November Focus: Family Friendly Volunteering!

This November, Hands On Greater Portland will be focusing on volunteer opportunities that
encourage, support and highlight family friendly volunteer opportunities. Join us!

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Family Volunteer Day is November 22!

November 22, 2008 is National Family Volunteer Day. Join Hands On Greater Portland and come out on a project! No training or experience is necessary, and volunteers are encouraged to sign-up for projects that interest them and fit their schedule. So sign-up, get involved, and make a difference today!

Want to get even more involved?  Find Featured Calendar Projects and Referral Opportunities below!

FAMILY Project: Get Your Hands Dirty at Zenger Farm

Saturday, November 22nd / 1:30pm-4:30pm / SE Portland

Come out and get your hands dirty at Zenger farm! We are a non profit and working urban farm promoting: sustainable food practices, youth education, environmental stewardship, and community and economic development.

(All Ages)

FAMILY Project: Love Letters for Kids

Saturday, November 22nd / 9:00am-12:00pm / SE Portland

Create personalized greeting cards to be given to sick children across the country. Use markers, construction paper and other fun craft items to create cards that will brighten a child's day. This project will tug at your heart-strings!

(All Ages)

Paint it up at Hosford!

Saturday, November 22nd / 9:00am-12:00pm / SE Portland

Hosford is a Title I school with a very diverse population - over 23 different languages spoken in the homes of Hosford students. With exceptional test scores and a robust student population of 530, Hosford hallways need to shine. Bring school spirit to Hosford Middle School - help us replace the dirty white paint with the bright school colors: blue and gold. Sign up to volunteer!

(16+)

Rally Squad & Clean-up Crew for Hosford

Saturday, November 22nd / 9:00am-12:00pm / SE Portland

Calling all volunteers age 7 to 15! Cheer on the painters and tally the results of this large volunteer effort. Volunteers will also distribute snacks and water. As project areas wrap-up, the crew will gather up drop cloths, paint brushes and other tools and start the clean-up process.

(Ages 7-15)

FAMILY Project: Stock the Pantry at Oregon Food Bank

Saturday, November 22nd / 1:00pm-3:00pm / NE Portland

Join Oregon Food Bank and help them in their mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Unpack and sort donated food destined for agencies that directly serve low income people in Oregon. Your presence makes a huge difference, and, it's a lot of fun! Please wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes, and clothing you wouldn't mind getting just a little dirty.

(6+)

Get Out and Garden: Portland Community Gardens

Saturday, November 22nd / 9:00am-11:30am / N Portland

Portland Community Gardens provides garden space and educational events within Portland's neighborhoods. Each month we are working in the common areas of a local garden -- pruning, planting, weeding, and more.

(All Ages)

FAMILY Project: Art of Water at Bridger Elementary

Saturday, November 22nd / 9:00am-12:30pm / SE Portland

Helping hands are needed to maintain this 12,000 square foot native landscape and rainwater garden, freed from schoolyard asphalt four years ago. It's a race against invasive species!

(6+)

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Featured Calendar Projects

Calendar Projects include done-in-a-day group volunteer projects, led by a Hands On Greater Portland Volunteer Leader. No training or experience is necessary, and volunteers are encouraged to sign-up for projects that interest them and fit their schedule. So sign-up, get involved, and make a difference today!

Want to get even more involved?  Find Referral Opportunities below!

All the project below are family friendly unless otherwise noted.

Serve a Meal at Family Bridge

Wednesday, November 26th / 5:30pm-7:30pm / Hillsboro/Cornelius (FULL)

Interested in interacting with homeless families and children at a day house shelter? Come help Family Bridge prepare and serve dinner for those in need.

(All Ages *Volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone)

FAMILY Project: Love Letters for Kids

Saturday, November 24th / 10:30am-11:45am / SW Portland

Need something to do with your kids on an in-service day? Create personalized greeting cards to be given to sick children across the country! Use markers, construction paper and other fun craft items to create cards that will brighten a child's day. This project will tug at your heart-strings!

(All Ages)

Cook It Up: Mealtime at Clark Center

Tuesday, November 25th / 5:00pm-7:45pm / SE Portland (FULL)

Since 1969, Transition Projects has helped thousands of people transcend the streets of Portland. They’re making the difference in hundreds of lives, providing the tools people need as they transition from homelessness to housing. They offer long-term shelter, plus a unique mix of valuable services that helps people overcome their own barriers to stable housing and employment.

(All Ages *Volunteers under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone)

FAMILY Project: Serve Up a Holiday Meal at Twelfth Avenue Terrace (FULL)

Thursday, November 27th / 11:30am-3:30pm / SW Portland

Come out, celebrate, and spread some holiday cheer among the senior and disabled residents at 12th Avenue Terrace.

(All Ages *Volunteers under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone)

Featured Referral Opportunities

Referral Opportunities include ongoing, long-term, individual, one-on-one and mentorship opportunities, as well as opportunities to volunteer at special events and fundraisers. They are not led by a Hands On Volunteer Leader, but are managed by the partner agency posting the opportunity. Referrals are a great way get more involved with a particular agency or cause!

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Audubon Docent

Audubon Society of Portland
Come be a part of the "welcome wagon" for Audubon, greeting visitors to the interpretive center, helping them identify common birds at our birdfeeders, answering their questions, and directing them to the various trails on the beautiful sanctuary grounds.

Albertina Kerr Centers

Albertina Kerr Centers envision a community where every child with emotional or mental health challenges has the possibility to heal and grow up in a healthy and caring family, and every person living with developmental disabilities has the support to thrive and the possibility to lead a full, self-determined life. Opportunities include: Activities Volunteer for Children, Animal-Assisted Therapy Team, Visiting Friend, and more!
 

Learn more and explore referral opportunities with Albertina Kerr Centers.

Organize and Sort School Supplies!

Schoolhouse Supplies
Help us sort, organize and stock school supply donations! Donations come in every day and we need your help getting them on the shelves of the free store. Shifts are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with flexible hours (we are open until 7pm).

Protect the Best: Portland Parks & Recreation Habitat Conservation

 Portland Parks and Recreation - Natural Resources

Portland Parks & Recreation is testing a new approach to weed management, called Protect the Best, aimed at controlling invasive plants before they have a chance to damage our most pristine natural areas. Help prevent invasive plants from taking root!

River Watch (Adopt-a-River)

Columbia Riverkeeper
River Watching is probably something you already do. The “Adopt-A-River” program simply provides an information hub of what people are seeing, hearing, and smelling along the river and offers a network of helping hands should your site need trash clean-ups, habitat restoration, or water quality testing.

Back to Featured Calendar Projects.

Back to Featured Referral Opportunities.

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."
~Anthony Brandt