Opportunity Details

With the high cost of food, accessing adequate food and other essentials continues to be a significant issue for thousands of ALICE families and those in poverty. Despite working hard, ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) struggles to afford life's basics.

Through our Foodstock project, United Way of Northern New Jersey and our volunteers are collecting and providing much-needed items for food pantries throughout our region.

Volunteers can join or start a food drive to collect needed items for distribution to local food pantries. To learn more, email Lisa.Galonardo@UnitedWayNNJ.org, or call 973.993.1160, x503.

Opportunity Details

United Way of Northern New Jersey seeks help from volunteers for its annual United Way Tools for School drive, which provides students with the basic tools needed to succeed in the classroom.

As students return to school in the fall, children will need basic school supplies. The drive typically seeks to benefit nearly 10,000 elementary and middle school children of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) workers and those in poverty throughout the northern New Jersey region. 

United Way Tools for School aims to alleviate the budget strains on families struggling to afford the basics and who are now impacted by rising inflation.

You can help make a difference by holding a United Way Tools for School drive or volunteering with sorting supplies.

Based on the needs expressed by local educators, United Way is collecting packed backpacks and the following school supplies: hand sanitizer, masks, backpacks, lunch boxes, binders, three-ring notebooks, book covers, filler paper, pocket folders, composition and spiral notebooks, index cards, calculators, pencils, pencil cases, pencil sharpeners, erasers, pens, highlighters, crayons, markers, colored pencils, construction paper, glue, tape, rulers, and scissors.

Volunteers can also hold a drive to collect individual supplies and new, age-appropriate backpacks. In addition, school nurses have asked for personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, and kindergarten and first grade-aged children’s underwear and socks. Gift cards that can be used to purchase items such as shoes and clothing are also appreciated.   

Last year, with the help of 65 volunteers, hundreds of backpacks and supplies valued at $54,000 were collected and distributed to 40 local schools and 10 nonprofit agencies throughout the northern New Jersey region.  

For more information, visit uwnnj.org/school, email Sean.Hyland@UnitedWayNNJ.org, or call 973.993.1160 x405.

 

Available Shifts

Shift Name	Signup Max	Start	End
General	no limit	n/a	n/a

Opportunity Details

Each year, United Way of Northern New Jersey seeks help from the community to purchase (and sometimes sort) holiday gifts for individuals in need during its annual United Way Gifts of the Season program.

United Way, in partnership with area nonprofits, annually identifies area children, families, senior citizens and adults with disabilities who are struggling to afford basic needs and seeks to bring them holiday cheer.

ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and households in poverty are struggling to afford life’s basics. The holidays and winter months bring additional financial stress, which United Way is seeking to alleviate with community support.

Residents and businesses can support United Way Gifts of the Season by fulfilling a specific gift request or purchasing a general gift. United Way also accepts store gifts cards and donations.

You can also make a difference by giving of your time. Opportunities include conducting a virtual gift collection drive, holding a gift card drive, and making ornaments. There are also opportunities for businesses to help sort gifts.

For more information about United Way Gifts of the Season, email Lisa.Galonardo@UnitedWayNNJ.org or call 973.993.1160 x503.

Opportunity Details

Invest an hour a week, invest in our future.

We are looking for Mentors from all backgrounds and ages!

However, BIPOC volunteers are particularly encouraged to apply.

Why mentor?

There are many young people in the Gresham area in need of mentors
You can help inspire the next leaders, and to gain your own leadership skills
The connection and friendship gained is priceless
Mentoring is mutually beneficial
A little snippet about mentoring with us: Family of Friends Mentoring is a program in East county matching youth ages 6-12 with mentors in the area. The mentors are asked to invest an hour a week of their time for a year. This time can be spent doing a various activities. We like to match our mentors with youth that share similar interests. So if you like hiking, for example we would ideally match you with youth that also likes hiking. What we have found though, is its about the relationship, not the activity. Most mentors and mentees say the mundane days of folding laundry or cooking dinner together are the most memorable. We do provide stipends for activities that may cost money, and we have fully funded (really fun) match activities you can participate in monthly. We are with you every step of the way! We start with a phone call, application, orientation and then training that comes with a handbook. We will do frequent check-ins and support throughout your relationship with your matched youth. More information at our next orientation!

Opportunity Details

Join us from 4-8 at the Quakertown McDonald's as we pass out Halloween crafts and goodies to community members.

Available Shifts

Shift Name	Signup Max	Start	End
General	no limit	n/a	n/a

Opportunity Details

#Give2023
The purpose of this event is to create birthday party games for children in need. Birthday
Dreams, located in Renton, WA, provides a “Birthday in a Box” for children whose families would otherwise not be able to support a party. Your team would work together to create fun party minute-to-win-it style game for tweens and teens. Create written or video instructions and an example of the game, then return them to Birthday Dreams for production and distribution to upcoming birthday parties for children.
Funding is appreciated but not required.
Our projects are completed best at Microsoft with Birthday Dreams Support.
There is no limit to how many times this event can take place.
There is no limit on the number of volunteers on this project.
#Give2022

Opportunity Details

Help us welcome our new class of DanceChance students by prepping their welcome packets and writing a note of encouragement. We'll come to you - this activity is perfect for a team lunch hour!

DanceChance was created in 1994 by PNB School Founding Director Francia Russell to improve equity and access in classical ballet training. Partnering with Seattle Public Schools, this bedrock youth program invites students demonstrating unique attributes for classical ballet to study at Pacific Northwest Ballet School free of charge, dependent only upon students’ potential and interest in dance. DanceChance aims to enrich the lives of each participant through the opportunity to study classical ballet, to cultivate a diverse School and Company, and to train and nurture the next generation of dancers.

DanceChance students receive weekly ballet classes with introductions to other dance genres, free dancewear, PNB performance tickets, and opportunities to perform in professional productions and student showings. PNB covers all costs including transportation to and from PNB. DanceChance alumni have gone on to join the PNB Company as professional dancers (like Soloist Kuu Sakuragi) and other ballet companies. Eric Hipolito, Jr., pictured below, is a DanceChance alum who danced with PNB and is now a faculty member.

As PNB prepares for our 2024-2025 DanceChance program, we invite Microsoft employees to help us welcome these wonderful students. In particular, we seek help to prep welcome kits for our Level I students prior to their first day on October 12, 2024 - we welcomed 78 new students last year and anticipate another large class this year. Prepping the welcome kits includes stuffing folders with necessary paperwork, labeling folders, packing bags with dancewear, and the best part - writing a note of encouragement to these young dancers.

This is the perfect opportunity for a team of up to 25 to complete over a lunch hour or other one-hour period, and we'll come to you with all the necessary supplies. You just need to reserve a space on the Microsoft campus and bring your team!

Opportunity Details

DESCRIPTION - For years, volunteers have brought warmth and relief to YES families who are experiencing hard times through the YES Gift Card Drive. During such uncertain times and with so many families in need, the need for support is greater than ever before.

This is why your support as a Gift Card Drive volunteer is so crucial. With this helping hand, families will be able to purchase groceries, clothing, school supplies, or other items they may need.

How to become a gift card volunteer:
As a volunteer, you commit to donating gift cards in $25 or $50 increments to any of the following stores:
Target
Fred Meyer/QFC
Safeway
Walmart
VISA

We ask that you only purchase gift cards for the locations listed above. This is to ensure that distributed gifts are more equitable for all families. You can purchase as many gift cards as you like!

Contactless gift card purchases:
Please visit our website at the URL below for directions on how to purchase gift cards online: https://www.youtheastsideservices.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/gift-card-drive/

Please mail gift cards directly to our Bellevue location at the address listed below or you can drop them off in person at our Bellevue location.

Youth Eastside Services
Attn: Becca Holbrook
999 164th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98008

Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to drop off gift cards in person, please reach out to Becca Holbrook at beccah@youtheastsideservices.org.

PARTICIPANTS - This opportunity can be completed by as many people as would like to participate.

LOCATION - This opportunity can be completed in person, or the gift cards can be purchased online following the guidance in the description above.

DURATION - There is no defined timeframe for this opporutnity.

GEOGRAPHIC REACH - Youth Eastside Services' main campus is located in Bellevue, WA. We also have satellite locations in other cities in East King County.

FUNDING REQUIRED - Funding would be required to purchase the gift cards.

#Give2023

Opportunity Details

DESCRIPTION - This project will be used for Early Childhood Behavior Health, which addresses Promoting First Relationships (PFR) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) —helping parents understand and regulate their child’s behavior, build a strong and stable relationship with their child, and ensure that their child is meeting key developmental milestones.

Microsoft employees will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the mental health of East King County children and their families by gathering motivators and prizes to help keep children engaged during sessions and to reward them for using the skills practiced in therapy/session.

These items will be used for children ranging in age from 2-7 (toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary).
Items that can be included:
Stickers (literally any kind of sticker)
Mini plushies
Slinkies
Playdoh
Stampers
Poppers
Stress balls
Fidget toys
Bracelets
Cars

All items can be assembled into one large chest, box, or container with all the prizes/rewards inside.

We’d like to have one container with at least 50 items to be given to children during counseling sessions and to reward them for using the skills practiced in therapy/session. This would be for children ranging in age from 2-7 (toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary).

LOCATION - This opportunity is best completed in-person, but could be done virtually if a designate is able to procure and distribute the items to participants.

FACILITATION - This is a non-hosted opportunity.

DURATION - This opportunity could last for any amount of time, largely based on how many participants there are.

GEOGRAPHIC REACH - Youth Eastside Services' main location is in Bellevue, WA, and the youth we serve who will be benefitting from this opportunity are located in East King County.

FUNDING REQUIRED - The cost for purchasing supplies for a reward treasure chest and motivators/prizes vary depending on the brand and where items are purchased such as Amazon, Target, dollar store, etc. Generally, each person could contribute $5-10 to gather a total of 50 items to be included. To purchase 50 items the total cost can range from $50-$100, depending on where items are purchased from and what item brands are purchased.

#Give2023

Opportunity Details

DESCRIPTION - This project will be used for Early Childhood Behavior Health, which addresses Promoting First Relationships (PFR) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) —helping parents understand and regulate their child’s behavior, build a strong and stable relationship with their child, and ensure that their child is meeting key developmental milestones.

Microsoft employees will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the mental health of East King County children and their families by gathering and assembling Feelings & Sensory Regulation Kits to help keep children engaged during sessions and to use after therapy/sessions for children with sensory-seeking behaviors.

These items will be used for children ranging in age from 2-7 (toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary).
Items that can be included:
Beach ball
Felt
Beads and string
Pinwheels
Feelings wheel
Squishy
Bubble wrap
Crinkle paper
Sensory tubes
Water beads
Sensory stickers
Sensory bottle supplies

Feelings & Sensory Regulation Kit supplies can be gathered and assembled into a one-gallon size zip lock bag or similar size bag (to provide to children after their therapy session) AND/OR a large container/bin to be used in individual therapy rooms. We’d like to have 25 Feelings & Sensory Regulation Kits assembled for Promoting First Relationships (PFR) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) counseling sessions this fall and winter.

PARTICIPANTS - This activity can be completed by any number of participants.

LOCATION - This opportunity is best completed in-person, but could be done virtually if a designate is able to procure and distribute the items to the participants.

FACILITATION - This opportunity is non-hosted.

DURATION - Assembling kits takes about 5-10 minutes for one person to unpack the supplies purchased and assemble them into the one-gallon-sized bag and/or container. If the group size stays around 20-30 people and you have enough supplies, the project could be completed twice or more and last up to 25-45 minutes to an hour depending on the number of people and/or time whether the project is taking place in person or virtually.

GEOGRAPHIC REACH - Youth Eastside Services' main location is located in Bellevue, WA, and the youth we serve who will be benefiting from these kits are located in East King County.

FUNDING REQUIRED - Youth Eastside Services (YES) does not have supplies for Feelings & Sensory Regulation Kits to be assembled by our organization at this time. We would like volunteers to procure the items and assemble the kits with their teams/departments.

The cost for purchasing individually packaged snacks varies depending on the brand and where items are purchased such as Costco, Amazon, Target, Dollar Store, etc. Generally, each kit for one person to assemble can cost up to $15-25.

#Give2023