Central Service Spotlight--November 15th-November 21st

Hey Bronchos! 

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. 

Community Engagement Updates

Are you interested in Alternative Breaks? 

Over the past year and a half, Alternative Breaks had to halt much of our work and plans due to COVID-19. While we aren’t fully past the pandemic yet, we are ready to start planning for the spring of 2022 and beyond. If you are interested in learning more and getting involved in future programs, you are invited to attend an Alternative Break Interest Meeting. We will be going over some history of the program, what our mission is, and what our plans look like from here! This meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 17^th at 6pm in the NUC Carl Albert Room (Room 300). Register today!

For any questions, please reach out to Community Enagement Director, Nicole Doherty at ndoherty@uco.edu

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

On-Campus Service Opportunities

Central Pantry Birthday Month
Our UCO Central Pantry turns 9 years old this month! Follow us on Social Media @uco_ce to learn more about how you get involved in celebrating and supporting the UCO Central Pantry!

Ready to kick off the celebrations?! Now through the end of the month you can bring any 5 non-perishable food items to the Ayers Kitchen or Nigh Market and recieve a voucher for a free, small drip coffee! All donation items will benefit the Central Pantry!

Central Pantry Volunteers
Interested in Volunteering in the Central Pantry?
Spring Central Pantry Volunteer Applications will open November 29th! 

MLK Day of Service Registration
Community Engagement invites you to participate in our annual, nationally recognized MLK Day of Service...A Day ON, not a day off!

On this day of service, Community Engagement will be working with several of our non profit Community Partners to provide a morning of direct service in our OKC metro community. This day of service will take place on January 17th 2022 from 9am-1pm. Volunteers are responsible for self transportation to and from sites.

Register here and select your site! Please note that site selection is first come, first serve. Once a site is full, we will not be able to add additional volunteers.

For any questions please email Community Engagement Director, Nicole Doherty and ndoherty@uco.edu or call Community Engagement at 405-974-2623.

WinterGlow Volunteer Needed
UCO’s Annual WinterGlow event will be held on December 3^rd from 6-9 pm at the Nigh University Center and we want YOU to volunteer to help celebrate the holiday season with the UCO and Edmond communities! The event will kick off at 6 pm with the Lighting Ceremony at the Broncho Lake Blue Tent. Once we countdown and light up Broncho Lake, we will make our way into the Nigh University Center for the WinterGlow carnival where there will be games, crafts, activities, story-time with characters, Santa photos, a place to drop toy and coat donations, and MORE!

All of these activities at WinterGlow need volunteers like YOU to help facilitate to make the event run smoothly!

SIGN UP HERE!

If you have any questions about WinterGlow volunteering, please email Asia Allen, aallen54@uco.edu!

Black Male Summit Volunteers
The Black Male Summit will be taking place on November 17th from 8am - 3:30pm and we have various opportunities for volunteering both prior to the event and the day of the event. If you are nterested, tplease use the following sign-up link - https://bit.ly/3mVy5C2.

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.

Service Internship Opportunities

The Care Center Internships
The Care Center is seeking students to intern at their organization this school year. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer and internship opportunities, contact, Hailey McClain at Hailey@carecenter-okc.org.

A role with The Care Center typically looks like:
Children and families coming to The Care Center come for forensic interviews, family advocacy, and/or counseling services. The children coming to The CARE Center are referred by DHS or Law Enforcement because they are suspected to be a victim or witness of some sort of abuse. In light of this, The Care Center provides children and their families wrap-around victim and advocacy services that promote hope and healing. Currently, we are in need of volunteers to play with children and siblings on our campus as they wait for services; safely walk children and families to other buildings on our campus. We call this very important part of a child’s experience at The Care Center, Play Orientation. This role does require an OSBI background check. Volunteer shifts are typically M, T, W, TH from 9am-11:30am or 1:30pm-3:30pm. Volunteers can sign up to volunteer weekly or whenever they are available to take a shift.

Community Partner Service Opportunities

Association of Central Oklahoma Governments
ACOG needs volunteers to help with bike and pedestrian counts along roads and trails in the OKC area. A volunteer will be assigned to an area and count/record the number of bike riders and pedestrians within a certain time frame.

To view and sign up for specific times and dates, please visit ACOG’s blog.

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 Contact 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.


Palomar Family Justice System Camp HOPE Mentor
Camp HOPE is an evidence based camping program for youth ages 7-17 exposed to Domestic Violence held during the summer and school year with monthly programs where we connect with our youth and do activities like vision boards, bowling. art classes, etc. Mentors for our school year programming must be at least 17 years of age and eager to serve the youth of OKC. This is open to youth and adult mentors and there is not an age limit for this program. Mentors can earn 2-6 volunteer hours each month. 

For more information or to apply please reach out to Coordinator Morgan Cremers at morgan.cremers@palomarokc.org.

TEEM Toy Drive
United Way Community Partner TEEM will be hosting a Toy Drive from November 1st through December 10th. Toys raised during the drive will be used for the Toy "Shop," TEEM participants can pick out toys for their kids free of charge. TEEM participants are individuals who have been impacted by incarceration, and this event helps spread some holiday cheer to children of justice-involved parents. Suggested gift ideas include electronics, dolls, art supplies, books, sports equipment, etc. 

Toy drop off is at 1501 N. Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City between 8am-4pm Monday-Friday.

To schedule a toy pick-up, email info@teem.org or call 405.235.5671
For any questions please reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Nikki Sharber at nsharber@teem.org

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.

Upward Transitions
Travelers Aid Booth Volunteers at Will Rogers Airport

Do you like working with the public and helping people? Travelers Aid information booth friendly volunteers do that and more at Will Rogers World Airport. In addition to answering the telephone and assisting visitors with paging services, airport information & directions in & around the metro OKC area, Travelers Aid Volunteers act as ambassadors of the airport and the city of Oklahoma City.
Upward Transitions operates the information booths at Will Rogers World Airport and they need volunteers to work a reoccurring weekly four hour shift! Volunteer schedules are flexible. 

For more information or to sign up, contact Crystal Levine, Travelers Aid Volunteer Coordinator, at 405-232-5507 Ext. 107 or clevine@upwardtransitions.org or visit their website.

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

The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army needs volunteers to sort and stock their food pantry on Fridays from 8:30am-12pm.

For more information and to sign up, contact Liz Banks at liz.banks@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 405-246-1107.