Needs From: Braves Volunteer - Bradley University

Help Change a Child's Story. Become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for a children in the foster care system who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Have you been looking for a way to volunteer in your community that will have a lasting impact? CASAs change the trajectory of a child's life for the better! As a specially trained community volunteer appointed to a child in the child welfare system you:

Our vision is to make sure that every child who has experienced abuse or neglect is placed in a safe, permanent, and loving home as quickly as possible and a CASA helps make that a reality!

Interested in learning more about this rewarding volunteer opportunity? Respond to this need and we'll contact you with the schedule for our next Volunteer Informational Sessions and next 30-hour pre-service training. You can also visit our website or contact us at casa@peoriacounty.org.

Thank you!

Do you love to cook and bake?

Groups and/or individuals are needed to provide meals, snacks and treats for families of residents at Almost Home Kids. 

Almost Home Kids provides transitional care in a home-like setting for children with complex medical needs, as well as training and respite care for their families.  Almost Home Kids is a bridge from hospital to home.  Transitional care is a program for children who are medically stable and ready to leave the hospital; however, families need some extra time to make preparations for their children’s return home. In a comforting environment, children receive 24-hour medical support from skilled pediatric nurses. 

Almost Home Kids has a kitchen for serving; however, does not have an oven or stove.  Food must be prepared or purchased off site. We have microwave and toaster ovens for reheating.  If you love to cook, please contact Cheryl at 309-573-0711.

Have you recently retired or found yourself with more time on your hands? Do you have a desire to make a meaningful contribution to your community and be a guiding force for the next generations? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow Inc (ART Inc), founded in 2018 by Jonathon and Nikki Romain, is Peoria's leading non-profit organization that fosters arts and culture. Our mission is to provide valuable arts education opportunities to nearly 500 students annually. The dedicated team at ART Inc, including staff, board members, volunteers, and teaching artists, tirelessly strive to create programs that empower every student to unlock their full potential through the arts, regardless of their financial means.

Located at The Romain Arts & Culture Center (The RACC) in downtown Peoria, we operate during core hours from 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday. However, we do offer flexibility with shorter hours to better fit your schedule while contributing to our cause.

We are actively seeking individuals with expertise in Maintenance-related fields. If you have experience in:

Your skills are needed at ART Inc!

Please email alanna@artincpeoria.org for any questions about volunteering. 

Snyder Village is in need of a volunteer(s) to deliver meals to residents on the Snyder Village campus on Saturday afternoons.  Meals are ready for delivery at 11:50 a.m. and the delivery route takes approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.

For more information on volunteering at Snyder Village please contact Ashley Thompson|Volunteer Coordinator at 309-366-4135 or athompson@snydervillage.com

Recreational Volunteers engage the children with play activities such as reading, puzzles, sensory toys or holding. Opportunities are available seven days a week.

Recreational Volunteer Requirements:

Almost Home Kids is not an appropriate site for court-mandated service hours.

Are you someone who wants to help out in your community more regularly? Are you looking for ways to build up Peoria in meaningful ways? 

ART Inc. is looking for YOU! 

Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow Inc (ART Inc), founded in 2018 by Jonathon and Nikki Romain, is Peoria’s foremost arts and culture non-profit organization. ART Inc provides arts education opportunities to nearly 500 students each year. The staff, board, volunteers, and teaching artists of ART Inc work tirelessly to generate programs for all students to imagine, create, and realize their full potential through the arts, regardless of their ability to pay.

We're looking for individuals who are responsible and willing to help with all aspects of ART Inc’s Arts Science & Leadership Academy (ASALA) program. The ASALA program is designed for students in 1st-8th grade. ASALA also includes Youth Leadership Teachers (high school students) who assist in classrooms as needed. YLTs are paid interns, but can also participate in any classes provided in ASALA. 

ASALA occurs Monday through Friday from 2:30-6PM, with the possibility of additional Saturday classes. 

Program Assistants help ASALA by providing outstanding program services: transportation of students from school to ART Inc programs at The Romain Arts & Culture Center, assisting with all programs & events by monitoring, greeting, maintaining cleanliness, providing up to date information, checking in and out. 

Mental and Physical Requirements:

Background check, Drivers License, and clean driving record required. 

We’re excited to announce our recent acquisition of the old Methodist School of Nursing building, which will be transformed into 55 units of Permanent Supportive Housing. Alongside this important initiative, we’re also looking to revitalize the former Methodist daycare space.

What We Need: We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help us sort through the daycare area. Your assistance will be invaluable in:

Thank you for considering this opportunity to give back to our community. Together, we can make a difference!

Alzheimer's Association Community Educators are volunteer public speakers who help raise awareness, provide education and expand the reach of Alzheimer's Association programs in your community.  

Our educators deliver Alzheimer’s Association Core Curriculum and Awarness Presentations using prepared training materials on topics related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias as well as information for individuals and families impacted by the disease.  We also lean on these volunteers to utilize their local connections to work with us to open new doors in their communities. Providing education online is also a service opportunity. 

Training is provided and all work is done in collaboration with staff partners.  We want to empower people to make a real difference in their community!

Support Group Facilitators create a safe, open environment where people share their feelings, thoughts, and experiences in a combined effort to better cope with and manage the shared problems of dementia. The goal of Alzheimer's Association support groups is to provide emotional, social, and /or educational support to group members. As facilitators, individuals may be responsible for general caregivers, adult children, spouses, gender-specific or language-specific groups.

Training is provided and all work is done in collaboration with staff partners.

To learn more and/or to complete the application process please go to:  

the Alzheimer's Association Support Group Facilitator page.

 Currently, our biggest volunteer need is for a Patient Escort Volunteer. Duties include:

Volunteering as a Patient Escort is a great way to learn about the hospital setting, interact with patients and visitors, and help people feel welcome.

For more information contact:

Learners are waiting. We NEED you.

DID YOU KNOW, 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level. You can change that number. Become a tutor and help one person be on the right side of a statistic. 

YOU CAN HELP!   Become a tutor for adults in our community who need assistance with basic reading, math, and English language proficiency skills, as well as English Second Language and GED preparation.

EMAIL: literacy@ywcapekin.org to register for our next tutor training class.

Activities are so important to residents living in a long term care facility!  Monthly we incorporate field trips away from the facility to help residents feel engaged and enjoy things in the community.  We are looking for volunteers to help chaperone and push residents in wheelchairs during our monthly field trips.  We take field trips to places like the Peoria Riverfront Museum, Fondulac Farm Park, Wheels of Times, shopping trips and more!  

For more information on volunteering at Snyder Village please contact Ashley Thompson by phone at 309-366-4135 or email at athompson@snydervillage.com

Our medical center is grateful for those who can offer their computer and clerical skills to us!  We have several different office locations to pick from! 

We are looking for individuals who are social and like to meet new people! This position allows you to interact with patients (adults and/or kids) and assist with small but meaningful tasks such as reading a book, stocking items, delivering flowers etc.  

Volunteers are invaluable to the mission of Midwest Food Bank. Volunteers will begin their shift with a brief orientation. Examples of volunteer opportunities include and are not limited to:

Day Time Volunteer Opportunities (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday):

These opportunities are open to individuals, families and/or groups.

Evening & Weekend Volunteer Opportunities (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday):

Our Evening & Weekend Volunteer Opportunities are only for groups of 7 - 20 participants.

Children & Youth Volunteers

We welcome children and youth aged 5 and older to volunteer with us. Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent and/or responsible adult. Parents must also sign a waiver prior to their child volunteering.

Please indicate your availability and number of volunteers when registering.  Based on existing schedule and confirmed volunteers, Midwest Food Bank will follow-up with you and send a link with the next steps necessary to complete your registration and waiver. 

If you have any questions, please contact Ileen Grebner at 309-691-5270 ext. 1 or igrebner@midwestfoodbank.org. 

Looking for a way to help those in need?

Midwest Food Bank is looking for volunteers to pick up food from our local grocers. Fresh and frozen foods are brought back to our warehouse and distributed to multiple food pantries and feeding programs that would have to purchase foods or do without.

Volunteers use our vehicles. We have 2 routes that run throughout the week. One of our 2 routes does not require any special drivers license. We are also seeking volunteers that may have a "C" drivers license to help operate the vehicle for the second route (or may be willing to obtain a C license).

Routes run mornings starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Some lifting and loading required. Approximately 3-4 hours needed. There are 2 volunteers that work together on each route.

You can sign up for once a month or several times a month. It is up to you! We have many great volunteers who support these routes and would love to have you join us! 

We currently have a great need for help with these routes. We would love to explore if this is a way that you can give back to those in need!  If you have any questions, please contact Ileen Grebner at 309-691-5270 ext. 1 or igrebner@midwestfoodbank.org. 

Thank YOU!

Within our Food Pantry Network, we accept emergency food requests for families experiencing a one time need for food. Often these requests are fulfilled with food from our food pantries or food banks, however transportation for the food delivery is limited. By accepting this food run, you would assist with overcoming this barrier!!

Your contact information (name, email, and phone number) would be added to our listserv. As emergency food deliveries are requested, we would send an e-mail to the listserv with the opportunity to accept the food run. Upon accepting the food run, we would provide information including the address of pickup for food and address of client for delivery. 

Every Thursday EP!C holds Power Teams for our individuals that are living and are a part of our host homes program. We are always looking for new ideas of things to do during power teams. If you have an idea of an activity that you would be interested in leading then this is the volunteer opportunity for you. 

Power teams run from 3pm to around 6 or 7pm and we can provide all supplies needed. 

Some ideas of activities include:

Do you know your way around a kitchen? Are you eager to volunteer prepping, cooking and baking, cleaning, meals in our commercial kitchen with our DCP chef and kitchen staff? Then you've come to the right place!

We will be allowing 1 to 2 volunteers to come help each week with making meals in the new kitchen. Volunteer as little as one hour or stay all day. Volunteer opportunities are for Monday through Friday 9AM - 3PM. Come in as often as you are available!

Please email volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org with your completed application form found below. 

There is an $8 dollar payment for background checks. You can make your payment on our website by clicking the donation button and adding "background check" in the note section OR drop off the amount with your volunteer application. The DCFS background check on the third page of the application does need to have a physical signature— it can not be electronically signed.

Thank you!

Have a heart for kids and looking to plug in somewhere? We would love to have you volunteer with our after school program!

We are in need of classroom assistants. This includes assisting our DCP Students staff with any classroom needs that they may have.

DCP Students volunteer hours are from 2:45PM to 5PM during the school year. Must be 18+. 

Please email volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org with your completed application form found below. 

There is an $8 dollar payment for background checks. You can make your payment on our website by clicking the donation button and adding "background check" in the note section OR drop off the amount with your volunteer application. The DCFS background check on the third page of the application does need to have a physical signature— it can not be electronically signed.

Thank you for partnering with us!

We are looking for a few strong volunteers to help unload the box truck after our Food Manager has been to Midwest Food Bank for the month. This happens on the 2nd or 3rd Thursday morning each month around 9:45 am for about an hour or two.

Please fill out the volunteer application and email it to volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org. There is an $8 fee included in the application for the background check. 

Thank you for partnering with Dream Center Peoria in this need!

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 8:30AM to 12:00PM, we receive donations for our Hope Store. We would love to have your help sorting through donated items and getting them ready for our shoppers and case workers that come through our doors on a regular basis. Our DCP Hope Store team plays a huge role in serving our community!

For more information and a volunteer application, please email volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org. There is an $8 fee for the background check. 

Thank you for serving with us!

Are you looking for way for your team to benefit our community?

Dream Center Peoria has a current need for toiletry bags. Your team could host a drive to collect toiletry items and create hygiene bags for our Hope Store.

A hygiene bag includes the following:

Women:

Men:

Kids:

Thank you for helping us serve those in need. Please contact us at volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org with any questions!

Do you enjoy using your artistic or writing abilities to encourage others? 

Dream Center Peoria has a shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Uplifting cards have the opportunity to bring encouragement to our guests.

Cards or notes of encouragement can be sent to the following address:

Shelter Guest

714 Hamilton Blvd

Peoria, IL 61603

*Please do not provide your last name or address on the return label. Write DCP's address as the return address.*

Please do NOT include your last name, phone number, or other pertinent information on your card/letter. 

Thank you for encouraging our guests! 

Do you like working with kids? Are you looking for an opportunity to bring excitement into education for our students? You can volunteer any weekday with our DCP Students' Tutor Program! 

A weekly commitment would be preferred but not necessary. Teaching experience is helpful but not required. Volunteers have the ability to pick which day of the week works best for them. Additional information can be requested from volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org. If you have a specific skill/trade that you are interested in teaching, contact the above email to learn how you can partner with us.

Please email volunteers@dreamcenterpeoria.org with your completed application form found below before volunteering. 

There is an $8 dollar payment for background checks. You can make your payment on our website by clicking the donation button and adding "background check" in the note section OR drop off the amount with your volunteer application. The DCFS background check on the third page of the application does need to have a physical signature— it can not be electronically signed.

Thank you for partnering with our DCP Students after-school program! 

Being a Big Brother or Big Sister is one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling things you’ll ever do. You have the opportunity to help shape a child’s future for the better by empowering him or her to achieve their highest potential. We match Bigs and Littles based off of similar interests, so you and your Little can share the kinds of activities you already like to do!

Play sports together. Go on a hike. Read books. Eat a pizza with extra anchovies. Or just give some advice and inspiration. Whatever it is you enjoy, odds are you’ll enjoy it even more with your Little—and you’ll be making a life-changing impact. You can get involved in either the Community-Based or Site-Based program!

Community-Based

Our traditional mentoring program allows the Big and Little to spend time together at least twice a month for a few hours at a time. Community-Based matches engage in activities that they both enjoy, such as going out for ice cream, attending local sporting events, baking cookies, and going to the zoo. Right now we are encouraging matches to maintain social distance while spending time together, choose outdoor activities whenever possible, and connect virtually!

Site-Based "Lunch Buddies"

Our Site-Based mentoring program, also known as “Lunch Buddies” allows the Big and the Little to see each other during the child’s lunchtime. This is a very easy way for many volunteers to get their feet wet, as the time commitment is minimal (1/2 hour each week). Matches spend the time chatting, working on homework, or playing games.*

*This Fall, matches will not be meeting in-person for the Lunch Buddies program. Virtual programming is coming soon.

What do we achieve?

Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children achieve success in school, avoid risky behaviors such as getting into fights and trying drugs and alcohol, and improve their self-confidence. We hold ourselves accountable to our supporters by regularly measuring our impact.

Who do we serve?

Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children between 5 and 18 years of age in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Knox, and Fulton counties. Our network of volunteers, donors, and supporters comes from all walks of life.

What do we do?
We create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Please call our office at 309.637.1771 or email Hannah Daly (h.daly@hoibbbs.org) to get started today!

This position supports the Regional Disaster Cycle Services department.

Save lives and prevent injury by providing leadership and/or support to Disaster Cycle Services (DCS) team members by supporting the Prepare with Pedro program. The 30-45-minute presentation provides emergency preparedness education to youth in grades K-2 (ages 4-7) in school classrooms and other settings by following Pedro the Penguin as he learns how to be prepared and take action during an emergency. Team member roles include either being a presenter, presentation assistant, administrative support, or presenter trainer

For more info or to apply contact Sasha.WelchMoore@redcross.org