Smorg May 2019

Posted: May 18, 2019

Volunteer Opportunities

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

• Family Recovery Center – At our May meeting we learned that residents at FRC could use the following items:
  • Personal hygiene items (deodorant, 8 oz bottles of shampoo, hair products for all hair types, etc.)
  • Daily planners notebooks, journals, binders, clipboards, stationary
  • Diapers and wipes
  • Pillows
  • Plus size clothing 
• Grandmas Care Summer Drive – Donate flip flops, hats and sunglasses for children of all ages and women in transition. Our goal is to collect 70 each to be distributed mid July. Contact Rosita at GrandmasCare@girlfriendscare.org for more information.
• Operation Hope – Prepare and serve dinner for 45 (mostly children) on June 5, 16 or 29.  Arrive at 5:00 to serve at 5:30.  Perfect opportunity for several families or a small group.  For more details and to sign up, contact Lara Buros lburos@operationhope.org or ellen@girlfriendscare.org.
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Ongoing Opportunities

• 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.  
• 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.
• 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 Charity at CBrant@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 neighbors without homes 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.
• Boys and Girls Club of Vista After school assistance with children’s programs and activities needed.  Also seeking administrative help and assistance with fundraisers and special programs. Contact Ellen Clark at ellen@bgcvista.com
• Operation Hope  Be a Grandparent for a Day to children in transition! Every 2nd Saturday Operation Hope is in need of 5 seniors to spend the morning loving on the children living at Operation Hope. RSVP to Lizeteh at lma@operationhopeshelter.org.
• 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!