Volunteer!

Are you looking for ways to give back to your community, support a cause you believe in, develop new skills?  Whatever your reason, you can put your time and talents to good use by volunteering.

There are volunteer opportunities that meet the essential criteria in helping with the COVID-19 pandemic locally, however, the Michigan Community Service Commission, the state’s lead agency on volunteerism, is connecting volunteers to needs by working with state level networks and associations.  

Visit: volunteermichigan.org

                                                                                                                                                                   
Didn't find something you're interested in? There are plenty of other ways to get involved - check out the great opportunities below! 

Michigan Volunteer Resources

Volunteer Month
Find way to get involved in Volunteer Month during April in Michigan.

Days of Service
The Michigan Community Service Commission offers volunteer project funding for National Days of Service, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Global Youth Service Day and 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.

National Day of Service Budget Form

Volunteer with the DNR, it's a great feeling!

Here are a few examples of volunteer opportunities:

• Recreation safety instructor: Teach hunter education, snowmobile, boating and off-road vehicle safety courses.
• Volunteer host: Be a host at a campground, harbor or lighthouse!
• Stewardship at state parks: Remove invasive plants and help protect native ecosystems.
• History Center volunteer: Join a friends group or become a museum docent.
• Adopt a Forest: Report a dumpsite, make a donation or volunteer to clean up the forest. 
• Wildlife habitat improvement: Plant trees, install fish spawning structures, and restore grassland habitat.
• Photo ambassador: Take photos of state parks, trails and waterways

Michigan Volunteer Registry

The Michigan Volunteer Registry ( www.MIVolunteerRegistry.org ) is a secure internet-based system enabling both healthcare personnel and citizens to volunteer their assistance during a public health or medical emergency.  The registry assembles volunteers based on verification of their identity, credentials, and qualifications. During an emergency, volunteer information will be gathered and appropriate volunteers contacted by authorized personnel. Individuals willing to assist during an event may choose to register as part of their county’s response team or an affiliated response organization, like the Michigan Mortuary Response Team or National Ski Patrol. Volunteers of all skill levels, experiences, and affiliations are encouraged to register.

Be a Mentor
There are more than 3,500 children in Michigan waiting to be matched with a caring adult. If you want to make a difference in the life of a child, mentoring only takes about one hour a week. Pass It On. To find a place to mentor, visit the mentoring connector.

Youth Initiatives
The Michigan Community Service Commission offers resources for youth volunteer initiatives.

National Service
AmeriCorps is often compared to a U.S.-based Peace Corps. It engages more than 75,000 Americans each year in service to meet critical community needs. You can serve on a part-time or full-time basis. Participants, called members, must be 17 to apply and are of all ages, including retirees.  Members receive some monetary compensation while serving. To learn more, visit our "Michigan's AmeriCorps" page.

Michigan Community Service Commission
The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) supports programs and activities to help individuals get involved in their local communities. The MCSC also recognizes outstanding volunteers in your community through the Governor's Service Awards. To learn more, visit the "Governor's Service Awards" page. 

Serve.gov 
An online portal, www.serve.gov, is available to help individuals, groups, and organizations find volunteer opportunities. For a volunteer opportunity near you, please visit  www.serve.gov today. You can search by ZIP code and keyword, as well as post your own service events and/or opportunities.  

Create The Good
Fifty years ago, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired high school principal, founded AARP with the motto, "To serve, not be served." AARP continues to honor its founder by connecting members and engaging them and their networks in a wide range of opportunities to serve others via the Create The Good network. Anyone can visit the Create The Good website to find hundreds of opportunities to get involved in activities that help their neighbors and communities - whether they have five minutes or five hours. Create The Good expands on traditional ways to volunteer by exploring simple steps, time flexible opportunities, and a wide variety of issues in which to get involved. Join more than 9 million Americans making a difference through AARP. Sign up for the Create The Good network today at  www.aarp.org/CreateTheGood .