Whether it is for your resume or simply the love for your community, volunteering is a fitting way to get involved. There are numerous local opportunities that are always open to a helping hand.
One nearby opportunity is the Rolling Hills Ministries Thrift store. Those interested can fill out an application at rollinghillsministries.com or arrive at any time during store hours.
Store hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, the store closes at 3 p.m. and is closed all day on Sunday.
During business hours, volunteers can expect to sort clothes and hang them on their respective racks. They may also be asked to clean and pick up around the store.
It can be difficult to find time to volunteer as a college student, so if students would like to help the organization but do not have time to volunteer, they can donate their used clothing as well as other items such as books and decor.
The Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo is another place students can volunteer, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week. The zoo is home to various animals from across the globe, aiming to educate people and protect wildlife.
Our local zoo appreciates all the help it can get and offers many ways for community members to get involved and support the animals. Volunteers may be tasked with greeting guests, being a tour guide, or acting as project leaders.
The zoo also plans designated volunteer days. On March 21 at 9 a.m., the organization will host their “Paws on Volunteer Day” in which people will spend two hours helping by assisting with building, gardening, painting and repairing animal exhibits.
Those interested can sign up on their website, monroezoo.org. In addition, they also accept monetary donations to help keep Monroe’s zoo alive and thriving.
If you are interested in history, the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum may be the perfect volunteer opportunity. It is located across the street from the food bank.
It is a small museum aiming to honor and preserve history, especially aviation and military. Since the museum has limited staff, volunteers are encouraged to come to help with cleaning or giving tours to visitors. Though the museum’s main source of help stems from monetary donations through memberships, volunteers are also welcome.
They are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, though the best time to volunteer would be Fridays and Saturdays when they are most busy.
Admission to the museum is free for everyone, so potential volunteers could come to learn about its artifacts and teach others about it.
“My favorite part of volunteering for the Chennault museum is getting to look at all of the exhibits,” sophomore communications major Linden Justus said.
Just a three-minute drive from campus is the River Cities Humane Society for Cats. This non-profit assigns volunteers to clean litter pans, socialize with cats and clean the building.
The organization is flexible with volunteer hours. However, some tasks, such as transporting kitties to set up vet appointments, require a strict time. Their operating hours are from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Those interested in volunteering may locate the volunteer application on their website: rivercitiescats.org.
In addition to traditional volunteering, people can foster cats. Fostering cats entails allowing a cat to temporarily live with you, providing socialization and care. The shelter ensures it is not costly for their fosters by supplying the food, covering medical expenses and providing any other supplies needed. The foster application is also located on their website.
Further resides the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana (NELA). The Food Bank of NELA fights against hunger by providing food to various parishes across northeast Louisiana.
Volunteers can expect to sort and pack food in their warehouse, deliver food to senior citizens monthly and assist with special events.
Those interested in helping can sign up on their website, foodbanknela.org. There, people can select an event and a time at which they would like to volunteer, ranging from 8 a.m. to p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays. Similar to Rolling Hills, people may also donate food or money to help.
There are many ways to get involved not only on campus, but also off campus. Volunteer opportunities are all around our twin cities. Anyone can make a difference; that includes you.
