Volunteer Services

Short-Term Opportunities

Recent Requests:

This request for a volunteer was recently submitted.  Please consider one of these volunteer opportunities and respond soon. 

Once a Month Shopping: An older adult woman on Milwaukee’s Northwest side (84th and Appleton area) needs to go grocery shopping and do errands once a month. These activities will also provide her with the opportunity to get out into the community and interact with another person.  Female, non-smoking volunteer preferred.  Volunteer must have a valid Wisconsin Driver’s License, appropriate automobile insurance and a reliable, safe personal vehicle.

***If you are interested in one of the above volunteer opportunities, please call Susie Gruenberg, Director of Volunteer Services, at 414-225-1390 asap for a volunteer application packet.

Serving 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 (youth or adults) and groups.

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.

Serving People with Exceptional Needs

Activity Assistants: Bring friendship and joy to the lives of developmentally disabled adults or adults with severe and persistent 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

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, escorting a group on a field trip, 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 for special occasions or gift items for holidays, create fleece blankets to keep older adult clients warm at heart, or perform for 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.

Services for JFS

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

Special Events: Volunteer to help with the many roles and responsibilities of a JFS special event. The Milwaukee Masterpiece, held in August, needs volunteers for various roles. Be a JFS Special Event Volunteer!

Serving JFS Clients

Card Makers: Design and make cards for any occasion for JFS clients - birthdays, holidays or just a "friendly hello" card will brighten someone's day. A pack of ten or a stack of 50 are always welcome.

Bakers: Make baked goods for JFS staff to deliver to clients to celebrate a holiday or make someone's day special!

Holiday Friends: Make a gift package of traditional food and/or holiday items for JFS staff to deliver to a client!

For more information or to sign up, please call Susie Gruenberg, Director of Volunteer Services, at 414-225-1390.