Celebrate Black History Month and continue honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by joining Serve2Change volunteer service week, a partnership between the Urban League of Hampton Roads and Volunteer Hampton Roads. Through service, we can change our community for the better one project at a time. We invite individuals, businesses, groups, faith-based organizations, and schools to join us.
Serve2Change volunteer service week starts Monday, February 22, and concludes on Sunday, February 28, 2021, with a virtual community conversation.
Explore the diverse volunteer service opportunities below. With COVID-19 in mind, volunteer service projects will range from at home and virtual events to small group opportunities.
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3
- Register below for service projects taking place February 22 - 28, 2021.
- Take photos during your volunteer activity and share on social media using #Serve2Change757.
- Join us for the culminating virtual event to share your experiences in our community conversation called What It Means to Me to Serve the Community.
Cooking and Serving Meals to Park Place School- Breakfast Shift
For volunteering, you will arrive at Mercy Chef's Community Kitchen in Portsmouth, VA. The kitchen building is located behind the main building. You can access it by walking up the brick driveway. When you arrive, you will check in with the kitchen team member who will take your temperature. You'll need to fill out a Mercy Chefs' volunteer registration form either when you arrive or you can fill it out online ahead of time. After check in, you will participate in preparing the food for Park Place School. Once the food is ready, you'll travel to the school in your own vehicle, 422 Shirley Ave, Norfolk, VA, to help serve the meals. Once the meals are served and clean-up is completed, you'll be done for the day! We have both lunch (separate opportunity) and breakfast shifts. Since we will be in a kitchen and it is a foodservice environment, you'll need to wear closed toed shoes and any long hair will need to be tied up. We will provide you with a Mercy Chefs' volunteer T-shirt. Consider that we will be preparing food, so wear clothes that you don't mind if they get a little dirty. Background Information about Park Place School: Park Place School is small school located in Norfolk, VA. The mission of Park Place School, in collaboration with community partners, is to build strong academic and spiritual foundations in students to prepare them for success. A few years ago, they lost their building and they are now based in the Jewish Community Center in the Ghent area of Norfolk. Their new space has no kitchen, so Mercy Chefs adopted them and this will be the third year of school foodservice!
Drivers to deliver meals for seniors in Western Tidewater
Help us ensure our seniors have a warm meal each day! Pick up location: Suffolk – Exact location is provided after sign-up Pick up time: 8:00 am pick up for Meal Deliveries Routes are created to be efficient for the driver. You will receive more information at the volunteer site. Coolers, camo bags, and other items must be returned to the volunteer site upon completion of your route. Health & Safety - Volunteers must bring their own masks and wear them at all times. - Social distancing must always be maintained (6ft-8ft). - Please do not volunteer if you have recently been in contact with someone with COVID-19, have flu-like symptoms, or have recently traveled to a COVID-19 hotspot.
Cooking and Serving Meals to Park Place School - Lunch Shift
Thank you for wanting to volunteer to help our local Hospital front line workers and the kids at Park Place School! Mercy Chefs is currently feeding multiple different hospitals around the Coastal Virginia area, while also feeding the kids who attend Park Place School. You will arrive at Mercy Chef's Community Kitchen in Portsmouth, VA (located at 711 Washington St.). The kitchen building is located behind the main building. You can access it by walking up the brick driveway. When you arrive, you will check in with the kitchen team member who will take your temperature. Please fill out the volunteer pre-registration form before serving. Registration form is located here:https://secure.mercychefs.com/ site/SPageNavigator/volunteer/ screening.html ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST FILL OUT THE PRE-REGISTRATION FORM BEFORE SERVING. After check in, you will participate in preparing the food for Park Place School and Hospital front line workers. Since we will be in a kitchen and it is a foodservice environment, you'll need to wear closed toed shoes and any long hair will need to be tied up. We will provide you with a Mercy Chefs' volunteer T-shirt. Consider that we will be preparing food, so wear clothes that you mind if they get a little dirty.
Food pantry volunteers needed
Volunteers needed for sorting donated food on weekdays; volunteers inspect, sort and pack perishable and non-perishable food for distribution to direct feeding programs and pre-pack groceries which will be picked up or delivered in the community that we serve. Shifts Available Mondays 9am -12pm (2) Tuesdays 9am -12pm (2) Registration/Greeters: (2) each biweekly 9am -12pm Sign in Food Pantry attendees. Provide participants with information and answer questions as needed concerning the Food Distribution. For volunteers between 12-17 Young people play a vital role as volunteers, helping with everything from sorting donated food and assisting with office mailings, to helping at food drives and special events. Children ages 12-17 MUST be accompanied by a parent or caregiver at all times when they volunteer at the Wesley Community Service Center. Notifications: We do not accept and will not document court-ordered, attorney-advised or other legal-related volunteering.
Drive Thru Food Pantry
Volunteers are needed to assist with packing our food donations. Drive-thru pantry volunteers will also assist with loading the food donations into client vehicles. All volunteers will be required to wear a mask.
Volunteers needed to deliver meals to seniors in the 757
Senior Services of Southeastern VA in coordination with Beth Sholom Village Volunteers are needed to deliver meals for over 600 seniors a week in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach. Pick up location: Beth Sholom Village Pick up time: 8:00 am Meal Deliveries Routes are created to be efficient for the driver. You will receive more information at the volunteer site. Coolers, camo bags, and other items must be returned to volunteer site upon completion of your route. Health & Safety Volunteers must bring their own masks and wear them at all times. Social distancing must always be maintained (6ft-8ft). Please do not volunteer if you have recently been in contact with someone with COVID-19, have flu-like symptoms, or have recently traveled to a COVID-19 hotspot.
Food Pantry - Unloading & Organizing
Every Wednesday morning, we receive a shipment of food from the local food bank. We need 2 volunteers to assist with unloading the food from the truck and organizing it into the pantry. Carts and dollies are used to move the food, but volunteers need to be able to lift 30 lbs. COVID protocols will apply to this shift, including temperature checks, social distancing, and masks.
Wednesday Night Grocery Distribution to local neighborhood
We are looking for volunteers to help us distribute groceries in our adopted neighborhood. We need your help to load up the delivery truck and set up on site to distribute groceries. We will meet at the Dream Center, and drive to the distribution site after loading the truck.
Bingo Fundraiser Volunteers
Community Knights funds its GIFT Grant program that provides aid to nonprofits on the Virginia Peninsula. Community Knights has provided $1,522,000.00 in 762 GIFT grants to 187 different nonprofit and public school groups on the Virginia Peninsula over the past 7 years. We are in need of 25 volunteers weekly for our weekly Bingo Night Fundraisers and 15 Prep day volunteers. Our BINGO is a smoke-free environment, for families age 14+. All volunteers who attend the on-site days will receive a free meal from one of the food trucks that we have every week at our bingo game. We also can provide a letter for community service at the end of the session if needed. Volunteers are needed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will be expanding to Sundays during the summer. The operation requires a lot of hands in order for the events to go smoothly, and so we are looking for dedicated individuals that are looking to join our volunteer team for on-site bingo days, or Prep days. Prep is the mixing and sorting of our Bingo Instant Pull Tabs and putting together Bingo Packs for our next Fundraising Event. Requirements: Volunteers must be age ages 14+. Court Ordered volunteers are accepted if they have NOT committed a felony. If you are interested in filling a volunteer position please email: lorrainesantalucia@communityknights.org
Weekend grocery distribution to a local neighborhood
We are looking for volunteers to help us distribute groceries in our adopted neighborhood. We need your help to load up the delivery truck and set up on site to distribute groceries. We will meet at the Dream Center, and drive to the distribution site after loading the truck.
Village Family Food Pantry Volunteers Needed
Volunteer Opportunities: Sorting through the donations and helping organize everything to be distributed to those in need. Volunteers needed to unload, store, break down boxes, organize, sort food and clothes. This volunteer opportunity does require repetitive lifting of boxes that weigh about 25 lbs. As always, please only volunteer if you are healthy. Bring your mask, be sure to wear close-toed shoes and dress for the weather, as most of what we do occurs outside. Nothing else matters when you are hungry. Learn more about Village Family Food outreach programs at www.villagefamilyoutreach.net
About The Urban League of Hampton Roads
The mission of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) is to enable African Americans and others to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights. The ULHR implements its mission by providing services and programs in education, employment, health, and housing to Hampton Roads communities through direct services, advocacy, research, policy analysis, community mobilization, and collaboration throughout communities. An affiliate of the National Urban League, we also work closely with ULHR's Young Professionals whose mission is to engage young professionals in the Urban League of Hampton Roads’ movement towards the achievement of social and economic equality. Learn more about the Urban League of Hampton Roads by visiting their website.
CONNECT. EQUIP. MOBILIZE.