Volunteer Services

Short-Term Opportunities

Older Adults

The Driving Club: Volunteer drivers take JFS clients to and from medical appointments, grocery stores or other short essential errands. Drivers can take assignments on a regular or occasional basis to match personal schedule preferences.

Musicians and Singers: Entertain and brighten the day for JFS older adult clients. Share a performance, highlight a talent or lead sing-a-longs for elderly residents. Good opportunity for individuals and groups.

Packers & Movers: Do you like to pack and unpack? Do you own a van or a truck? Occasional help is needed when a JFS client is moving. Be an on-call volunteer to help a client pack or unpack their household items. If you have a van or a truck, occasional help is needed with the moving of larger household items. Be on the "Movers" list!

Personal Shopper: Every once in awhile a JFS client needs to go clothing shopping, shop for a niece's birthday gift or buy a new set of dish towels. Volunteers can brighten an older adult's day with a one-time trip to a mall or a specialty store. Add your name to the on-call Personal Shopper list!

Shopping Friend: Be a grocery shopper or run errands for an older homebound adult who can no longer partake in these activities. Volunteers needed on a regular or occasional basis.

People with Exceptional Needs

Activity Assistants: Bring friendship and joy to the lives of developmentally disabled adults or adults with chronic mental illness. Work with professional staff to help with local outings to sports events, picnics, special events, holiday parties and other organized activities. Volunteers needed on a monthly or occasional basis.

JFS Clients

Wooden Step Repair: Client in Bay View has a wobbly, somewhat broken wooden step at the entrance to her home. The wheelchair-bound client lives with her sister and is concerned with the comfort and safety of her sister and visitors. Time Commitment: One time repair of wooden stair.

Group Projects: Help JFS clients as part of your group's interests, synagogue's Mitzvah Day or family's interests. Short or long-term projects for groups of people who want to volunteer together can include activities such as collecting items for holiday baskets, adopting a grandparent or doing a fall clean-up. JFS can work with your group to plan the "right" project.

B'Nei Mitzvah and Teen Opportunities: Teens can volunteer to make cards or gift items for client holiday gift bags, create fleece blankets to keep older adult clients warm at heart, do outside chores or visit with clients in a group setting. Supply drives, Shabbat phone calls and "special boxes" are just a few of the other volunteer opportunities for teens. Call us to talk about your interests.

Professional Services: Volunteers offer professional skills such as medical, dental, accounting, electrical, plumbing, carpentry or painting on a pro bono basis to JFS clients. Requests rotate so that no professional is approached more than once or twice each year. Join the list of other professionals.

Services for JFS

Pathways To Healing Program - The Healing Experience Assistant: Greet and register participants, hand out and collect evaluation forms and add your organization skills to the Pathways To Healing - Healing Experience Sessions. Two or three hour opportunities are available for scheduled sessions.

Poster People: Be part of the Poster People pool of volunteers who place posters in shopping areas, libraries, schools, etc. for JFS educational and special events. Share your community expertise and help to spread the word about JFS upcoming events. One-time or occasional volunteer opportunities are available.

Special Events: Volunteer to help with the many roles and responsibilities of a JFS Special Event. Art sales, Classic car events, Program anniversaries, Annual meetings or Auctions all need volunteers for a one-time, fun and festive experience. Be a JFS Special Event Volunteer!