Hands On Greater Portland

Books To Prisoners (age 8+) *Hands On*

Books to Prisoners receives request letters from people who are incarcerated across the country asking for literature and educational materials that help them pass the time and educate themselves. Books To Prisoners holds a volunteer project every Tuesday night from 5-7pm to answer letters from prisoners who request books. Volunteers will read requests, pull up to 3 appropriate books from the shelves, and then pack them for mailing. Books To Prisoners meet in the old In Other Words space, now called the Dismantle, Change, Build Center. Because they get so many book donations, books will be available for purchase every Tuesday night during the volunteer shift, and we will also always generate a pile of free books for people to take. Prisoners often send us stamps as well, but because we use stamps.com, we don't use physical stamps. We have a stash of stamps if you would like to buy some from us on a Tuesday night which will go toward postage costs. *Due to a shortage in funds, we are unable to send out as many book packages as we can create with the help of volunteers (books are heavy!). Feel free to bring a few dollars to donate if you can; every cent adds up to enable us to send out more packages more quickly! COVID-19 Information: The novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") is a contagious and potentially life-threatening disease. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community is a shared responsibility. In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at Hands On volunteer activities, all volunteers are required to: Follow all COVID safety-rules at their volunteer site or project Wash their hands, at a minimum, before and after their volunteering Maintain physical distancing while volunteering, to the extent practicable Wear a cloth or disposable face covering at all times while volunteering. Hands On appreciates your interest in volunteering to help our community in this time of extraordinary need. As part of some volunteer activities, you may risk exposure to COVID-19. If you or any member of your household is experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, or has exhibited any symptom in the past 14 days, please do not sign up for a volunteer activity at this time. Please contact the Opportunity Coordinator if you have any questions about Hands On’s COVID-19 safety rules and the expectations for volunteers. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 8 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 13 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a Youth Volunteer Release Form signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project. If you plan to bring children or guests you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are responsible for ensuring that everyone signed up through your team attends - only sign up team members who have confirmed their availability. Teams that repeatedly sign up, but do not show up or show up with fewer volunteers than they signed up, may be removed. To add or remove team members from a project, click on "My Account" and then "My Teams," above. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

10/6/20 5:00 PM + more

Get Crafty for Newborns (age 14+) *Hands On*

Get Crafty has gone virtual on Zoom! Due to our practice of physical distancing and for the safety of all *this is not an in person project*. When signing up you will receive instructions from our Volunteer Leader. They will reach out with the Zoom log in to volunteer from home.​ This is not a class, volunteers will be expected to have some knowledge of how to knit, sew, or crochet! How can crafting make a difference? You might wonder why all the recent fuss about knitting, crocheting, and sewing. Volunteers from the Hands On craft groups will say they love getting together to socialize with new friends and marvel over the creativity of items made. But those who really benefit from our crafting are the recipients of the handmade treasures. Join in this project and knit, sew, crochet, or quilt anything baby to be donated to the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Clinic and Randall Children's Neonatal Intensive Care. A handmade item will make a loving impression on a new mom and baby. Another option - make a garment for a toddler/child/youth to be used to help diffuse trauma & negative impacts on the younger set when they have to be admitted to the hospital. Please know how to knit, sew, or crochet. We have limited supplies, so please bring your own if possible! (Due to social distancing this project is not meeting in person, should you sign up please be ready with any materials you would need to knit, crochet, or sew). This project is currently ***VIRTUAL, a Zoom link will be sent to you upon signing up below*** Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 14 years of age or older to attend this project. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355 or email info@handsonportland.org.

10/11/20 1:00 PM + more

Restore Terwilliger Blvd Forest (age 6+) *Hands On*

Do you think nature is only found outside of the city? Think again! Enjoy your Saturday morning working outside to restore our urban forest and meeting others in our community. About this Opportunity Join Portland Parks & Recreation, Friends of Terwilliger and the West Willamette Restoration Partnership to restore our urban forest in southwest Portland. Terwilliger Blvd has been a main thoroughfare for almost 100 years! Many hikers, runners, and bicyclists utilize this verdant boulevard. Help keep this a high-quality natural area for people, native plants, and wildlife! What to Bring and Wear Dress for the weather, wear long pants, wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and bring a water bottle. Note: some work may be on uneven ground. Face coverings will be required at our events. Please bring your own face covering, gloves, water and snacks. PP&R will provide face coverings, tools and gloves when needed. Questions? Exact location details will be sent to you by the volunteer coordinator prior to the project. Contact Mary Verrilli with any questions using the email button below or by calling 503-823-8367. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 6 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 14 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

10/17/20 9:00 AM

Fashion Sorting Party with Dress For Success (age 18+) *Hands On*

Are you a fashionista? Do you love helping women? If so, you may enjoy working in one of the largest closets at Dress for Success Oregon! We have a need for Clothing Organizers to assist with processing our many donations of clothing, shoes and accessories. The mission of Dress for Success Oregon is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. At our monthly Fashion Sorting Party, the goal is to process as many clothing donations as possible, in preparation to be given to clients. Come lend a hand by helping us: Sort clothing donations to appropriate channels Inspect clothing for quality Steam and iron clothing Size clothing and shoes Volunteers will be instructed on the clothing sorting guidelines and procedures upon arrival. Volunteers should be comfortable lifting or moving boxes, bags, or garments. Please come well-groomed and wear conservative attire that is comfortable enough to be physically active in (Tasks may include bending and lifting). Closed-toed shoes are required. Bring your positive attitude, your flexibility, your organization-skills, and a desire to help! Recommended for volunteers who have a love for organization and can tolerate a small space with many donations, but limited resources. COVID-19 Information: The novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") is a contagious and potentially life-threatening disease. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community is a shared responsibility. In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at Hands On volunteer activities, all volunteers are required to: Follow all COVID safety-rules at their volunteer site or project Wash their hands, at a minimum, before and after their volunteering Maintain physical distancing while volunteering, to the extent practicable Wear a cloth or disposable face covering at all times while volunteering. Hands On appreciates your interest in volunteering to help our community in this time of extraordinary need. As part of some volunteer activities, you may risk exposure to COVID-19. If you or any member of your household is experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, or has exhibited any symptom in the past 14 days, please do not sign up for a volunteer activity at this time. Please contact the Opportunity Coordinator if you have any questions about Hands On’s COVID-19 safety rules and the expectations for volunteers. Keywords: free_the_future Project Requirements: Volunteers must be age 18 and up to attend this project. If you plan to bring guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

10/28/20 10:30 AM + more

Serve a Meal: Blanchet House (age 14+) *Hands On*

Monday through Saturday, Blanchet House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the hungry, helped by the men who live in Blanchet’s transitional housing and volunteers like you! Come out and help with serving, busing, and the food assembly line for the 700-800 meals we serve each day. Volunteers will arrive half an hour before the meal begins to get oriented to Blanchet House and divvy up tasks. Meal service lasts approximately one hour, after which volunteers are welcome to stay and eat with the rest of the meal crew and the 29 men who live and work at Blanchet House. Health and Safety While we seek to promote safety and health in our facility, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. We cannot serve food from a distance of six feet, although there are tasks volunteers can do that promote greater spacing than others. Volunteers can choose how they serve. If you choose to volunteer, please do so with full awareness of the risks involved. Volunteers with symptoms associated with COVID-19 (especially cough and fever) or who have had symptoms within the previous 72 hours may not volunteer. We STRONGLY ENCOURAGE volunteers age 60 and over or people with high-risk health conditions to stay home and stay safe. All volunteers must sign a Volunteer Waiver acknowledging our COVID-19 guidelines and the risks involved with not staying at home during this pandemic. Note: We are currently limiting volunteers to age 14 and older. Parking There is free parking for volunteers in the lot adjacent to our building. Do not park in the lot across the street on 3rd Avenue. Please park your car and come to the entrance on NW Glisan St. for a parking pass to put on your dashboard. If you bike to Blanchet House, we can store your bike safely inside our facility. Anyone with hair below the shoulders must have it back in a hair tie. No open toed shoes, and no shirts with exposed armpits. Short sleeved shirts are fine. *This project is closed to all volunteers seeking to fulfill court-ordered community service hours. Click here for opportunities that are appropriate for court-ordered service. Blanchet House of Hospitality, founded in 1952, offers to the poor: free meals, beds, jobs, and HOPE. In recent years it has been joined by two more properties to become a multi-unit complex of charitable endeavors, including the Blanchet Farm in Carlton, OR, which serves as a working farm and recovery site for men. For all 56 years of its existence, the Blanchet programs have been managed by the men who originally came for a meal and a place to stay. They live in the House and perform all of the daily tasks involved in its operation, thus contributing to their own self-esteem and developing a community spirit. Since its inception, the House has served over seventeen million hot meals, provided over one million night's lodging, distributed over 800,000 items of clothing, and filled over 120,000 temporary jobs. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 12 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 13 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form If you plan to bring children or guests you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project. In the spirit of creating an atmosphere where people from all parts of our community are coming together to volunteer, **IMPORTANT NOTE: All volunteers will need to register for the Hands On meal service team through the Blanchet House's online volunteer registration system before the project. The Volunteer Leader will send out specific information to all registered volunteers a couple days before the project. Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

10/30/20 4:30 PM + more

Marquam Nature Park Restoration Work Party (age 6+) *Hands On*

Do you think nature is only found outside the city? Think again! Lend a hand in the Portland Parks Natural Area closest to Downtown Portland and enjoy your Saturday morning working outside and meeting others in our community! About this Opportunity Join Friends of Marquam Nature Park, West Willamette Restoration Partnership, and Portland Parks & Recreation for a morning of urban forest renewal. It's fun, close-in, accessible, and very important work. Many hikers, runners, and walkers utilize this park and its trail, and it's part of the 40-mile loop around Portland that connects to Forest Park. Your time and effort will help keep this a high-quality natural area for people, native plants, and wildlife! What to Bring and Wear Dress for the weather, wear long pants, wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and bring a water bottle. Face coverings will be required at our events. Please bring your own face covering, gloves, water and snacks. PP&R will provide face coverings, tools and gloves when needed. Questions? Exact location details will be sent to you by the volunteer coordinator prior to the project. Contact Mary Verrilli with any questions using the email button below or by calling 503-823-8367. COVID-19 Information: The novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") is a contagious and potentially life-threatening disease. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community is a shared responsibility. In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at Hands On volunteer activities, all volunteers are required to: Follow all COVID safety-rules at their volunteer site or project Wash their hands, at a minimum, before and after their volunteering Maintain physical distancing while volunteering, to the extent practicable Wear a cloth or disposable face covering at all times while volunteering. Hands On appreciates your interest in volunteering to help our community in this time of extraordinary need. As part of some volunteer activities, you may risk exposure to COVID-19. If you or any member of your household is experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, or has exhibited any symptom in the past 14 days, please do not sign up for a volunteer activity at this time. Please contact the Opportunity Coordinator if you have any questions about Hands On’s COVID-19 safety rules and the expectations for volunteers. Project Requirements: Volunteers must be 6 years of age or older to attend this project; any volunteer under age 10 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone. If you plan to bring your children or other guests to the event, you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team. You can then sign up your team for this project. All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project: Youth Volunteer Release Form Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3355.

10/31/20 9:00 AM + more