People are at the heart of everything we do. It is the people of our community that we serve. It is the people that organize and run our organization. And it is the people who volunteer their time, talents, and resources to support our initiatives. When we talk about making a difference in the community, it takes a village. And not just any village. It takes villagers with heart.
Volunteering is not for the faint of heart. It does require some level of sacrifice and commitment. But we measure hearts a little differently here at Community Action Services (CASFB) in Provo. The weight of our volunteers’ efforts is measured by the love they give when they show up and the love they offer when they help others. We are thrilled to watch that love spread throughout our communities.
A volunteering heart is one filled with the DESIRE to do good. What can happen to your heart when you volunteer? Like the famed story tells, “And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say—that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.” Hearts grow and connect when volunteers gather together, and every heart (no matter its size) is capable of spreading love through acts of service.
Without our volunteers here at CASFB, we could not do what we do. And we are ALWAYS in need of volunteers to help keep our organization running smoothly and help more people in our community. Are you ready to get to work on your volunteering heart? Here are nine ways you can volunteer to help!
1. Dig in at the Community Gardens
We need your green thumbs! Our community garden volunteer opportunities are now open. This is a popular service for those who enjoy being outdoors. Volunteers can help clean up the various community gardens by weeding, removing dead produce, and watering gardening boxes. This is a great idea for smaller groups.
2. Volunteer Hours at the Food Pantry
For a fun, hands-on volunteer experience, consider volunteering for a day or night shift at our food pantry. Volunteers can walk in or use our sign-up form. If you have a group larger than 25, please email Hillary (hillaryw@communityactionuc.org) to confirm. Because of the high number of individuals seeking volunteering opportunities, please provide at least two days’ notice if you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason.
3. Host a Food Drive
The Feed Utah food drive held on Saturday, March 18, brought in 144,000 pounds of food. While this was an incredible amount of food donated by churches, individuals, groups, and more, it is much less than the amount that was donated a few years ago. As food prices rise, donations drop—but needs rise. Food drives of any size can be coordinated with the organization and delivered to one of our local pantries.
4. Join Our #givingtuesdaynow Challenges
Each Tuesday on our Instagram page, we share an inexpensive item you can donate to the organization. Donation calls have ranged from canned proteins to breakfast cereals, hygiene items, and diapers. Follow us now so you can see what we’re currently in need of. Then simply add that week’s item to your weekly grocery list and drop it off at our Provo location during regular business hours. It’s a simple but effective way to help.
5. Donate Gas Cards
Many in our community who need help the most often don’t have the resources to fill their gas tank to come and shop our pantries or attend a Circles meeting. In order to help these individuals, we encourage you to donate gas cards in $10–25 amounts to help these families get to their local pantry. You can drop these off for Helen at our Provo location, and they will be distributed among community members who need them.
6. Cook a Meal
We offer a meal to the families who attend our Circles events. We’d love donated meals that can feed these individuals and their children. Perfect for church groups, families, groups, or businesses, you can coordinate meal donations through this sign-up form. If you have additional questions about donating or preparing a meal for attendees, email circles@communityactionuc.org or call us at 435-841-7261.
7. Offer to Provide Childcare
Have a knack with children? We’re looking for volunteers to come and watch the children of our Circles attendees. We provide games, activities, and snacks to help keep the kids occupied while their parents receive support and training. Volunteers eat dinner with the kids and provide activities while parents learn more about self-sufficiency. To volunteer for this opportunity, schedule an intake at (801) 691-5215 or VolunteerConnection@CommunityActionUC.org.
8. Sponsor an Event
With our upcoming Birthday Bash and Gala, we’re looking for corporate sponsors to help fund these events. Sponsorships can include financial support, volunteer opportunities, and more. To learn about how your corporation can help sponsor one of our larger events, contact lisa@communityactionuc.org. You can also host your own food drive or giveback event, such as the incredible event sponsored and run by NuSkin last winter.
9. Become a Circles Ally or Leader
Circle Allies are middle-class volunteers from the community who become intentional friends to struggling individuals and families by providing encouragement, acceptance, support, life experience, and social networks. Once matched, Allies and Circle Leaders meet regularly to work on goals, address problems, and celebrate accomplishments. To learn more or to volunteer in this capacity, please fill out the contact form.
No matter how you choose to help, we can use your unique heart to touch lives and make a difference in our community. If you have an idea for an activity for our organization, please reach out! We’d love to coordinate something amazing with you and your organization or group. Or, if you’re an individual looking to give back, we have lots of incredible volunteer opportunities for you as well. No matter how you choose to serve, we welcome all acts of kindness.