voice mail) or Jesse or Lisa Busby at the Youth Center, 280-7092. Volunteers needed 2:30-6:00 M-Th for afterschool programs, computer skills training for kids, conflict resolution programs.

9. La Casa di Amistad Youth Center - 746 South Meade, 233-2120. Contact Person: Angel Chacon. Afterschool programs for Latino youths, teaching English as a second language to families (some Spanish needed to teach ESL).

10. Logan Center - 1235 South Eddy Street, 289-4831, x 1032. Contact Person: Rosie McDowell, or leave message at above number for Logan's volunteer coordinator. Programs during day for preschoolers and infant/toddlers with suspected developmental delays; evening programs are recreation activities for adults with disabilities.

11. Portage Manor - 3016 Portage Avenue, 272-9100. Contact Person: Diana McKenzie. Daytime, M-F 8-4 p.m. best. Portage Manor is a residence for adults with mental illness; volunteers are needed to be a friend to residents, run arts and crafts programs, exercises, games, or just engage in conversation with residents.

12. St. Margaret's House - 117 North Lafayette Blvd, 234-7795. Contact Person: Kathy Schneider. St. Margaret's is a day center that offers a supportive environment for women confronting homelessness, unemployment, loneliness, or a number of other isolating conditions. Lunch is served and the guests are free to bring their children. Volunteers are needed between l0:30-3 p.m. (11-1 is ideal) to visit with the women or do activities with the children.

13. Robinson Community Learning Center - Eddy and Howard Streets, South Bend. Contact Person: Michelle Beatty, 233-2921, email beatty216@yahoo.com. Volunteers are needed for English as a Second Language courses, taught once a week on either Tuesdays or Thursdays 6-8 p.m., or MWFs 8:30-10:30 a.m. (this course is primarily for workers from ND's dining halls). It is preferable that volunteers not know Spanish, the primary language of the students in the courses. Volunteers work with groups of one, two, or three students consistently throughout the semester.