Sign In Forgot Password
Home

Temple Beth El Blog

Volunteer opportunities 

01/25/2021 06:57:09 PM

Jan25

Looking to volunteer? Need a b’nai mitzvah project? Here are ways to help people in our community.

New JSS Refugee Mentorship Program
Jewish Social Services is launching its new refugee mentorship program, Aljirani Madison, and is now seeking volunteers! From the Swahili jirani and Arabic aljar—both meaning “neighbor”—Aljirani Madison is a six-month volunteering program that partners community volunteers with a local refugee individual or family to provide a warm welcome, companionship, and practical help. See here for a full description of the program. For further information, contact Sam Van Akkeren. Please note: partnerships will meet digitally for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19.

Healing House Meals at End of February
Healing House serves individuals without homes as they recuperate from surgery, illness, or childbirth. TBE cooks meals for the residents and staff on a quarterly basis. Our next week will be February 28–March 6, 2021. If you are interested in preparing food at home for delivery to Healing House, please use this signup link. Contact Cathy Rotter if you have questions or would like to be on the volunteer mailing list.

Meals for Catholic Multicultural Center
The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) meal program provides grab-and-go meals from the CMC parking lot. Our volunteers drop off food every other Wednesday to meet the growing need. We cook 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 this signup link. Contact Sue Levy you have any questions.

Porchlight Wish List and Volunteer Opportunities
The Porchlight shelter continues to operate at Warner Park Recreation Center. They do nightly COVID-19 screening and monthly COVID-19 testing, and they offer flu shots. As the men’s shelter moves from Warner Park to the city’s former Fleet Services Building on First Street, meals will be continued to be catered. Porchlight is always in need of ground coffee (like Folgers), winter gloves and hats, hotel-size toiletries, deodorant, and toothbrushes. Items can be dropped off at 306 N. Brooks Street for Porchlight to deliver to the shelter. See here for a list of items needed, or contact Pam Robbins for more information.

Emerson Elementary PTO Equity Fund
Emerson Elementary School serves approximately 60% low-income students and families. The school’s Parent Teacher Organization has set up an equity fund to support low-income families with the greatest needs. These funds help with families’ basic needs in difficult financial or emergency situations. Funds typically go toward purchasing grocery, gas, or bus cards, which the school social worker distributes based on awareness of family need. On occasion, funds may be used to help pay for larger, unpreventable emergency expenses related to transitional housing, moving expenses, family death, natural disasters, etc. Last year 29 families received support. For more information, please contact Marcia Vandercook. You can donate directly to the fund here.

Food Boxes for Madison School Families
The Thoreau Weekend Food Bag Program is part of the wider Madison West High Area Collaborative, delivering 250 boxes of food each week to Madison school children from the 14 elementary schools in the West High area. On Tuesday mornings, volunteers are needed to unload shelf-stable food and stock the pantry. On Friday mornings, volunteers pack large boxes of food and household goods for that day’s delivery. Masks and social distancing are maintained. This would make a great b’nai mitzvah project for a young person able to work in company with others.

There are also no-contact volunteer opportunities for drivers on Friday mornings to pick up supplies and deliver food boxes to families’ doorsteps throughout the west side of Madison. People with larger vehicles and those who are comfortable carrying moderately heavy boxes are encouraged. Volunteers can sign up on the United Way’s website. At present no other registrations or background checks are necessary. Contact Vic Levy if you have any questions.

April 30, 2025 2 Iyar 5785