City looks for holiday volunteers

As organizations prepare for the holidays, city groups are seeking student volunteers to fill the gaps.

Many nonprofit organizations in Bloomington depend on IU student volunteers, and as students head home for the holidays, organizations find themselves without the majority of their workforce, said Bet Savich of the City of Bloomington volunteer network.

“There are a lot of organizations who offer it year-round at the capacity they can run while the students are here. When the students are gone, they have problems,” Savich said.

With the campus mostly empty, Savich said staff members are often forced to take on jobs they wouldn’t normally do, such as working on the serving line at a local soup kitchen.

In order to fill these holes, many community organizations are looking for students to volunteer during the holiday season. June Taylor of the American Red Cross said students who aren’t leaving for the holidays might find comfort in spending their  time helping others.

“I know we have students at IU who may not have the opportunity to go home over the holidays, and sometimes that is a very lonely time,” Savich said.

The American Red Cross is looking for people to send cards to veterans as part of their Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Individuals may pick up cards at a local branch.
Savich said nursing homes, community kitchens and Adopt-A-Family programs are also in need of volunteer assistance during the holiday season.

In Bloomington, Adopt-A-Family programs exist at Backstreet Missions, Inc., Bloomington Housing Authority, Foster Care Select, Middle Way House, Inc., Monroe County United Ministries, Salvation Army and Shalom Community Center.
Novella Shuck of the Bloomington Housing Authority also emphasized the importance of student volunteers during the holiday season.

A lot of students are going home for break, but that is one of the reasons why volunteering for the holiday season is so important, Shuck said.

The Bloomington Housing Authority is seeking volunteers to purchase gifts for its Adopt-a-Family program as well as for its resident Christmas party Dec. 7. Individuals may also volunteer to help at the party itself, Shuck said.

A variety of other organizations are seeking volunteers as well. Bloomington’s Cardinal Stage Company is one such organization.

“We have students who volunteer in a lot of different areas,” said Katie Becker, director of administration  for the company.

Becker said eight students are needed to usher the company’s production of “The Sound of Music,” which will run from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3. Ushers are given the chance to see the performance for free. Volunteers are also needed for set construction and tear-down.
“It’s a good time for students to volunteer all-around,” Savich said.