Category Archives: EIA Blogroll

1/7 Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

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United Way Community Impact Volunteers Needed
United Way is seeking three Middlebury College students to serve as Community Impact Volunteers, participating in a community grant process as part of an impact team in the areas of Health, Education or Financial Stability. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain experience reviewing grants, learn about non-profit administration, and build relationships with local community members. Deadline to sign-up is Tuesday, January 8th. Click here to learn more.

Calculus I tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student for in Calculus I at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and could meet 1-2 times per week based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Tammi Beattie, tbeattie@addisoncentralsu.org.

Shepherd Poverty Internship Info Session
Thursday, 1/10 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and Friday 1/11 2:30 p.m. EIA, Adirondack House Rm. 218
Shepherd Poverty Internship Program Info Session: Learn about the exciting (paid) Shepherd Internship Program, uniting students (including up to 5 from Middlebury) from nearly 20 member institutions with agencies that work to benefit disadvantaged communities and members of society. Learn first-hand about the multiple dimensions of poverty in the U.S., while working in an agency focusing on either education, healthcare, legal services, housing, hunger, social and economic needs, or community-building efforts. Nearly 20 Midd students have participated since 2005! Questions? Contact Tiffany Sargent, tiffanys@middlebury.edu.

January 9th: College Defensive Driving Class [Required to drive campus vehicles!]
This program is required for anyone who wishes to rent a College passenger or 15-passenger vehicle. If you might want to use a campus vehicle for volunteering in J-Term and spring semester get prepared by taking this class! There is no cost for the class but a driving orientation (a 1 hour review on the road) is required for 15-passenger Vans and larger vehicles. Class time is about 2 Hrs. REMINDER: A valid state license is required to take the class. Individuals wanting a 15-Passenger Van license must have 3 years of driving experience. To sign up email Ed Sullivan, Sullivan@middlebury.edu. Upcoming class: January 9th 9-11a.m. (Mitchell Green Lounge).

Interested in getting involved in the local community? Have a passion you’d like to share with another? Consider being a mentor!

Community Friends, a one-on-one based mentoring program that pairs college students with local children ages 6-12, is particularly looking for more male volunteers to be paired with a local boy! Play a sport together, go to a hockey game, eat in the dining hall! The possibilities are endless. No requirements aside from showing up and being yourself. Funding and help with transportation available. With questions or to find out more, email Nestor Martinez, Mentoring and Youth Programs Coordinator: nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Elder Care Volunteer Opportunity
Living Well Community Care Home seeks a volunteer to help develop a simple Apple Mac Desktop user manual to help residents navigate different parts of the computer and explore programs like iPhoto as well as incorporating unique needs of residents (visuals, bold print, large type, etc.). The student will learn how to communicate technical knowledge to elderly people who face visual, cognitive, and physical challenges. This will be a great opportunity for students to learn more about the aging process and how to educate someone about concepts and ideas at a very basic level. Interested? Contact Sudeshna Trivedi, Volunteer Development Coordinator, sudeshna.trivedi@gmail.com.

Have an interest in education, and want to explore it further? Enjoy working with others?
Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school student. Be a resource for youth by providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. No formal requirements! Be part of a program that will be the first of its kind in the state of Vermont! For questions or more information, please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Local VITA volunteers needed
You can make a difference. Receive training and then provide important help assisting low income people prepare their tax returns and receive valuable benefits for which they may qualify!
Addison Community Action is a branch of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) providing a variety of free services to help meet the needs of low income people throughout Addison County. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, helps low income households prepare their tax forms from February 1st – April 15th. In order to be a volunteer, you must become IRS certified by passing a test which the IRS provides. The level of training determines the level of tax preparation that you will be able to do when preparing returns at the sites. There is a test for each level that will make you “IRS Certified” to prepare taxes. We also require you to take training in the state tax law and practice with the software. In addition, there is an online training tool for federal tax only. Students are required to complete 40 hours of tax preparation throughout the filing season. Ideally, all 40 of these hours will be spent working directly with clients to prepare their tax return. Students may also be asked to review each other’s work. We know of taxpayers using their refunds to pay for car repairs, security deposits, to stabilize their housing, pay off credit card debt, open savings accounts (we offer this on site), and to purchase savings bonds (we also offer this on site). Interested?! Contact Ashley Calkins, Civic Engagement, Center for Education in Action, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Henry Sheldon Museum Volunteers
The Henry Sheldon Museum is seeking volunteers to serve as Education Program Assistants. Volunteers would help prepare educational materials, help with special events, and present Museum programs to students in grades K-12. Volunteers should have some sewing, crafting and computer skills. For more information contact Associate Director Mary Manley, (802)388-2117, mmanley@HenrySheldonMuseum.org.

Support the Middlebury Alternative Break Trip Fundraisers!

MAlt Grille Delivery: Sunday-Thursday during J-Term 9:00 p.m. to Midnight, CALL (802)443-5014
MAlt Puerto Rico Battle of the Bands: Friday, January 11, 2013 9-11pm Crossroads Cafe
Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Visit go/funding to find our application under Civic Engagement Funding. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.
Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

Ashley Calkins ‘06
Community Engagement Coordinator
Center for Education in Action: Careers, Fellowships, Civic Engagement
Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT 05753
802.443.3099 | go.middlebury.edu/eia

United Way Community Impact Team Opportunity (sign-up by 1/8!)

Dear Students,

United Way is seeking three Middlebury College students to serve as Community Impact Volunteers, participating in a community grant process as part of an impact team in the areas of Health, Education or Financial Stability. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain experience reviewing grants, learn about non-profit administration, and build relationships with local community members. Deadline to sign-up is Tuesday, January 8th.

Volunteers are ambassadors for United Way of Addison County and read each grant application in their assigned impact area (Health, Education or Financial Stability), develop a list of questions to discuss at site visits, visit agencies, participate in the team scoring process and recommend a funding amount for the board of directors to approve. Evaluation may include drafting suggestions for improved grant presentation, performance or business practices.

Orientation/training is provided (approx. 2 hours), each grant takes approximately 1 hour to read, site visit planning sessions generally are two 2 hour meetings, each site visit is approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours, evaluation and recommendation process usually takes two 2 hour meetings as well. The work takes place from approximately January 14th through the last week of March (United Way can accommodate your absence over February Break and Spring Break). Volunteers are expected to be interested in the community, non-profit sector, applying agencies and the United Way grant process. Confidentiality and professionalism are musts. Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a sense of humor are valued highly!

Interested students should contact United Way of Addison County Executive Director Kate McGowan (kmcgowan@middlebury.edu) or Community Engagement Coordinator Ashley Calkins (jcalkins@middlebury.edu), by Tuesday, January 8th for more details.

End of Semester Success for DREAM, Community Friends

Both DREAM and Community Friends, two of the mentoring programs on campus, held their end-of-semester events right as exams rolled in this past weekend.

DREAM, which meets with children from the Pine Meadows and John Graham neighborhoods of Middlebury, took the group to Whirlie’s World on Exchange Street. Among other things, the children were able to play on arcades, explore the bouncy castle, and have an excellent lunch of pizza alongside college mentors. Who knows what sorts of prizes they walked away with after winning all of those raffle tickets! Over twenty-five DREAMers were in attendance!

IMG_0043Community Friends hosted a Gingerbread House Decorating party for mentor-mentee pairs. Children were able to decorate a gingerbread house from a large array of candy, make small craft items like bead necklaces, and enjoy holiday cookies and music. Some friends decided to head outside and toss a football around in the cold! All in all a very successful gathering.

Mentors Attend Training & Retreat, Share Stories and Tips

Mentors came together this past month to celebrate both the spirit of mentoring and to share stories and insights with each other. Both DREAM and Community Friends, two student organizations on campus that work with local children of Addison County, held a training / retreat event in November with the aim of building upon the skills of new and older mentors. Discussions between newer and older mentors, perspectives from community partners, and guidelines for effective mentoring were among some of the integral parts of each event.

DREAM mentors participate in reflection activity during retreat.

DREAM, a group-based mentoring program, works with children of both the Pine Meadows and John Graham communities of Middlebury. Ranging in ages from 5 to 14, the children meet with college mentors on Friday afternoons to partake in a number of activities, ranging from themes such as “Science Day” to fun events like horseback riding. Working with Sarah Caliendo, Program Director of DREAM, mentors got together for their fall retreat. They were led through a variety of activities that centered around best practices for mentoring youth, as well as reflective activities on what it means to be an effective, responsive ally for them.

Community Friends mentors, new and experienced alike, share stories and insight on what it takes to be an effective mentor.

Community Friends, a one-on-one mentoring program, pairs college students with children of Addison County. Meeting individually on a weekly basis, pairs enjoy access to campus facilities or explore the local communities during their time together. During their fall training, both new mentors and older mentors were led through a discussion of challenges and strategies on mentoring children by Bridport Central School principal Kathleen Kilbourne and Mary Hogan Elementary School counselor Jeff Lester. Experienced mentors shared tips and ideas with new mentors, and many asked questions about potential challenges and setbacks. Mentors were provided guidelines on communication styles as well as other training tips.

Both events only helped to reinforce the notion of the importance of training and reflection when working with communities and particular populations, youth in this case. To the benefit of all, trained mentors are better equipped to address challenges as they arise and understand that they are not alone. Keep up the good work, DREAM and Community Friends!

11/26 Weekly Volunteer Service Opportunities

Attend this great lecture at 4:30 pm today (11/26)! Josh Slotnick on Agriculturally Supported Community (Bi-Hall Rm. 104)
Josh Slotnick is a farmer and professor at the University of Montana’s PEAS Farm. Josh will speak on the intersections of food, farming, community, environment, and education, and how they all work together to create a better world. He will discuss both the nitty gritty of how the PEAS farm model might help our college farm grow, and also how he has seen the PEAS farm become more than just a space for agriculture. After farming for 15 years, and managing the UM PEAS farm as a community space, he has much to share on how agriculture supports community!

Interested in education? Native Spanish speaker?
Consider being a mentor for a local Spanish-speaking child! Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury College students with children of Addison County ages six to twelve, is seeking willing volunteers to be a mentor for either a local Spanish-speaking girl or boy. Take him or her to a hockey game, talk about the world while taking a walk! The possibilities are endless! You could be an important part of these children’s lives by simply meeting up and being yourself on a regular basis! Flexible meeting times, no car required, and alternate ways of transportation are available at no cost. For more information about the program, or to apply to be either one of these or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf), get in contact with a student coordinator or contact Nestor Martinez ’10 (nmartinez@middlebury.edu).

Giving Trees Program – pick up a tree today!
Help sponsor a local child whose family cannot afford to buy presents for the holiday season through the Giving Trees program, in collaboration with the local organization H.O.P.E (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects). Here’s how: You can sponsor a tree by yourself, with a friend, as a hall, or with your student organization. To try to ensure equity among children in the same family, we ask that you consider spending a minimum amount of $50 per tree. You can pick up a tree (paper cut-out) from Civic Engagement programs in the Center for Education in Action (Adirondack House Rm. 210, upstairs, follow signs) on Monday, November 26th, Tuesday November 27th or Wednesday, November 28th between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.! The tree will have all the information you need: the age and gender of the child/adult, what his/her clothing needs are, and a wish he/she has. Gifts must be brought back to the Center for Education in Action on Monday, December 10th between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please e-mail jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Support Addison County Families in Need of Housing: Join the Volunteer Staff of the Charter House Winter Shelter
The Charter House Winter Shelter is home to four adults and six children. There is a critical need for more volunteers to help staff the facility 24/7 and support a vulnerable population in our community. Working in pairs, volunteers typically serve 3-4 hour shifts at times of their choosing. The Charter House is within walking distance from campus! To volunteer this semester (and beyond!) please fill out and submit the volunteer form: Charter House Volunteer Application. You will be contacted about attending a 90 minute training prior to your first shift. Questions? Contact Adam Schiff ’15 (aschiff@middlebury.edu) or Anoushka Sinha ’13 (asinha@middlebury.edu)

Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation: Christmas Forest volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for the annual Christmas Forest where community members are invited to decorate trees for residents of Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center to view and celebrate the holiday (Helen Porter is located close to campus in Porter Hospital!). Student volunteers are needed to help with distributing hot chocolate and cookies from 4:15 – 6:45 p.m. on Friday, December 7th. Student groups (sports teams, social houses, etc.) are also welcome to come decorate a tree (you need to provide the decorations) on Thursday, December 6th or Friday, December 7th. Interested? Email Judy Doria, JDoria@hphrc.org.

New Volunteer Opportunities with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont
Upcoming date: Wednesday 11/28, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers interested in joining us in controlling invasive plant species at our Snake Mountain South Area in Bridport. This will be an opportunity to get outside for a day, become involved with a great conservation organization in the state, learn some invasive plant identification, and give back to your community. Below is a description of the volunteer days we have scheduled for this fall. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111. We hope to have you join us!

Interested in education? Enjoying making a difference for others?

Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school student. Be a resource for youth by providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. Be part of a program that will be the first of its kind in the state of Vermont! For questions or for interested parties, please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

World Book Night
World Book Night U.S. is a celebration of books and reading held on April 23, when 25,000 passionate volunteers across America give a total of half a million books within their communities to those who don’t regularly read. Apply here to be a giver – you will receive 20 copies of a book to give away in the local community on April 23rd. Book choices for this year include Bossypants by Tina Fey, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Volunteer piano teacher needed

A local child from a family in need is seeking a volunteer piano teacher for their son. Ideally the volunteer would teach a 30-40 minute lesson once a week either on campus or at their home 5 miles from campus at a time convenient for you and the family. Contact Mark Williams, mwilliam@middlebury.edu, to learn more about the opportunity.

Volunteer at Junebug

Junebug in downtown Middlebury is seeking volunteers to support its mission of supporting non-profit organizations that provide social services, education, or care to families through the profits of their resale shop. Volunteer needs include working in the store two hours/week to sort clothes or donations, to help plan a clothing drive, or to help edit the volunteer handbook. Interested? Contact Emily Bridges, shoqshaq@shoreham.net.

Join Everybody Wins

Join Everybody Wins, a literacy mentoring program, where you will volunteer at Mary Hogan elementary school to read or play literacy based games with a student in 3rd- 6th grade for about 50 minutes each week. Everybody Wins is flexible for busy schedules and the time commitment is manageable for students – many Middlebury College students serve as Everybody Wins volunteers each year! Fill out the application here. Questions? Email Mary Hogan Elementary School coordinator Angela Cobrin Landis, angela.cobrin.landis@gmail.com.

Internship Feature of the Week: Winter Term ’13 – Fit Kids Development and Strategic Planning Internship in Menlo Park, CA
Deadline to apply: November 30, 2012
Love health and fitness? Midd Alum Ashley Riley ’98 is offering an exciting internship opportunity for J-Term in Menlo Park, CA. The Fit Kids Foundation was founded in January 2011, with a mission to promote healthy, active lives for children in underserved communities. Fit Kids provides opportunities for participation in organized fitness classes, working to inspire a love of sports and physical activity to develop healthy lifestyle habits and build participants’ self-confidence. There is a huge demand for Fit Kids programs, and there are incredible opportunities to make an impact on children around the country. And that’s where YOU come in. Fit Kids is looking for a Development and Strategic Planning Intern to help with research, strategic planning and identifying key partners and experts. For up-to-date information on internship opportunities, deadlines and more, check out MOJO and the Internships Blog!

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Visit go/funding to find our application under Civic Engagement Funding. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

Ashley Calkins ‘06
Community Engagement Coordinator
Center for Education in Action: Careers, Fellowships, Civic Engagement
Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT 05753
802.443.3099 | go.middlebury.edu/eia

Annual Giving Trees Program: Pick up a tree 11/26-11/28

Help sponsor a local child whose family cannot afford to buy presents for the holiday season through the Giving Trees program, in collaboration with the local organization H.O.P.E (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects).
Here’s how:

• You can sponsor a tree by yourself, with a friend, with colleagues, with your student organization, or in any other way you create

• To try to ensure equity among children in the same family, we ask that you consider spending a minimum amount of $50 per tree – but please don’t let this discourage you from participating! We strongly encourage you to team up with friends to maximize the fun and impact of each Giving Tree!

• Do NOT wrap gifts. Please make sure that all the gifts belonging to a tree are together in one bag, unwrapped and unmarked.

• You can pick up a tree (paper cut-out) from Civic Engagement programs in the Center for Education in Action (Adirondack House Rm. 210, upstairs, follow signs) on Monday, November 26th, Tuesday November 27th or Wednesday, November 28th between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.! The tree will have all the information you need: the age and gender of the child/adult, what his/her clothing needs are, and a wish he/she has.

• Gifts must be brought back to the Center for Education in Action on Monday, December 10th between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• If you are interested in helping deliver the gifts to HOPE, please reply to this e-mail. Thanks!

If you have any questions, please e-mail Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

11/26 Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

Join community members for a Thanksgiving Dinner!
November 22, 2012 12:30 p.m.

Location: VFW, 530 Exchange Street
Volunteer to help prepare the dinner on Thursday (11/22) at 11:00 a.m. and stay to eat at the meal with community members at 12:30 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to help prepare the dinner on Wednesday 11/21 at 5:00 p.m. and to play music during the dinner on Thursday. Interested? Contact Craig at cbingham@sover.net or (802) 989-5775. If you need transportation to volunteer, contact Ashley Calkins, jcalkins@middlebury.edu by November 19th.

Support Addison County Families in Need of Housing: Join the Volunteer Staff of the Charter House Winter Shelter
The Charter House Winter Shelter is home to four adults and six children. There is a critical need for more volunteers to help staff the facility 24/7 and support a vulnerable population in our community. Thanksgiving Break volunteer shifts still available! Working in pairs, volunteers typically serve 3-4 hour shifts at times of their choosing. The Charter House is within walking distance from campus! To volunteer this semester (and beyond!) please fill out and submit the volunteer form: Charter House Volunteer Application. You will be contacted about attending a 90 minute training prior to your first shift. Questions? Contact Adam Schiff ’15 (aschiff@middlebury.edu) or Anoushka Sinha ’13 (asinha@middlebury.edu)

New Volunteer Opportunities with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont
Upcoming date: Wednesday 11/28, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers interested in joining us in controlling invasive plant species at our Snake Mountain South Area in Bridport. This will be an opportunity to get outside for a day, become involved with a great conservation organization in the state, learn some invasive plant identification, and give back to your community. Below is a description of the volunteer days we have scheduled for this fall. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111. We hope to have you join us!

Saturday Family Breakfast Program

Middlebury Community Care Coalition’s newest program provides families in need with a nutritious breakfast followed by educational activities. Students are needed to help play math/science games with children or provide tutoring/homework help on Saturdays from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Interested? Email Doug Sinclair, jdsinclair@ripton-coop.net.

Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation: Christmas Forest volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed for the annual Christmas Forest where community members are invited to decorate trees for residents of Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center to view and celebrate the holiday (Helen Porter is located close to campus in Porter Hospital!). Student volunteers are needed to help with distributing hot chocolate and cookies from 4:15 – 6:45 p.m. on Friday, December 7th. Student groups (sports teams, social houses, etc.) are also welcome to come decorate a tree (you need to provide the decorations) on Thursday, December 6th or Friday, December 7th. Interested? Email Judy Doria, JDoria@hphrc.org.

World Book Night

World Book Night U.S. is a celebration of books and reading held on April 23, when 25,000 passionate volunteers across America give a total of half a million books within their communities to those who don’t regularly read. Apply here to be a giver – you will receive 20 copies of a book to give away in the local community on April 23rd. Book choices for this year include Bossypants by Tina Fey, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Volunteer piano teacher needed
A local child from a family in need is seeking a volunteer piano teacher for their son. Ideally the volunteer would teach a 30-40 minute lesson once a week either on campus or at their home 5 miles from campus at a time convenient for you and the family. Contact Mark Williams, mwilliam@middlebury.edu, to learn more about the opportunity.

Volunteer at Junebug

Junebug in downtown Middlebury is seeking volunteers to support its mission of supporting non-profit organizations that provide social services, education, or care to families through the profits of their resale shop. Volunteer needs include working in the store two hours/week to sort clothes or donations, to help plan a clothing drive, or to help edit the volunteer handbook. Interested? Contact Emily Bridges, shoqshaq@shoreham.net.

Join Everybody Wins
Join Everybody Wins, a literacy mentoring program, where you will volunteer at Mary Hogan elementary school to read or play literacy based games with a student in 3rd- 6th grade for about 50 minutes each week. Everybody Wins is flexible for busy schedules and the time commitment is manageable for students – many Middlebury College students serve as Everybody Wins volunteers each year! Fill out the application here. Questions? Email Mary Hogan Elementary School coordinator Angela Cobrin Landis, angela.cobrin.landis@gmail.com.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, craft supplies for a Children’s program at Ilsley Library, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Find our application at go/funding. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

11/12 Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

Saturday Family Breakfast Program
Middlebury Community Care Coalition’s newest program provides families in need with a nutritious breakfast followed by educational activities. Students are needed to help play math/science games with children or provide tutoring/homework help on Saturdays from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Interested? Email Doug Sinclair, jdsinclair@ripton-coop.net.

Support Addison County Families in Need of Housing: Join the Volunteer Staff of the Charter House Winter Shelter
The Charter House Winter Shelter opened November 1st and is home to four adults and six children. There is a critical need for more volunteers to help staff the facility 24/7, including over Thanksgiving Break. Working in pairs, volunteers typically serve 3-4 hour shifts at times of their choosing. The Charter House is within walking distance from campus! To volunteer this semester (and beyond!) please fill out and submit the volunteer form: Charter House Volunteer Application. You will be contacted about attending a 90 minute training prior to your first shift. Questions? Contact Adam Schiff ’15 (aschiff@middlebury.edu) or Anoushka Sinha ’13 (asinha@middlebury.edu)

Annual John Graham Shelter & Charter House Thanksgiving
Saturday, November 17th, Palmer House Basement

Friends of John Graham Emergency Shelter will be hosting the annual community Thanksgiving Celebration. Students interested in volunteering to cook, set up, and clean up are invited to attend the event. Please email Harriet Napier @ hnapier@middlebury.edu if you are interested!
Volunteer Services Organization (VSO) will also be supporting the dinner and needs volunteers to cook stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes and stuffing for the meal in Coffrin Kitchen from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday 11/17. Please email me (at vso@middlebury.edu) as soon as possible to reserve your spot!

Join community members for a Thanksgiving Dinner!
November 22, 2012 12:30 p.m.

Location: VFW, 530 Exchange Street
Volunteer to help prepare the dinner on Thursday (11/22) at 11:00 a.m. and stay to eat at the meal with community members at 12:30 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to help prepare the dinner on Wednesday 11/21 at 5:00 p.m. and to play music during the dinner on Thursday. Interested? Contact Craig at cbingham@sover.net or (802) 989-5775. If you need transportation to volunteer, contact Ashley Calkins, jcalkins@middlebury.edu by November 19th.

Apply to attend the Habitat for Humanity February Break Trip! Applications due Thursday, Nov. 23rd
Middlebury College’s Habitat for Humanity will be headed to Pungoteague, Virginia this February, for the third year in a row to build, construct, and have a meaningful break experience! The leaders for the trip will be Jessica Munyon ’13.5 and Molly Rose-Williams ’13.5. More detailed information regarding the trip is available on the application itself. Fill out this application and email it to Molly, mrosewilliams@middlebury.edu. Feel free to contact either leader with questions! Any questions, just ask Jessica (jmunyon@middlebury.edu) or Molly (mrosewilliams@middlebury.edu).

Join Everybody Wins
Join Everybody Wins, a literacy mentoring program, where you will volunteer at Mary Hogan elementary school to read or play literacy based games with a student in 3rd- 6th grade for about 50 minutes each week. Everybody Wins is flexible for busy schedules and the time commitment is manageable for students – many Middlebury College students serve as Everybody Wins volunteers each year! Fill out the application here. Questions? Email Mary Hogan Elementary School coordinator Angela Cobrin Landis, angela.cobrin.landis@gmail.com.

New Volunteer Opportunities with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont
Upcoming dates: Tues 11/13 (tomorrow!), Monday 11/19, Wednesday 11/28, all dates 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers interested in joining us in controlling invasive plant species at our Snake Mountain South Area in Bridport. This will be an opportunity to get outside for a day, become involved with a great conservation organization in the state, learn some invasive plant identification, and give back to your community. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111. We hope to have you join us!

Addison Central Teens Fall Clothing Swap: Volunteers needed on 11/13 & 1/14
Volunteer for the Teen Center on November 13th & 14th at Middlebury Union High School. Tasks may include organizing clothing, working with the high schoolers and assisting students in paying for clothes. If you are interested in volunteering with the Teen Center on one or both of these days, email Co-Director Jutta Miska at jutta@addisonteens.com to coordinate shifts.

Enjoy playing games and bringing out the kids inside you? Want to make a difference in the life of a child?
Consider becoming a “Big Brother” mentor for a local 6 year old boy! Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury College students with children of Addison County ages six twelve, is seeking a willing volunteer to be a mentor for a child that is in need of “a calm, relaxed individual for one-on-one interactions.” Take him to a hockey game, talk about the world while taking a walk. The possibilities are endless! You could be an important part of this child’s life by simply meeting up and being yourself on a regular basis! Flexible meeting times, no car required, and alternate ways of transportation are available at no cost. For more information about the program, or to apply to be either one of these or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf), get in contact with a student coordinator or contact Nestor Martinez ’10 (nmartinez@middlebury.edu).

Internship Features of the Week: Fit Kids Foundation and English Language Learning Program Assistant
Love health and fitness? Midd Alum Ashley Riley ’98 is offering an exciting internship opportunity for J-Term in Menlo Park, CA. The Fit Kids Foundation was founded in January 2011, with a mission to promote healthy, active lives for children in underserved communities. Fit Kids provides opportunities for participation in organized fitness classes, working to inspire a love of sports and physical activity to develop healthy lifestyle habits and build participants’ self-confidence. There is a huge demand for Fit Kids programs, and there are incredible opportunities to make an impact on children around the country. And that’s where YOU come in. Fit Kids is looking for a Development and Strategic Planning Intern to help with research, strategic planning and identifying key partners and experts. Want to help Fit Kids expand their programs across the country? Head to MOJO and apply today!

Interested in linguistics or teaching? Speak Spanish, Chinese, Amharic, Hindi or Punjabi? Apply to be an English Language Learner (ELL) Program Assistant for J-Term! The Addison Central Supervisory Union is looking for interns to assist ELL teachers in development materials and resources in multiple languages for programs and parents. Interns would work about six hours a week during J-Term, primarily on the administrative end of the programs. Interns would create and translate newsletter templates, questionnaires and other forms. Ready to get started? Head to MOJO and apply today!

Summer Opportunity: One World grants to teach in Ghana
For One World, a US-based nonprofit organization, is seeking to award two motivated individual travel grants to teach at the Ayi Owen International School in Techiman, Ghana, West Africa over the Summer. Awardees will be provided with a shared apartment on the school compound with access to running water and internet. The American founder and his Ghanaian wife have developed the school over the past ten years to emphasize Western teaching techniques (interactive instruction, hands-on projects, and interdisciplinary lessons) to prepare students to excel on the traditional Ghanaian standardized tests. While your involvement with the school is the first priority, you are welcome to pursue additional projects with a broader impact as well as make short trips to visit many of the exciting destinations throughout Ghana. Eligible candidates must be attending an accredited college/university as a full-time student or be a recent graduate. International experience is not required but an open mind and a willingness to experience new cultures is a must! The application can be found at travelgrant.foroneworld.org. Candidates should email the application page and the related personal statement to travelgrant@foroneworld.org by February 28, 2013 in order to be considered.

Design a children’s activity for the Middlebury Winter Farmer’s Market!
The Middlebury Winter Farmer’s market is looking for individuals or groups to sign up to design a children’s activity and volunteer for the “Farm to School” table at the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday (9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) in November, December, March or April at Mary Hogan Elementary School gym. The goal would be for this table to be filled every Saturday of the market with an activity that would help children to better understand and appreciate the food, products, and farmers in their region. Ideas could include a market scavenger hunt, a taste testing of local foods, a presentation of a Farm to School related activity, a seed matching game… your creativity is the limit! Interested? Contact Andrea Scott, NOFA VT Farm to Community Mentor, andrea.scott2955@gmail.com.

Interested in Education? Enjoy making a difference for others?
Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school student. Be a resource for youth by providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. Be part of a program that will be the first of its kind in the state of Vermont! For questions or for interested parties, please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Geometry Proofs tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student for a Geometry with Proofs course at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 11:30 am – 12:15 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and could meet 1-2 times per week based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Jim Burnett, jburnett@addisoncentralsu.org.

Bonus: Paid Tutoring Opportunity
Bristol Elementary School (BES) as a recipient of the 21st Century Community Learning Grant will be offering high quality tutoring and supplemental support in literacy and math. BES is looking to hire six tutors to provide seamless access to supplemental academic support, enrichment, nurturing, and safety for the children. The program will offer academic support time and tutoring at BES starting as soon as possible and ending at the end of the school year. Tutoring begins at 3pm and ends at 4:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The pay rate is $25 per hour for six hours a week. Interested? Contact BES Academic Coordinator Leah Henry-Beauchamp, lbeauchamp@anesu.org.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Visit go/funding to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

11/5 Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

Saturday Family Breakfast Program
Middlebury Community Care Coalition’s newest program provides families in need with a nutritious breakfast followed by educational activities. Students are needed to help play math/science games with children or provide tutoring/homework help on Saturdays from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Interested? Email Doug Sinclair, jdsinclair@ripton-coop.net.

Sign up for the next Habitat for Humanity Build: Saturday 11/10
Habitat is doing a build on Saturday, Nov. 10th from 8:30am-12:30pm. The group is meeting at Adirondack Circle at 8:15am. Sign up for the build here. Questions? Email humanity@middlebury.edu.

Interested in education? Enjoy making a difference for others?
Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school students with the aims of providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. For more information or with questions, please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or email at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Put your Latin skills to work in the community: Latin tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student in Latin I at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 12:50 – 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays and could meet during those times based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Tammi Beattie, tbeattie@addisoncentralsu.org.

Addison Central Teens Fall Clothing Swap: Volunteers needed on 11/13 & 1/14
Volunteer for the Teen Center on November 13th & 14th at Middlebury Union High School. Tasks may include organizing clothing, working with the high schoolers and assisting students in paying for clothes. If you are interested in volunteering with the Teen Center on one or both of these days, email Co-Director Jutta Miska at jutta@addisonteens.com to coordinate shifts.

Clinton Global Initiative University
Early Application Deadline: November 30th, 2012

CGI U 2013 will be held at Washington University in St. Louis from April 5 – 7, 2013, bringing together nearly 1,200 attendees to make a difference in CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities come together to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.
Attendees are welcome to apply for EIA Civic Engagement Mini-Grant funding to support their participation!

Student Volunteer Reader Opportunity
Bill Richards, a blind individual who lives in Addison, is seeking a student to serve as a volunteer reader. Interested? Contact Bill at 802-859-2777.

Design a children’s activity for the Middlebury Winter Farmer’s Market!
The Middlebury Winter Farmer’s Market is looking for individuals or groups to sign up to design a children’s activity and volunteer for the “Farm to School” table at the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday (9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) in November, December, March or April at Mary Hogan Elementary School gym. The goal would be for this table to be filled every Saturday of the market with an activity that would help children to better understand and appreciate the food, products, and farmers in their region. Ideas could include a market scavenger hunt, a taste testing of local foods, a presentation of a Farm to School related activity, a seed matching game… your creativity is the limit! Interested? Contact Andrea Scott, NOFA VT Farm to Community Mentor, andrea.scott2955@gmail.com.

Community Film Screenings: Food Stamped and We Have to Talk About Hunger

Thursday, November 8th 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Theater – FREE
Hunger Free Vermont, in partnership with Langrock Sperry and Wool, present two award-winning documentaries. Food Stamped follows a couple as they try to eat a healthy diet on food stamps. Vermont-made We Have to Talk About Hunger asks why in Vermont, the healthiest state in the nation, we cannot feed our own. Discussion to follow. Free.

Community Friends
Enjoy making an impact in someone’s life? Want to strengthen the community in which you’ll be spending time? Become a mentor for Community Friends! Since 1960 Community Friends has been matching Middlebury College students with children from Addison County. Mentors and mentees spend time together weekly, exploring whatever interests may arise out of these friendships. Many of the matched pairs often develop wonderful relationships that last throughout the volunteer’s time at Middlebury College and beyond. To find out more about this and other opportunities, please contact Nestor Martinez, Mentoring and Youth Programs Coordinator, at 802.443.3010, nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!

Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Civic Engagement” here to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

Connecting with Community: Habitat for Humanity

Reposted from The Middlebury Campus

by Mia Benjamin ’13 / October 17, 2012

Of all the smells I associate with autumn — crispy leaves, fresh apples, chilly air — one has been conspicuously absent. I will forever equate that smell — the distinct fragrance of pine sawdust — with weekly Habitat for Humanity builds during the fall of my freshman year.

Unfortunately, building has been put on hold for the last two years while our local Habitat affiliate has been fundraising. Stepping onto the brand new Habitat construction site in Cornwall last Saturday and inhaling the sawdusty scent of new construction restored a little bit of balance in my world.

As a first-year working for Habitat, I appreciated the chance to get to know other students from all across campus with whom I would never have crossed paths with otherwise. There’s something about building a home with someone that’s different from sitting in class or sharing a meal in the dining hall. I found that when you hold the end of a board for someone as they saw it in half or when you problem solve together about how to install a window, the sense of a common goal transcends the awkwardness of first encounters and any differences in age, major or hometown.

So I kept coming back, loving the feeling of returning to campus at noon and already having done something substantial for the day, no matter how little schoolwork would get done later that afternoon.

One Saturday, a smaller number of college volunteers showed up for the build. Initially I was disappointed, but then I spent the morning getting to know two of the retiree volunteers who came with their church group. Working side by side with them, I heard plenty about the grandkids, their own funny college stories and their take on local town politics. Most importantly, I learned why they were there on a chilly Saturday morning lending a hand.

I don’t remember exactly what we were doing — perhaps mudding some drywall or tacking down tar paper — but I do remember the extra meaning their words added to the work. They understood, better than I ever had, that they were not helping to build a house, but rather a home — the beginnings of stable life for a young family that had gotten knocked around by life.

When I began to attend the Addison County Habitat for Humanity meetings, I started getting rides from different members of the board.

One Thursday of each month I am able to learn something new about what motivates each member to donate so much of his or her time and energy to the cause. What strikes me the most about these car conversations is the sense of optimism and responsibility each board member has toward those who are seen as fellow neighbors going through difficult times.

While other charities like Charter House and the Vermont Foodbank address the needs of the least fortunate in our community, Habitat for Humanity reaches out to families silently struggling with difficult housing costs. They provide an opportunity for hard-working, responsible families to become proud owners of a home they’ve built with volunteers.

Every so often, when financial concerns and talk of business bogs down discussion, one of the board members will pause to remind the group of the mission and vision we share. In those moments, I look around in gratitude for the inspiring friends I’ve made and for what they’ve taught me about building strong communities.

Last year, I was amazed to learn from the board that a student named Jennifer Jensen started Habitat for Humanity of Addison County in 1997. From her research on housing needs in Addison County, Jensen found that 21.6 percent of homeowners and 39.9 percent of renters met the federal definition of cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing costs.

Armed with this information, Jennifer put up flyers around town, challenging the community to come together to form a Habitat affiliate to address those needs. The community responded whole-heartedly — to this day, Habitat for Humanity of Addison County draws from a large committed donor and volunteer base, including students from the College.

The Middlebury Habitat for Humanity group is more than a college club to me. It epitomizes the healthy and dependable relationship between town and college, and the network of support it forms for those community members who have fallen on hard times.

Getting to know dedicated and compassionate older people in the town of Middlebury and the surrounding area has reminded me that community service is not just a high-school résumé builder. Community service is the life-long habit of setting aside a few hours a week to dedicate yourself to strengthening the community you belong to.

It took me several weeks of Habitat for Humanity participation to realize that the community in which students live extends beyond College Street — that there are exciting, wise and passionate people to befriend outside of Bi Hall and Battell Beach.

The truth is that college is not a four-year working vacation from the obligations we have to our neighbors. We are living in the real world right now. For the next four years, or three, or two or one, this is our community. Let’s get to know our neighbors.

Come get sawdust in your hair every Saturday with the Habitat club! Email us at humanity@middlebury.edu.