Central Service Spotlight--August 22nd- 28th

There are so many opportunities to get invovled in Communtiy Engagement and the local OKC/Edmond area through service this semester.

Check out what is going on both on campus and in the OKC and Edmond Communities below! Don't see what you are looking for in these opportunities? Come see us in the Community Engagement office (NUC 141) and we will help get you connected to a Community Partner or local opportunity. 

For any questions, please reach out to Community Enagement at volunteer@uco.edu.

Follow us on Instagram @uco_ce to keep up with our events and programming!
 

Upcoming Community Engagement Involvement Opportunities

Volunteer and Part-Time Job Fair
The Volunteer & Part-Time Job Fair will be held during Stampede Week on Tuesday, August 23rd at Broncho Lake from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students can visit with non-profit organizations to learn about great ways to get invovled in the OKC Metro area and learn about current volunteer opportunities.

See who will be attending by logging onto Handshake. We can't wait to see you during Stampede Week!

Central Pantry Client Registration Open
The Central Pantry is UCO's on-campus, free food pantry for all students, faculty, and staff.  Once you sign up as a client, you can come shopping at the Central Pantry once a week for your entire household.

The 2022-2023 Client Form is now open.  Sign-up today to start shopping when school starts! Register on UCORE.

Broncho Bites Notification Opt-In
Broncho Bites is a new initiative on campus to help reduce food waste and provide meals to the UCO campus community. Through this program, food left over at the end of the daily lunch hours in Ayers Kitchen will be rerouted to the Broncho Bites refrigerator outside of the Central Pantry (NUC 151). This food will be available to any student, faculty, or staff member that wants to grab a meal on the go.

In order to let the campus know when food is available, all interested participants can opt-in to the Broncho Bites notification system to receive a text or email notification any time food is delivered to the Broncho Bites refrigerator.

Register to receive notifications when the program starts!

On-Campus Service Opportunities

CP Crew Registration
If you are looking to assist with the Central Pantry, but cannot make a weekly committment required of a volunteer, CP Crew is for you!

The day-to-day functions of the Central Pantry are completely volunteer run, which means that sometimes, we need a little extra help to make everything happen! CP Crew is a group people who are the Central Pantry's biggest fans! They are ready to jump in when help is needed and excited to help out with projects that come up throughout the year!

By joining CP Crew, you will be added to our group message and notified anytime some extra help is needed (i.e. a large intake of doantions needs to be sorted, a department on campus has donations ready for pick-up, a pop-up pantry needs re-filled, etc.).  If you are able to help, you can claim the job.  If you aren't free, no big deal!  Your committment is as much as you want!

Sign up on UCORE!

Broncho Bites Volunteers
Broncho Bites is a new initiative on campus to help reduce food waste and provide meals to the UCO campus community. Through this program, food left over at the end of the daily lunch hours in Ayers Kitchen will be rerouted to the Broncho Bites refrigerator outside of the Central Pantry (NUC 151). This food will be available to any student, faculty, or staff member that wants to grab a meal on the go.

Volunteers will be critical to the success of Broncho Bites! UCO student, faculty, and staff volunteers will be needed daily to package, record, label, and transport meals from Ayers Kitchen in Bausher Place to the Central Pantry in the Nigh University Center.

Shifts will be available every week day that campus is open. Each shift will last from 2:00pm-3:30pm.  All volunteers will meet with a Broncho Bites representative at Ayers Kitchen to start their shift.

Questions? Email centralpantry@uco.edu.

If your office or organization has upcoming student volunteer opportunities, please send the information to volunteer@uco.edu to have it included in our weekly emails.

Community Partner Service Opportunities

First Serve OKC Volunteer Opportunities
First Serve OKC is looking for volunteers for their "Serving Up Aces" after-school tennis program for 3rd and 4th graders. No prior tennis knowledge is needed. Volunteers will be trained on basic tennis strategies and coaching. 

Opportunities run from August 29th- October 6th on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30 PM- 5:00 PM at four OKC elementary schools.

For more detailed information, contact
Jewels Martinez at jewels@firstserveokc.org or call 405-795-6389.

Feed the Children Volunteer Opportunities
Feed the Children is looking for volunteer groups to help build food or hygiene boxes that go out to families in Oklahoma. Shifts last 2-3 hours during the week and occasionally on Saturdays. In our Oklahoma warehouse, we have the pleasure of housing our Teacher Store which provides approved teachers with donated books, supplies, etc. The Teacher Store needs help from volunteers to check teachers in/out on shopping days, sort, organize, and stock the donated supplies.

To register or learn more, go to https://www.feedthechildren.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or contact Hailey Montgomery at hailey.montgomery@feedthechildren.org.

Humanity Hospice Volunteer Opportuntiies
Volunteering with Humanity Hospice is a wonderful way to give back to the community, increase preference points for college, future employment and much more. There are many ways to volunteer at Humanity Hospice. Each area of service is equally important and all of them help us to achieve our goal of providing the best care possible for our patients and their loved ones. 

Opportunities include but are not limited to the following:

Administrative:  This can be done between normal business hours; Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm. Tasks include helping with various office duties such as phones, filing, faxing, and putting together packets.

Events:  These hours vary in days and times. Tasks include things like hosting Bingo at a facility, helping Marketers with various events and luncheons, dropping off gifts to patients, physicians and facilities, putting together crafts and gift baskets as well as other types of marketing needs. 

Patient Care:  Humanity Hospice serves patients in numerous areas across the state both in homes and facilities. Volunteers who serve by visiting with patients and families may do so on days and times of their choosing. Patient care volunteers are there to provide emotional support through human contact. No administering of medications, medical interventions, hygiene services and so forth are done by volunteers. Simple companionship is all that is needed. 

This is just a few of the many things volunteers at Humanity Hospice can do. Others include music therapy, serving our veterans and so forth. Hospice volunteering changes so many lives with just a few moments of time.

For more information, contact Kerri Wells, Volunteer Coordinator at kerri@humanityhospice.com

The Arc of Oklahoma
The Arc of Oklahoma is looking for volunteers to become Oklahoma Advocates Involved in Monitoring (AIM Monitor). Volunteers will be trained to become monitors that visit individuals living in the community with developmental/intellectual disabilities receiving state services. Volunteers will conduct 30 minute home visits scheduled at the volunteer's convenience. Currently these visits are taking place virtually. Training and support are provided! Visit thearcok.org to request an application or call 918-582-8272. For any questions please reach out to Stacey Figueroa at sfigueroa@arcok.org

Coffee Creek Riding Center 
Creek Riding Center offers free therapeutic riding opportunities to disabled children ages 3 - 11 years! The riding center needs volunteers for mid-day and after school classes. Volunteers can  sign up to volunteer for a once a week volunteer opportunity for the duration of the semester. The time commitment is 1 or 1 1/2 hours a week. 

For more information visit their website is coffeecreek.org or contact Joy Milligan at coffeecreekriding@sbcglobal.net

Edmond Mobile Meals
Edmond Mobile Meals needs volunteers for meal delivery to Homebound Seniors. Meals are delivered Monday - Friday between 10:30am-12:30pm. Volunteers pick up meals and deliver a route to homebound seniors in Edmond.

Visit https://edmondmobilemeals.org/volunteer/ to sign up to volunteer. For any questions please reach out to Cristi Twenter at cristi@edmondmobilemeals.org 

Educational Guardians
An Ed GAL is a volunteer educational advocate appointed by the Juvenile Court in Oklahoma County with a court order for the best educational interest of a child/youth who is in DHS custody.  Ed GALs have access to educational records and are mentors to the child/youth assisting in removing barriers to a successful school experience and accessing community services for academic success.  This program has been in existence for 3 years with OLFC. Ed GALs receive specialized training to prepare to serve as educational advocates.   

To learn more about volunteering as an Ed GAL, email Scott Kaufman with Oklahoma Lawyers for Children at skaufman@olfc.org.

The Fountains at Canterbury
The Fountains at Canterbury located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a retirement community offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing. Volunteer opportunities are offered throughout the community to compliment and boost thier activity calendar. All volunteers are required to have had the COVID vaccine.

Volunteer Opportunities: Calling Bingo, Pet Therapy, Music Therapy, Leading a class in a wide range of topics: technology, arts, music, cooking, cultural, travel, history, pop culture. 

To share a skill, interest or hobbies with our residents-all of our residents enjoy music, theatre and dance!

They are having a Great Gatsby themed week in November from the 15th to the 21st, if there are any programs interested in supporting this.

For more information or to sign up for any of these events Please contact Lorna Deaton at lornardeaton@watermarkcommunities or call Lorn at 405.476.2195.

FreedomCity
Freedom City is looking for homework helpers, math buddies, pen pals, reading buddies, and more! For any questions please reach out to Alexia Converse, our mentoring coordinator for more information: alexia@freedomcityokc.com or contact Lena Lawson, our reading and math buddies coordinator, for more information: lena@freedomcityokc.com or visit freedomcityokc.galaxydigital.com

Scissortail Park Farmer's Market
Horticulture Heroes
Our Horticultural staff is short-handed and desperately needs assistance with weeding.  Summer weed control can be a huge challenge and it is difficult to keep our Park beautiful and weed-free.  Volunteers are enormous help and greatly appreciated! 

If interested in assisting our staff weed the grounds, please go to https://scissortailpark.galaxydigital.com/ to sign-up for Horticultural Heroes or email volunteer@scissortailpark.org. 

Creative Music Academy
Creative Music Academy is looking for any musicians that are interested in volunteering or interning in their music school. This non-profit music school that supports students in vitual or homeschool learning by teaching music lessons.

To learn more, contact Ann Booze at creativemusicacademyinc@gmail.com.

Traditions Health Edmond Hospice Volunteer
Traditions Health is seeking individuals to volunteer to spend time with a patient, provide help to a caregiver or assist with activities in a facility. If you have a desire to be of service to those in hospice care, we have a desire for you to be a part of our hospice team as a volunteer! A current driver's license and automobile insurance verification are required. There will be a background check and fingerprinting done.

Please contact Susan Lide, Volunteer Coordinator at 405-936-9433 or susan.lide@traditionshealth.com.

Good Shepard Hospice Volunteer Opportunities
Medical Office Administrative Volunteers
Do you enjoy organizing, computer work, and working on special projects? Do you have a desire to help others? Become an Administrative Assistant Volunteer for Good Shepher Hospice! As a hospice office volunteer you will assist our staff in so many significant and meaningful ways. Office Volunteers are very important in helping our patients and families. 

Patient Care Volunteers
Do you want to look back over your life and feel a sense of pride? Do you desire to accomplish meaningful, worthwhile activity as long as you are able? Do you have a desire to help others? Become involved as a Patient Care Volunteer for Good Shepherd Hospice! Patient Care Volunteers are significant helpers for our terminally-ill patients and their families in their time of need. Patient Care Volunteers visit their assigned patient one hour a week to provide companionship, emotional comfort and family support. 

Please visit our website at: www.goodshepherdhopice.com or contact Christa Cook, Volunteer Coordinator at 405-943-0903 or christa.cook@goodshepherdhospice.com

Central Park Community Garden

Come help your local community by volunteering with Central Park Community Garden!

Why we do it:

Central Park Community Garden believes a healthy community includes activities for youth and all ages to participate, has access to green spaces and healthy food within walking distance. They host weekly volunteer workdays open to the public, as well as youth activities with our neighborhood schools. The garden contributes to the life of local children by creating an urban wild space that serves both the community and struggling species which some of our youth may never see due to lack of nature-immersion opportunities.

In March, 2022, they launched our first workday to clean up the property and prepare the land for its makeover. They aim to reinvigorate the garden with a wide variety of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers that will benefit our native pollinators, as well as inviting walking paths, educational signage, seating areas and art to engage our local residents.

By adapting and expanding existing infrastructure, art and established pollinator plants, they will create an inviting, visitor-friendly space to wander and learn without the barriers of travel, admission fees or large-time commitments.

Additionally, the garden is centrally located within the Monarch butterfly’s migratory path – an iconic species whose population numbers have declined drastically over the last decade due to habitat loss and other factors. During the current environmental crisis in our society, this garden transformation will not only provide new habitat for wildlife, but it will also engage youth and neighbors while serving as inspiration for additional habitat at their place of residence, work and beyond.

What you will do:

Join Central Park Community Garden to help build a pollinator and people paradise!

They host volunteer work days open to the public – all ages are welcome! They have a variety of ways to participate such as cleaning up debris, trail maintenance and removing unwanted vegetation.

The next volunteer opportunity is Saturday, August 27, 9am – 11am

The Central Park Community Garden is located at NW 31st St. and N. Shartel Ave. in Oklahoma City.

How to sign up: