VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Thank you for your interest in volunteering!
Needs are organized by category. Please select one below or scroll down to see all current volunteer opportunities.
MOST URGENT
Animal Welfare
Humane Society of Elkhart County
ONGOING NEED
The Humane Society of Elkhart County has needs including office work, grooming, socialization, transportation, and maintenance. They have volunteer hours available Monday-Friday, 9-5, or Saturday and Sunday from 9-4. All ages welcome!
Please sign up using the volunteer button below.
ELKHART
Supporting Cats and Dogs in Michiana
ONGOING NEED
Volunteers are needed at Pet Refuge to help with feeding, cleaning, fostering, socializing, and promoting our animals waiting for homes. Evening, morning, and weekend opportunities are available!
We are located directly off the US 20 bypass at the Michigan Street exit and invite you to come meet us and see how you can become part of our team. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Janet Graham at janet@petrefuge.com or call 574-231-1122
SOUTH BEND
Children & Family
Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team
ONGOING NEED
The LOSS does ask if a prospective volunteer has been impacted by a suicide loss; they should be at least two years out from that loss.
We are a community of hope, and we would love for you to join us! Being invited to be part of another person’s grief journey is a privilege. Our LOSS team offers hope to the bereaved as they navigate through unimaginable grief. Our LOSS team offers support to those who have lost a loved one to suicide.
Volunteer opportunities include – on-call support, follow-up calls, writing cards, event planning, and support group facilitation
LOSS has specific training based on role. We offer ongoing support for all our volunteers and emphasize the importance of self-compassion and self-care.
Please contact Barb Welty at bwelty@elkhartcounty.com or call 574-523-2119 with questions or to fill out a volunteer application.
ELKHART COUNTY
Camp Hope presented by Ryan’s Place
June 27th & June 28th
Ryan’s Place is a grief support center that provide services to children, teens, and families. Our yearly summer day camp, Camp Hope, provides compassionate support and a nurturing environment for children coping with the death of a person in their life. The camp is designed to foster healing and resilience through meaningful activities and connections for children entering 1st-7th grade. Camp Hope is facilitated by energetic and caring volunteers, and we want YOU to join us this year!
Camp Hope will take place on June 27th and 28th from 9 to 2 PM at Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen. Volunteers will be expected to report by 8:30 AM. Volunteer training will take place the evening of June 23rd.
To register, please complete this Google Form. Please contact Carly Legg, Program Coordinator at clegg@ryansplace.org or 574-535-1000 with any questions.
GOSHEN
Daly Dash and Block Party
Saturday, May 3rd
Join us as a volunteer for our upcoming **5K Run & Block Party** at Mary Daly Elementary School from 8am – 12:30pm on Saturday, May 3rd.
We need enthusiastic volunteers to help make this event a success! Volunteers are needed to be course assistants (guide runners along race course) and as block party hosts (helping with games and activities) at Mary Daly Elementary School. (1735 Strong Ave., Elkhart, In 46516)
**Why Volunteer?**
– snacks
– Great opportunity to give back to the community schools
– Meet new people and be part of something exciting
– Experience the energy of a fun, community-driven event
Please sign up by April 1st by following the link below.
Click Here to Volunteer
For more information, contact Hannah Harmon at 574-295-4943 or hlharmon@elkhart.k12.in.us
Let’s make this event a memorable one for all! Your help will make a huge difference!
ELKHART
Ryan’s Place Group Facilitator
Every Monday Night
Ryan’s Place provides grief support to children, teens, and families. It works with the bereaved to provide support and education as they travel on their journey of grief to find peace, hope, and a new normal as they face life without their deceased loved one.
A staple of their programming is Monday Night Groups. Ryan’s Place provides biweekly peer support groups for children ages 3–18 who have experienced the death of a loved one. These groups are divided by developmental ages. All groups are run by trained volunteers who have a heart for helping children. Volunteers meet at 5:30 PM for a pre-meeting before groups. Dinner is served for families and volunteers at 6 PM. Groups are held from 6:30 to 7:45 PM. A post-meeting is held for volunteers from 8 to 8:20 PM. Volunteers always lead in pairs or small groups, so you will never be alone while volunteering.
Please contact Lindsy Diener-Locke at llocke@ryansplace.org or 574-535-1000 with questions or to fill out a volunteer application form.
GOSHEN
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Michiana
ONGOING NEED
Join us at Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Michiana! We depend on volunteers to help us with the daily operations of the Ronald McDonald House at Beacon Children’s Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. We have a variety of options for you! Please follow the link to the application.
SOUTH BEND
Supporting Children with Disabilities in Michiana
ONGOING NEED
Volunteers are needed at LoveWay Inc. Morning, afternoon, evening, and Saturday opportunities are available!
LoveWay provides adaptive equine (horse) experiences for children. Our participants with disabilities often require physical, emotional, mental and/or cognitive support to get the most out of their experience. Class volunteers assist our instructors with the participants before, during, and after class with typical activities and tasks.
Most class volunteers help participants prep their horses for class, walk (and sometimes jog) alongside them during the lesson and assist with post-class responsibilities as well.
When you compare the large number of participants served at LoveWay each year and the small size of LoveWay’s core staff, you see that it is truly the volunteers who make our work possible.
We are located at 54151 CR 33 Middlebury IN 46540. We invite you to come and meet us and see how you can become part of our team. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Christy Snyder or call 574-825-5666.
MIDDLEBURY
Community Development
Day Program Volunteers
ONGOING NEED
ADEC has an ongoing need for Day Program Volunteers. We have 5 Day Program locations to choose from: Elkhart, Bristol, South Bend, Goshen, and Middlebury. Volunteer times can be in the morning or afternoon for 1-2 hour shifts and can be one day a week. We encourage our volunteers to bring their skills, favorite hobbies, and ideas they are good at to introduce to our clients. Some examples are reading, painting, sewing, baking, playing games, singing, dancing, etc. Please contact Jenny Holcomb at holcombj@adecinc.com
ELKHART COUNTY
Hall of Heroes Comic Con
MAY 31ST – JUNE 1ST
The Hall of Heroes Comic Con is May 31st and June 1st at the Northern Indiana Event Center. They are looking for volunteers Friday-Sunday to help with set-up, tear-down, security, booths, ticketing, and more! Volunteers work one five-hour shift and are provided with food, a lanyard, a badge, and other goodies. You can also receive a free shirt if you apply by March 1st! Positions for all personalities and abilities are available. Volunteers must be 18 or older.
With any questions, please reach out to Dianna Standen at volunteer@hallofheroesmuseum.com. We encourage you to sign up and get more details by clicking the button below.
ELKHART
Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County
ONGOING NEED
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County and the ReStore provides an opportunity for individuals, groups, and organizations to support Habitat’s mission and build skills, relationships, and communities. You may volunteer in a variety of roles in construction, in the ReStore, or serve on one of our committees.
No experience is required to volunteer with us on the construction site or in the ReStore. For more information or to sign up, please email Faith Brummet.
ELKHART COUNTY
Board Member for Open Door Pantry
ONCE PER MONTH
Open Door Pantry seeking 2 dedicated board members. Our mission statement is to provide the greater Michiana community with food and resources to assist in times of need.
Board meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 6 pm and last 1.5-2 hours. Board members to be involved in helping with the following, if possible:
*Pantry give out day- 2nd Tuesday every month from 2:30-5pm
*Set up Radiant Life Sanctuary three times/year for special pantry give out (May, Sept & Dec)
*Procure donations & table sponsors for annual fundraiser & work the evening of the event
If you would like more information, please contact Pam Smith, Board President of Open Door Pantry at 574-370-6326.
ELKHART
Goshen First Fridays
Every first Friday of the month
Sign up to volunteer during Downtown Goshen First Fridays in 2024!
You must be at least 18 years of age or accompanied by a responsible adult. Please be prepared to stay for the entirety of your shift as these events are well-attended and require full participation.
For more information or to sign up, please click the link below.
GOSHEN
Education & Literacy
Store Volunteers
ONGOING NEED
Elkhart Education Foundation is looking for volunteers to help with their Teacher Supply Store! They are looking for people to come in once or twice a week to pull orders from their available stock and ready the orders to go out. This will be a regularly occurring opportunity throughout the school year. Their office is located at Pierre Moran Middle School, Door #4.
The Elkhart Education Foundation (EEF) works with Elkhart Community Schools (ECS) to enhance community efforts and to ensure that ALL students have the resources, opportunities, and experiences needed to develop life-long learners. Through innovative programming, EEF inspires the community to support public education, so that we can ignite a love of learning in our Elkhart students.
We encourage you to contact Rose Goyette with any questions at rgoyette@elkhart.k12.in.us
ELKHART
Emergency & Safety Services
Environmental
Wellfield Botanic Gardens
ONGOING NEED
You can make a difference in your community! Volunteering at Wellfield Botanic Gardens is a great way to get outside, have fun, and meet new people. We have volunteer opportunities for everyone, in every part of the Gardens. Below are just a few ways you can get involved.
Visitors Cottage volunteers welcome guests with a smile and help make a visit to Wellfield memorable. They also help with greeting guests for our special events. Horticulture volunteers help with planting, pruning, weeding, and general garden maintenance. Digging in the soil is good for the soul! Education volunteers assist with school field trips or adult educational programs. Garden Ambassadors spend time out in the Gardens greeting our guests, answering questions, and assisting our Guest Services staff. Event volunteers lend a helping hand setting up for special events, such as weddings and concerts. Administrative volunteers assist in our office with clerical duties including mailings and organization. We always welcome groups and organizations looking for volunteer opportunities.
For more information please contact Jodie Papandrea at 574-266-2006 ext. 107 or email Wellfield.
ELKHART
Faith-Based
Rose Garden Recovery Community
ONGOING NEED
Rose Garden Recovery Community has 2 homes that have an ongoing need for mowing and yard work to be done during the 1st and 3rd week of every month.
Our locations are 72876 CR 29 Syracuse, IN and 11007 SR 13 Syracuse, IN 46567.
Our location on CR 29 takes about 5 hours to mow and the location on SR 13 takes about 2 hours to mow.
For more information or to volunteer, please email Kayly.
SYRACUSE
Health & Wellness
Hospice Volunteer at Amedisys Hospice
ONGOING NEED
Amedisys Hospice is looking for a wide variety of volunteers to visit with their patients, offering companionship and socialization. This would include potentially visiting patients in their homes, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. Volunteers are an important part of their hospice care team, helping to improve the quality of life for our patients, their families and their caregivers. They are also looking for administrative volunteers with in-office and remote opportunities. These opportunities are always on-going, and the schedule is very flexible.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Athena Johnson at athena.johnson@amedisys.com or 608-616-0046.
ELKHART COUNTY
Joy Blooms
ONGOING NEED
Joy Blooms’ mission is to inspire joy and kindness through the practice of repurposing flowers to feed the fragile human spirit. In short, sharing joy with flowers! Their greatest needs are on Thursdays and Fridays, when they are picking up, prepping, and delivering flowers to designated sites (nursing homes, retirement facilities, etc.). For this reason, all volunteers must receive a background check and have a valid driver’s license.
Joy Blooms also accepts large flower donations from weddings, corporate parties, etc. They are a joyful bunch and benefit from their mission as much as the recipients of the flowers!
We encourage you to sign up using the volunteer button below. If you have questions, their founder and director, Nancy Stoeling, would love to hear from you! Contact her at (574)606-3157, or info@joyblooms.org.
ELKHART
Heart to Heart Hospice
ONGOING NEED
At Heart to Heart Hospice we offer an extraordinary level of personal assistance to meet the needs of our patients and families. This would not be possible without the support of our dedicated and compassionate volunteers. By volunteering and giving your time, you can make a significate impact on the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses and those that care for them.
Become a volunteer and make a difference in the lives of others. Volunteers may :
- Provide companionship
- Read books/news
- Celebrate holidays
- Help with light housekeeping
- Make phone calls or write letters
- Provide emotional support/spiritual support
- Assist with a memory journal
- Sit with patients to relieve care caregivers
- Help with bereavement
For more information, contact Lori Baldwin, volunteer coordinator at 574.350.4977
ELKHART COUNTY
Homelessness & Food Insecurities
Cultivate Food Rescue
ONGOING NEED
Cultivate Food Rescue needs volunteers to package meals, prepare frozen meals for distribution to community partners, assist our Chef with preparing meals, work with our logistics team to sort food items, and other projects as needed. We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the week in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
SOUTH BEND
Serving Meals on Wheels of Goshen
ONGOING NEED
🌟🚗 Join Our Meals on Wheels Team and Make a Difference! 🚗🌟
Are you ready to spread love and make a tangible impact on the lives of our community’s seniors? We’ve got an incredible opportunity waiting for you! 🙌
Drivers: We have multiple immediate meal delivery volunteer opportunities for a dedicated weekly route (this is a one day per week commitment). Deliver meals to homebound seniors, leaving The Window at 11 am. Each route is approximately 5-15 miles. Time varies per route per driver, but some can be run in 15 minutes while other volunteers develop friendships with the clients and spend a bit more time.
Dispatcher: A dispatcher packages in meal containers prepared by the kitchen into the appropriate coolers and hot bags, takes the meal carts to the back door, and hands the coolers to each driver. Upon a drivers return the dispatcher will clean the cooler and hot/cold packs, place them on the rolling cart, and return the cart to the kitchen. This volunteer commitment is from 10 am – 12:30 pm.
There is always a need for substitutes who have flexible availability to fill in.
Contact the Meals on Wheels Director at 574-533-9680.
GOSHEN