The Arlington County Volunteer Office offers these and hundreds of other volunteer opportunities.
* Arlington County DHS Adult Services Unit is in need of a volunteer to assist with organizing the holiday pickup and delivery of food and gifts for elderly clients. At Thanksgiving help is needed picking up food baskets and delivering to clients in Arlington. In December help is needed to coordinate the gift program, pick up, wrap and deliver gifts. Volunteer needs to be able to lift food baskets, have a good driving record and possible access to a van. Microsoft Word computer skills are needed. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* Arlington County's "Secret Santa" Program is recruiting individuals and groups to sponsor a family for the winter holiday season. Volunteers are matched with families in need of a holiday meal and gifts for family members. You can select a small or larger family and provide clothing, gifts, gift certificates and food for a holiday meal. Gift deliveries are scheduled for December 11 - 14. Call the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703 228-1760.
* Project Christmas Angel 2002, which delivers holiday gifts to children of incarcerated parents, is looking for volunteers to contribute financially to help cover the costs of postage and postal supplies or wrap, sort, and collect gifts or deliver them to the post office. Project Christmas Angel Wrapping Party will be held Dec. 12 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, located at 4000 Lorcom Lane. Call Katy Steinbruck at 703-228-7051.
* The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia is seeking volunteers to wrap gifts for a two or four hour shift at either Borders Books at Pentagon City Mall weekends and other dates through December 24th or at Barnes and Noble in Falls Church on December 13 - 15. Call the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703 228-1760.
* Meals on Wheels is recruiting volunteer drivers, riders and dispatchers to help in delivering meals to homebound Arlingtonians. Weekday help is needed between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Help is needed once a month or more. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Arlington Education and Employment Program (AEEP) is seeking volunteers to teach English as a Second Language to adults in free community-based classes in Arlington. Commitment requested is one evening or morning a week for a minimum of three months. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Hispanic Committee of Virginia is recruiting volunteers to be interpreters (English/Spanish), tutors, mentors, administrative assistants, or to provide transportation to medical appointments. Flexible scheduling possible. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Arlington County Department of Human Services Agency on Aging is recruiting volunteers to work in their Personal Advocate Services Program. Volunteers assist residents over 60 and are trained to assist in a variety of areas such as arranging ongoing home care, providing assistance after hospital discharge, exploring housing options, filling out forms or helping determine which services are available. In addition, special training will be available for those volunteers interested in working with insurance issues such as Medicare, Medigap, long-term care insurance and managed care. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Arlington County Senior Adult Travel Office needs help in the office answering phones, providing information on trips and registration, and photocopying program fliers. Volunteers need to have excellent people skills, a clear speaking voice, good organization skills, and knowledge of basic office machines (photocopier, fax, adding machine, and computer), and be able to work independently. Help is needed eight or more hours a week for a minimum of three months. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Arlington Public Schools Partners in Education Program is looking for weekday-available volunteers to help in the office with data input, typing, filing, organizing information, labeling and stuffing envelopes, copying, faxing, making phone calls, entering information into the Access database. Expertise in Access or Excel is desired but not necessary. Flexible hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Metro-accessible at either Ballston or Virginia Square on the Orange Line. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* Community Residences is seeking experienced volunteers to sit on committees to help plan their annual fund-raiser, A Taste of Arlington, to be held on Sunday, May 18, 2003. Committees needing assistance include Entertainment, Food and Restaurant, Logistics, Volunteers, Ticket Sales and Publicity. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Conservation Fund, located in Rosslyn, is recruiting volunteers to research corporations, foundations, and individual grant-making prospects; assist with maintaining the donor database; and help with organization of donor files. Weekday help is needed with flexible work schedule possible. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.
* The Bead Museum is seeking volunteers to meet and greet visitors, assist in the library, serve customers in the gift shop, work on education and outreach, help with the semi-annual bead bazaar, or string beads. Volunteers are needed five hours a week or more on Monday, Wednesday or Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; or Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Call Jean Berg at 703-228-1760.