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Volunteer Opportunities and Partner Program Updates

06/10/2020 10:04:09 AM

Jun10

Last month we did a survey of our partner programs to see what they had done to adapt to rapidly changing conditions and what kind of support they needed. Here are updates on a few of these programs.

Catholic Multicultural Center

The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) meal program is currently a grab-and-go meal for guests to take with them from the CMC parking lot. Our volunteers are now cooking (in their homes) and dropping off meals every other Wednesday to meet the growing need. We cook meals for 80+ people by sharing recipes and dividing up the work. If you are interested in preparing food at home for delivery to CMC, please use the sign up genius link. Contact Sue Levy at 608-273-4527 if you have any questions.

Many thanks to the excellent Temple cooks who have already cooked at least 350 meals for appreciative Madisonians at Catholic Multicultural Center who needed a helping hand.

Porchlight

Porchlight has opened two new shelters to provide more housing and to separate men who are sick from those who are healthy. The Food Fight restaurant group provides catered meals for both shelters, so no meals are currently needed from volunteers. The Warner Park shelter is working well while serving anywhere from 65 to 95 men per night. They are in need of volunteers to do the nightly health assessments at the Warner Park Men’s shelter, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at 1625 Northport Drive. Volunteers will be given gloves and N95 masks and training. If interested, please email Kim Sutter.

Porchlight has been in the news lately:
You can read about their innovative COVID-19 screening process in this article from U.S. News and World Report.

The Wisconsin State Journal offers an in-depth look at the city’s exploration of alternatives to the prior program providing shelter in church basements.

And this PBS article talks about the impact of COVID-19 on people experiencing homelessness in Wisconsin.

Healing House

Healing House is operating and has implemented safety protocols. They are working closely with city and county staff and other homeless service providers to keep residents safe. So far the congregational meal program is continuing in modified form as volunteers drop off uncooked meals to be cooked by staff. TBE will be cooking meals next during the week of August 9 to August 15. You can sign up to volunteer here.

Thoreau and Emerson Elementary Schools

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is asking people to support MMSD families by volunteering with their partner agency, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. In order to meet the food needs of vulnerable families while protecting the health and safety of volunteers, Second Harvest has moved to the distribution of pre-boxed groceries, calling it their “Care Box Campaign.” You can support this campaign by donating or volunteering your time. Sign up here to volunteer and here to donate.

United Way Volunteer Opportunities

United Way of Dane County has compiled a list of volunteer opportunities specifically needed during the pandemic. United Way also offers a guide to safe practices for volunteering your time and donating material goods. They are currently looking for hospice visitors, food bank warehouse workers, virtual home check-ins for seniors, meals on wheels delivery, virtual ESL and literacy tutoring, food pantry gardeners, and many other positions.

April 25, 2024 17 Nisan 5784