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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Tutoring and Mentoring | Girls/Young Women | Nursing Homes | Organizations

*Email the Project Coordinators (PCs) for more information*
Or stop by the CAUSE office at hours listed to ask questions.

Best Buddies
Create friendships with students with intellectual disabilities at Berkshire Hills Music Academy. more details

Connections
Holyoke High School CONNECTIONS After School Program consists in a homework help session and recreational workshops where you can be a tutor and role model for the students. more details

Everywoman's Center
Work at this center which promotes educational access and equity for women. Includes a crisis hotline. more details

Food Bank Farm
Help harvest organic vegetables at this cooperative to donate to neighboring food banks.
more details

Girl Scouts
Planning, organizing, and executing fun, education activities for the age group of your choice (kindergarten to grade 12). more details

Habitat for Humanity
Work with families to build new homes and support affordable housing. more details

Holyoke Soldiers' Home
Be companion to MA's honorably discharged wartime veterans or their spouses while doing activities such as bowling, crafts, singing, and various field trips. more details

Holyoke Tax Project
This project offers free tax preparation to low income residents in the Holyoke area. There is no experience necessary, it's a great learning opportunity, training is available on-line and at your convenience.  Spanish speakers would be a great addition. Volunteer Jan-April, Thursdays 4-8 pm and Saturdays 9a,-1pm! more details

Homework House
Tutor and mentor at risk, school age children in Holyoke twice a week. more details

Hospice Life Care
Hospice volunteers are membes of a very important team of people who care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of persons in our community who are at the very end of their journey through life. more details

Hussein Family Tutoring
Get paired up to tutor and establish a cross-cultural relationship with a Somali child in this seventeen-member family in West Springfield. more details

Jarvis Heights:
Be a mentor and tutor to middle school students in the Jarvis Heights apartment complexes or at one of the other Jarvis locations.. more details

NEFWC School Based Mentoring Program
Become a mentor for children living in Holyoke, MA. more details

NOLA: Keeping the Hope
Campaign to educate, raise awareness and recruit volunteers to aid New Orleans. more details

Purling for a Purpose
Join this charity knitting circle and create garments and blankets to warm the less fortunate. more details

River Valley Academy
Become a tutor at an alternative public school in Holyoke for children with special needs. more details

Safe Passage
Work at a shelter which cares for the needs of women and children involved in domestic violence. more details

Student Global AIDS Campaign
Become a part of the national movement to educate others and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. more details

Tapestry Health Holyoke
Help provide reproductive health care to the area’s most neglected residents. more details

Westfield Detention Center Book Club
Meet in small groups with young male residents (age 14-21) to discuss books and how they relate to personal experiences. more details

TUTORING/MENTORING


Jarvis Heights: Youth Rap

Tutor and assist middle school students with their homework and plan creative activities.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Elena Betts (betts20e)
Schedule Monday, Wednesday, or Friday 2:15-5:00pm
Van Provided Yes: meet at blanchard bus stop at 2:15-take MHC community service van


Additional Opportunities: email Sandy Rojas at Jarvisheights@yahoo.com

  1. Jarvis Heights, 338 C Jarvis Avenue, 538-9908: Monday, Wed, Friday 3-5pm
  2. Hampshire Pine, 100 Hampshire St, 538-9908 Tuesday 3-5 pm & Thursday 3-5 & 5-6 pm
  3. Northeast, 11 Northeast St, 538-9908, Tuesday 3-5 pm & 5-6 and Thursday 3-5 pm
  4. Sargeant West, 151 West Street has a different schedule of activities, Please call Julia Rivera at 533-4944 for days and times. If any questions, or if you would like to visit our centers prior to starting, please give Sandy a call at 538-9908.

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Best Buddies

Get matched one-on-one with students from the Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley for a semester of friendship and mentoring. These students are young adults with Williams syndrome who show a special talent for music.

Contact: (email@mtholyoke.edu) Heather Ripley (riple20h)

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River Valley Academy

Become a tutor at an alternative public school in Holyoke for children with special needs.

Contact: Robert Cox (536-2160/ 536-7685)
   
Schedule M-F (flexible between 8:00-2:00)
Van Provided Yes

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Hussein Family Tutoring

Get paired up to tutor and establish a cross-cultural relationship with a Somali child in this seventeen-member family in West Springfield.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Shontia Lowe (sllowe)
  Elizabeth Counterman (count20e)
Geraldine Diaz (diaz20g)
Alex Pradas (acpradas)
Michelle L'Archeveque (mllarche)
Schedule MTWThF 3:30-6:30pm
Van Provided Tutors commute with Fleet vehicles.

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Westfield Boys Detention Center Book Club

Meet in small groups with young male residents (age 14-21) to discuss readings and how they relate to your own experience.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Lisa Spencer '08 (laspence)
  Alyssa Nelson (nelso20a)

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Connections

Holyoke High School CONNECTIONS Program consists in a homework help session and recreational workshops where you can be a tutor and role model for the students.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Miriam Stevens (steve20m)

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NEFWC School Based Mentoring Program

Become a mentor for children living in Holyoke.

Contact: Shamika Santos
(413) 536-5403 x228
225 High Street 4th floor suite 408
Holyoke, MA 01040

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Homework House

Tutor and mentor at risk, school age children in Holyoke twice a week with a highly effective tutoring model.

Contact: Sister Jane Morrissey, Site 1
(413) 657-2935
  Sister Maureen Brougham, Site 2
(413) 210-3323

hpedroholyoke@aol.com
55 No. Sumner St. Holyoke, MA 01040


PROJECT TO ASSIST WOMEN AND GIRLS

Safe Passage

Volunteers and interns provide direct services including hotline/shelter coverage, & housing, legla, and child care advocacy. Volunteers can work on a number of specific outreach projects in diverse communities, public awareness on relationship violence, public policy & legislation around domestic violence issues, and organizing events for hte community. Visit www.safepass.org

Organization Volunteer Coordinator Gariné Roubinian
Garine@safepass.org
413-586-1125
Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Maria Diaz (diaz20m)

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Girl Scouts

Create, join, or help with a Girl Scout troop of any age!

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Sarah Gray '09 (gray20s)
   
Van Provided Yes

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Girls Inc.

Work with 6-12 grade levels girls as a tutor and mentor on a weekly basis.

Project Coordinator(s)/ Contact Suzanne Parker, Executive Director
ph. 413-533-0796 ext. 111
email: Sparker.holyoke@girls-inc.org
  vkdillon.Holyoke@girls-inc.org
Schedule Flexible
Van Provided Yes

Girls Inc. in Holyoke
52 Nick Cosmos Way
Holyoke, MA 01040-5218
P.O. Box 6812
Bus: (413) 532-6247
Fax: (413) 532-6454

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Everywoman's Center

Work at this center which promotes educational access and equity for woman. Includes a crisis hotline.

Project Coordinator(s) Moriah Silver (silve20m)
Contact

Maxene Anderson, Crisis Intervention Counselor
Phone: (413) 545-0800
Email: maanders@admin.umass.edu

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More:

Holyoke Tax Coalition

This project currently needs volunteers for Jan-April, Thursdays 4-8 pm (in two hour time blocks)

This project offers free tax preparation to low income residents in the Holyoke area. There is no experience necessary, it's a great learning opportunity, and training is available on-line and at your convenience.  Spanish speakers would be a great addition.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Jena Iannucci (iannu20j)  

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Food Bank Farm

Help harvest organic vegetables at this cooperative to donate to neighboring food banks.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Morgan Lindsay '09 (linds20m)

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Habitat for Humanity

Work with families to build new homes and support affordable housing.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Elizabeth Dewar (dewar20e)
  Reed Hudson (hudso22r)

Please see also building/gutting opportunities for this J-term and Spring Break in the Gulf Area

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Purling for a Purpose

Join this charity knitting circle and create garments and blankets to warm the less fortunate.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Elizabeth Petcu '08 (ejpetcu)
  Hannah Elkinton '08 (hdelkint)
   
  Thursdays: 4-6pm Wilder Living Room

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NOLA: Keeping the Hope

Campaign to educate, raise awareness, and recruit volunteers to aid New Orleans.

Project Coordinator (email@mtholyoke.edu) Claire Thomas (cethomas)

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Student Global AIDS Campaign

Become a part of the national movement to educate others and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Project Coordinator (email@mtholyoke.edu) Maddie Patenaude (paten20m)

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Hospice Life Care

Hospice volunteers are membes of a very important team of people who care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of persons in our community who are at the very end of their journey through life.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Amanda Sickles (sickl20a)
  Jiaxin Liu (liu20j)

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Soldiers' Home

Be a companion to MA's honorably discharged wartime veterans while doing activities such as bowling, crafts, singing, and various field trips.

Project Coordinator(s) (email@mtholyoke.edu) Leah Dion (dion20l)
Van Provided Yes

 

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ORGANIZATIONS

We also have relationships with the following organizations. You can contact them directly to find out about opportunities.

FIRST CALL FOR HELP
Agency Contact: Karen Hakala, khakala@hcac.org
Phone #: 413-582-4200 ext. 178
Location : Northampton, MA

KATE’S KITCHEN (PROVIDENCE MINISTRIES FOR THE NEEDY, INC.)
Agency Contact: Pat Merrill
Phone #: 413-536-9109
Location: Holyoke, MA

MARGARET’S PANTRY (Part of Providence Ministries for the Needy, Inc.)
Agency Contact: Pat Merrill
Phone #: inactive
Location: Holyoke MA

WOMANSHELTER COMPANERAS
Be a volunteer at a Holyoke shelter for women who have experienced domestic violence by caring for and spending time with their children, among other activities.
Phone #: 413-538-9717
Location: Holyoke, MA

THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE INSTITUTE
Agency Contact: Rosa Mendez
Phone #: 413-586-7569 x100
Location: Northampton, MA

EASTHAMPTON SCHOOLS
Agency Contact: Barbara Craig, bcraig2@charter.net
Location: Easthampton, MA

NOT BREAD ALONE
Cook, serve and eat with guests, and clean up at this weekend Amherst soup kitchen.
Contact: Anita Magovern, amagover@mtholyoke.edu

TAPESTRY HEALTH HOLYOKE
Help provide reproductive health care to the area's most neglected residents.
Contact: Amy Short, (413) 536-8777, (413) 586-2016 x116

OXFAM
An organization that works nationally and globally to address social injustice through advocacy, education, and emergency assistance programs.
Agency Contact: Stephanie Demmons, sdemmons@oxfamamerica.org

JUST LIFE WORKSHOPS
Educate teens on poverty, workers' rights, and refugees. Join one or several workshops over the course of the year (1 workshop = 45 minutes).
Contact: Jessica Dupont, jmdupont@mtholyoke.edu

ARISE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Work for low-income rights in this anti-oppression organization in Springfield.
Agency Contact: (413) 734-4948
94 Rifle St, Springfield, MA 01105
MHC Contact: Suzanne Bowles, smbowles@mtholyoke.edu

WISTERIAHURST MUSEUM
Help promote an appreciation for history and culture through educational programs, exhibits and special events.
Agency Contact: Melissa Boisselle, (413) 322-5660, boissellem@ci.holyoke.ma.us
238 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA 01040


Office: 306 Blanchard Campus Center, Mount Holyoke College
Phone: 413-538-3416
Address: 9121 Blanchard Campus Center, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075
Contact: Lisa Spencer '08, laspence@mtholyoke.edu
Website manager: Eva Goodwin '08, edgoodwi@mtholyoke.edu

Last Modified April 8, 2008