JSS succeeds because of its fabulous team of volunteers. We are constantly in need of volunteers to assist with programs that decrease social isolation and support the needs of the diversity of populations that we serve: from seniors, young adults and families, to the homeless, displaced, asylees and refugees.
Becoming a Volunteer – Please begin by filling out a Volunteer Application!
Ways to Get Involved:
Individual and Family Support: Extend and provide support by helping clients coping with a move, changes or challenges in their life situations, and being an ally and resource person. Scheduling is variable and flexible according to your availability, and schedule and needs of client.
Driver: This may be combined with individual/family support volunteering or as designated shopper. Providing rides to clients for appointments and other destinations is on an as-needed and as-available basis. Whether as a driver or designated shopper, we will do a driver’s record check, and verify that you have current vehicle insurance and driver’s license.
Designated Shopper: Helping people by providing assistance and companionship by going shopping or running errands with them. In some situations, clients may need volunteer to go without them to pick up groceries or other items for them.
Spiritual Care Department Volunteers: The spiritual care department is looking for volunteers who are interested in visiting people in memory care with specific training for such visits.
Office Help: Assist in various tasks as needed for mailings, record keeping and other office tasks.
Volunteer for holiday, social events, and Shabbats: Assisting staff to help participants, family and friends enjoy and participate in meals, holiday celebrations, and various social and educational events. If you would like to help put together holiday gift bags, and/ or delivering holiday treats to people in their homes and facilities – we will welcome you to join our crew!
Child care volunteers: Thursday’s at 10AM at the Northport Community Center located at 1740 Northport Drive Madison, WI 53704. We are running an Afghan women’s support group during this time; it is ongoing and the attendance varies week to week. The women who attend all bring their children, so we are looking for child care help to allow them to fully participate in the group discussion. The children range in age from infants-5. We would ask that the volunteers arrive at 10AM and stay until 11AM.
Refugee Mentorship through Aljirani Madison: Aljirani Madison (from the Swahili “jirani – neighbor” and Arabic “aljar – neighbor”) is a 6-month long volunteering program that pairs a companion or small group of companions with a refugee or refugee family to form an Aljirani Madison Group. Partner with a local refugee family to provide a warm welcome, companionship, and practical help.
Co-sponsorship: receive training and assistance from JSS staff to share the work of resettlement. Activities include finding and preparing homes pre-arrival, greeting the family at the airport, connecting them with local services, helping them secure employment and providing transportation as needed, all with assistance from JSS’s experienced staff.
Community Action for Refugee Arrivals (CARA) Program: support JSS refugee clients by setting up apartments and engaging the broader community in ways to make Madison an even more welcoming place for refugees.
For questions or to request more information, please contact Paul Borowsky, 608-442-4083, or paul@jssmadison.org
To review our Volunteer Handbook, please click here.