Smorg July 2018

Posted: June 14, 2018

Volunteer Opportunities in San Diego County

HERE ARE SOME CURRENT OUTREACH PROJECTS THAT MAY HAVE YOUR NAME ON THEM!  Contact Info@girlfriends.org for more information or to sign up!

New or Upcoming Opportunities

• Shining Stars – COMIC CON StreetReach July 20 & 21st – Help spread the word that America’s Finest City does not tolerate human trafficking and sexual exploitation by distributing tip cards during Comic Con. Grab a friend or two and sign up here.
• Grandmas Care – Summer Flip Flop and Sunglasses Drive – Help our Grandmas Care girlfriends collect flip flops and sunglasses for children of all ages and women in transition. Our goal is to collected 60 flip flops and 60 sunglasses to be distributed mid July. Contact Rosita at GrandmasCare@girlfriendscare.org for more information.
• OZ/TAY – Contact Charity (cbrant@ymca.org | 559-349-1606) regarding the following opportunities.
  • YMCA Youth & Family Services Community Help Days  – The YMCA is remodeling a home in coastal Oceanside that they are opening up to get homeless young adults off the streets. They are looking for volunteers to help Saturday, June 16th in the below areas (expertise in these areas a plus but not required!!). Contact Charity (cbrant@ymca.org | 559-349-1606) to RSVP for a three hour time slot (9am-12pm, 12pm-3pm, or 3pm-6pm) and she will send you the address.
    • IKEA Furniture-Building
    • Installing AC Units, Ceiling Fans,&  Lights
    • Laying of Tile & Backsplashes
    • Installing Cabinets, Shelving, & Blinds
    • Yard Work
    • Light Painting
  • YMCA Welcome Home Kits – The following donations are needed for the new YMCA homeless young adult home:
    • Pet Care Items
      • Crates/kennels, dog beds and toys, pet hygiene items, (shampoo, flea collars, flea medicine, etc), vet services (free or discounted)
      • BIG ITEM: OUTDOOR COVERED DOG RUN or gift card to purchase one!
    • Welcome Home Kits ( x5 )
      • Full-sized hygiene items: shampoo, conditioner, body soap, feminine items, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, shave gel, bath towel, wash cloth, toilet paper pack, hair brush, comb
      • Alarm Clock
      • Throw Blanket
      • Mounting Adhesive Strips (for damage-free hanging on walls)
      • Laundry Kits
      • Detergent pods
      • Dryer sheets
      • Laundry basket
    • Gift cards (in $25 increments) to WalMart  as a Welcome Home! gift
  • Boys and Girls Club Vista – Summer Camp starts June 8 and will go through August 10.  For more information on the below opportunities, please contact Theresa at: theresa@girlfriendscare.org or Ellen at ellen@bgcvista.com.
    • Arts/Crafts-  help staff with art projects during summer camp and/or design and lead one of your own!
    • Sports/Playground assistance- lead the kids in fun, fitness activities or supervise them on the playground!
    • Have a special game or sport you’d like to share with the kids?  We love new activities!
    • Administrative/Logistics-  help organize and liquidate donated art and collectibles not suited for fundraising auctions
    • Background checks are required for volunteers over 18 working with the kids, application provided by the Club.
  • Monarch Schools  – We are collecting traditional school supplies (e.g. crayons, markers, glue, notebooks) as well as basic necessities such as ankle and basketball socks of all sizes and packs of underwear for  back to school season at Monarch School. Monarch Schools provides a safe, caring environment for learning for children facing homelessness in San Diego. You can bring your donation to any Girlfriends Care meeting or contact us at info@girlfriendscare.org to schedule a pickup/drop-off.
  • Serve Dinner at Solutions for Change – Solutions for Change has re-opened their old shelter location in Vista so they are now supporting two separate in-take shelters. Volunteers are still needed to provide dinner to residents at the old shelter (no more than 40 people).  If you would like to serve dinner, please sign up here.

  Ongoing Opportunities

  • Prayer Pillowcases – Girlfriends are needed to help cut, iron and sew our Prayer Pillowcases in preparation for the distribution of more than 700 pillowcases each year to comfort the homeless and those living in transitional housing in both North County and San Diego. Girlfriends are also needed to lead groups of kids decorating and praying for the receiver.  Contact Linda Crawford at pillowcases@girlfriendscare.org for more information and/or to make a project donation.
  • GFC Gift Bags for women in need– Supplies are needed to fill GFC Gift Bags. A beautiful gift bag brings a smile to those with very little. Girlfriends Care decorates and puts together gifts bags for women and girls in need, We need new journals, beauty items, jewelry and other “girly” items to fill the bags.  Contact Diana Hanes at Diana@girlfriendscare.org if you would like to donate or bring them to a monthly meeting.  
  • Homeless Street Teens and Foster Youth Aging out of the system – Donate non-perishable snacks or socks to be handed out to the homeless teens through YMCA Youth & Family Services. Bring to the next Girlfriends Care meeting or drop off at any of our drop off locations or contact MaryAnn at mgraham@ymca.org.
  • Milestone House, Support At-Risk Teen Foster Girls!  Milestone House is in need of volunteers who are willing to share their teaching talents in areas needed – such as music, art or cooking.   Contact Beverly Boone at Beverly@milestonehouse.org.  
  • Help Women and Children Rebuilding Their Lives After Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault – The moms and children living in transitional housing at the Women’s Resource Center always need basic household supplies and grocery store gift cards.   Drop your donation during regular business hours at their office at 1963 Apple Street, Oceanside 92054 – or bring to a GFC meeting.
  • Brother Benno’s– Volunteers are always needed at both the main center and the Thrift Shop. Contact Denise Seymour at denise@artistofyourmind.com.  The Thrift shop is in needed of clothing donations.  Drop off at the Thrift Shop or contact parsons7016@sbcglobal.net.  
  • Bread of Life– Serving the homeless in North County.  Volunteers are needed for various projects.  To find out more go to website bolrescue.org or contact bolrescue@gmail.com. Donations of food and paper products are in need!   
  • Fill A Belly welcomes families, small groups and individuals to bring, serve and enjoy dinner with guests on Tuesday evenings at Holiday Park in Carlsbad.
  • KidzCare– Hands-on kid sized outreach projects for kids age K-8^th grade are great teaching tools!  Contact Sharon at KidzCare@girlfriendscare.org for more information or to sign up.
  • Teens Care for ages 13-19 is designed to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for youth.  Projects can count towards community service hours required by local schools.  For more info or to get on the mailing list, contact Ellen at TeensCare@girlfriendscare.org.
  • Have a talent to share? Contact Carol@girlfriendscare.org to add your name to our list of those willing to teach, sing, play an instrument or share your skill at an upcoming event, senior home, or other organization we serve. (Please indicate name, email address, talent and best times available.) 
  • “GFC Breakfast Club”: Help feed the poor and homeless at Brother Benno’s on the 3rd Saturday of each month (except December).  Arrive at 9:30 AM and finish by Noon!  The food, which is supplied and prepared by Brother Benno’s, is served from a cafeteria-type line. If you want to serve, or just to put your name on the Serving Roster to be notified for future months, please let us know at Info@girlfriends.org   Ages 17 thru 107 are welcome!
  • Amazon-SMILE is a simple and automatic way for you to support Girlfriends Care every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Girlfriends Care.  Simply choose AmazonSmile and Girlfriends Care, then place your order as usual.   Share this with your friends, relatives, college students ordering their books, etc., so we can “Compound the Caring” for all those we serve!  AmazonSmile: You shop. Amazon gives.  Another Win-Win-Win!