Volunteer Virtually with a
Worcester-Based Agency!*

Weekly Volunteering Opportunities - all sites full as of 2/16

African Community Education (ACE) - As of 2/8 this site is full

African Community Education (Assists) assists African refugee and immigrant youth and families in achieving educational success and socio-economic stability through access to academic support, leadership development, cultural expression, and community outreach. The After School program provides academic support, 1 on 1 tutoring, and activity-based learning. Volunteers will help to provide personalized assistance with homework assignments as well as reinforce positive study habits. Volunteers can serve Monday through Thursday between 3 pm and 5:30 pm.

Ansaar of Worcester - Math tutoring - As of 2/16, this site is full

Ansaar of Worcester is a non-profit which provides welcome and support for refugees and recently arrived immigrants to the City. This opportunity provides Holy Cross students with the opportunity to make connections with local youth while providing academic support to students in grades 6-12, primarily in math (from pre-algebra to calculus). Limited need for tutors in writing and Spanish as well. Volunteers can serve high school students M-F 3-4 pm and middle school students M-F 3:30 or 4 pm start time. Note: volunteers need only commit to one day each week. This opportunity is a new partnership for the College.

Ascentria Care Alliance - As of 2/16, this site is full

Ascentria Care Alliance is a non-profit human service organization that offers programs and services that address the social determinants of health, including children and family services, mental health and disability services, and services for new Americans, refugees, and immigrants. Ascentria's Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program, a program that services youth who have crossed the U.S. border without an adult, is looking for students to serve as tutors and mentors to their students. Students will meet with their tutee/mentee once per week to assist them with their homework and to have general conversation about life in the U.S. Students must have conversational Spanish speaking skills. Students will need to attend a volunteer training (date is TBD), and complete an online volunteer application and CORI background check after the training. This opportunity is limited to Spanish-speaking students. Tutoring sessions occur Mondays 2:30-4pm or Thursdays 3:30-5pm.

Assumption Center - As of 2/2, this site is full

The Assumption Center Mentoring Program is for children ages 6-12, and is a work of the Sisters of the Assumption at St. Peter’s Church on Main Street. The children are paired one on one with college mentors who assist with homework, reading, social skills, games, and arts & crafts. The mentoring program will operate virtually and provides a safe and supportive environment for mentors and children to grow together. The time commitment is 1-2 hrs per week: volunteers may choose to be an individual mentor, in which case they will determine their weekly meeting time with the child/parent together, so this will be flexible; or volunteers may choose to mentor during group meetings. Group meeting volunteers need to be available on Thursday from 2:30-4:45 pm. Assumption prefers volunteers are available for the full time block, but they can also accommodate students for 1-hour slots (2:30-3:30 pm and 3:45-4:45 pm).

Boys and Girls Club of Worcester - As of 2/9, this site is full

The amazing BGC of Worcester seeks volunteers to help with 1)Translation/Language Skills: If you are proficient in a language besides English, they are in need of 2nd language speakers to help with translations, documentation, communications (WPS has 74 languages spoken by students!); 2) Technology Assistance: They are looking for students to serve as Tech assistance to edit and create presentations, MS Office proficient.

Brookdale Eddy Pond Campus - As of 2/2, this site is full

Brookdale Eddy Pond Campus is an assisted living and memory care senior living community. In addition to providing 24-hour emergency and medical care, for its residents, Brookdale provides a variety of supports and activities, such as book groups, walking groups, music performances, game nights, etc. Brookdale is seeking Holy Cross volunteers to enrich the supports and activities that they provide, as well as to meet one on one with a resident for conversation and companionship. Student volunteers will meet, via Zoom or Google Duo, one on one with a resident of Brookdale Eddy Pond. Student volunteers may also have the option of leading larger discussion groups with Eddy Pond residents or joining in on the activities they provide. Students would volunteer approximately 1-2 hours per week. Times are flexible, based on students' schedules and Brookdale's needs and goals.

Claremont Academy - As of 2/2, this site is full

Claremont Academy is a grade 7-12 public school located in the Main South section of Worcester. Claremont would like HC students to serve as tutors for Claremont’s English Language Learners (ELLs), former ELL students, as well as any students needing extra support in Math, English, and Science. Claremont would also like HC students to serve as affinity group leaders to lead a group of students in conversation around a particular interest (e.g., some sort of sport, cooking, etc.). Because WPS students are fully online, they are having limited social time. The affinity group could be a time for students to get the much-needed peer to peer interaction. Tutors and affinity groups are needed on Fridays, which is the asynchronous day for WPS students. Students would meet with their tutees or with their small groups for approximately 1 hour during the school day on Friday (8am-2pm). Tutors may also have the option of attending a class with their tutees, depending on the interest of teachers. Some Spanish-speaking volunteers are needed.

Club E at LEI - As of 2/16, this site is full

The mission of the Latino Education Institute is to improve the academic achievement and well-being of Latino students (grades K-16) and their families from the City of Worcester. The Latino Education Institute provides a variety of programs, including educational resources, social resources, and family workshops. One of their programs, Club Educación, or Club E, strives to increase the educational levels of parents and adults in order to fully realize the overall academic goals of the entire family. Parents participate in training in the areas of computer, financial, and health literacy through a serious of seasonal workshops. Club E seeks volunteers to assist with their ELL courses. Students will either attend a virtual course or meet 1:1 with individuals in the course outside of class time to assist them with the course material. Students of all speaking abilities are welcome to apply for this opportunity and students with multiple languages are especially encouraged to participate. Virtual classes take place Tuesday and Thursday 6:15-7:30pm and 1:1 tutoring can happen at different times, according to the volunteer's availability and the Club E student's availability.

Coalition for a Greater Healthy Worcester - As of 2/2, this site is full

Dynamy Youth Academy/Upward Bound - As of 2/8, this site is full

Students have the opportunity to create positive change in the lives of YOU Inc. College Access scholars in the Bruce Wells Scholars Upward Bound (BWSP) and Dynamy Youth Academy (DYA) students, as well as in their own. College Access Programs are designed to assist first-generation college students and/or low-income high school students preparing for the post-secondary opportunities; the progress a student makes is dependent upon the support, attention, and help they receive from staff. To ensure progress, volunteers' primary responsibility will be to provide program assistance and encouragement to students assigned and to help build a sense of community in the program. Becoming a part of the College Access community involves time, endurance and patience as well as developing a good rapport with students. Having a sense of humor helps, too. Volunteers would serve in the afternoons after school (anytime between 2 and 6pm). Students will need to complete a volunteer application and CORI form, as well as a resume and 3 references, which they will receive instructions about after they meet with the Dynamy volunteer supervisor.

Marie Anne Center - As of 2/5, this site is full

Marie Anne Center (MAC), a ministry of the Sisters of Saint Anne, is located in the lower level of St. Bernard Church on Lincoln Street in Worcester, MA. The Center addresses educational and spiritual needs of families and provides basic education and living skills for people who would otherwise not have access to them.The Marie Anne Center seeks Holy Cross student volunteers to serve as tutors for youth a part of their after-school tutoring program. Holy Cross volunteers would work with one student one on one once per week to assist with homework virtually. Students will need to complete a CORI background check. Volunteers will serve in the afternoons after school, based on HC student's availability and MAC student's availability.

Nativity School of Worcester - As of 2/8, this site is full

The Nativity School of Worcester is a tuition-free Jesuit middle school for underserved boys in grades 5-8. Holy Cross students will provide academic support and mentoring virtually as part of the Homework Center three days per week. Volunteers can serve Mon, Tues, or Wed from 5-6 pm.

New England Hospice - As of 2/3, this site is full

New England hospice serves patients and families facing serious illnesses and providing support to those who have lost loved ones. New England Hospice maintains that hospice is about life and the quality of time we have left. New England Hospice typically provides 9-14 hours a week of additional care - more than twice the national average. New England Hospice provides care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through multiple staff: hospice physician, program manager, nursing, on-call nursing, social worker, chaplain, home health aide, reiki and music therapist, volunteers and companions, and bereavement coordinator. New England Hospice is a small, family-owned company with teams across Massachusetts. New England Hospice seeks two legacy project volunteers - focusing on the life stories of patients by contacting either the patient themselves over telehealth and/or contacting family members (2-3 patients/families). Volunteers would complete the booklets they have, which are full of questions, and then compile the life stories; completing a legacy presentation on Zoom. Two volunteers are needed (approximately 2 hours per week; timing dependent on HC student's schedule). This opportunity is limited to CBL Montserrat students.

Pernet Family Health - As of 2/8, this site is full

Pernet Family Health Services provides home-based health and social services that lead to the long-term strengthening and enhancement of family and community life in Worcester. Holy Cross volunteers with within the after school program to provide homework help to school-aged children in the neighborhood. The program includes academic support and mentoring. Volunteers are needed Tuesday or Friday from 3-4:30 pm.

Plumley Village Homework Help - As of 2/2, this site is full

Plumley Village, an affordable housing community in the heart of Worcester with over 400 families, offers a weekly Homework Help program. They are currently seeking a few Holy Cross students to provide virtual academic support for a small number of elementary school aged children whose families have expressed interest, but do not feel comfortable having their children registered for in-person tutoring at this time. The specific time of the these tutoring sessions will be will be determined by working with the families and Holy cross volunteers once identified.

Positive Directions - As of 2/4, this site is full

Family Health Center of Worcester is a full-service health center open to all residents of Worcester and surrounding areas. Family Health Center's mission is to improve the health and well-being of all residents in the Greater Worcester area, especially culturally diverse populations. Family Health Center offers family medicine, maternal child health, behavioral health, vision services, dentistry, nursing, a Walk In Center for urgent and primary care same-day visits, a low-cost pharmacy, lab, radiology, school-based health centers, refugee/immigrant health services, a teen health clinic, an ADHD clinic, an INS clinic, an optical shop, flu vaccine clinics, health education and promotion, HIV counseling and testing, and public health programs for the early detection and prevention of disease. Positive Directions, a Family Health Center school-based program, is a drop-out prevention program that targets 9th graders who are at high risk for high school dropout due to attendance, behavioral, academic and social issues. Positive Directions intervenes with twice a week tutoring and recreation at the YMCA, case management and community involvement. Positive Directions is looking for English and Spanish-speaking volunteers to serve as virtual tutors for Positive Directions students. The timing of this opportunity is based on HC student's availability and Positive Directions' student's availability.

Recreation Worcester - As of 2/2, this site is full

Vernon Hill Elementary - As of 2/5, this site is full

Vernon Hill Elementary seeks volunteer tutors to meet virtually with students in grades 3-6 who have been identified by teachers as needing extra support in math, and in particular with multiplication facts. The school expressed a desire to leave flexibility and time for conversations and relationship-building, and that math skills can be developed through games and feel like a break from their school day. Holy Cross volunteers will work in pairs with a small group of students in breakout rooms. Students will need to complete a WPS CORI form. Volunteers are needed Monday through Thursday between 2 pm and 2:45 pm. Volunteers may select 1 or 2 days a week to tutor.

Worcester East Middle School - As of 2/10, this site is full

Worcester East Middle is one of four middle schools in Worcester. Worcester East has a very diverse population with about 800 students. Within Worcester East is a Science and Technology Academy which encompasses almost half of the school. Students from the academy come from all over the city. It is like a private school within a school. Worcester East Middle is located on Grafton Street, which is in a low income neighborhood. Worcester East strives to give its students the best education that can be offered by the Worcester Public Schools. Worcester East teachers give their time to assure that every student succeed academically. They go beyond their duties and are always willing to do what it takes to help our students. One of the biggest struggles Worcester faces is helping its English Language Learners who come to this country without any English and Math. These students are required to take MCAS and PARCC tests by the state and we have to prepare them for this. Worcester East is looking for volunteer tutors to assist with English Language Learners and other students in all subjects, especially math and science. Volunteers are needed Monday through Thursday, 10am-10:50 am and Fridays, 10:10-10:50 am.

Worcester Refugee Assistance Project (WRAP) - As of 2/16, this site is full

Worcester Refugee Assistant Project (WRAP) is an organization committed to assisting resettled refugees from Burma to achieve sustainable self-reliance through mentoring, advocacy and providing material support as needed. This agency offers students the opportunity to work virtually with the youth program to help them foster a supportive social network and discuss issues of health, leadership, goal setting, and more. Specific opportunities and timing of opportunities are TBD.

WPS Transition Program - As of 1/29, this site is full

The WPS Transition Program works specifically with individuals (18-22 years old) who are eligible to receive special education services from the WPS. The program services students with a wide range of challenges and abilities (including but not limited to: intellectual, behavior, emotional, cognitive, and medical challenges, autism spectrum, and developmental delays). WPS Transition students spend their day on a variety of topics: at internship sites and in programs that can focus on academic, social and recreational opportunities. HC college students will be involved in developing specific virtual projects that address target areas for the WPS students and have a direct connection with the content of the CBL course. Projects will include areas of interest/skill that the College student can offer. Additional opportunities for HC students include one on one tutoring/mentoring; working with students on various projects such as newsletter writing; making videos for employment skills, etc.; participating in a lunch-time leadership group; joining in on a virtual art class on Fridays, and more. WPS Transition is looking for English and Spanish-speaking students. The timing of these opportunities is as follows: Mondays, 11:00-12:00 or 12:45-1:45 for Work Readiness training; lunchtime leadership group on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm; Thursdays at 11am for Spanish and English conversation; Fridays, 12:45-1:45 pm for art classes; other times can be arranged.

WPS Transition Program with UMass Med School - As of 1/29, this site is full

This experience is a volunteer opportunity for any student interested in making a difference with our local community with disabilities and anyone interested in a career in health professions. Volunteers will have the opportunity to be a part of mentoring a student from the Worcester Transition Program/Worcester Service Warriors while working with a DNP student from UMass Medical (HC ‘16 alum) and medical student; together, you will help plan and facilitate a virtual panel discussion to teach DNP and MD students about caring for patients with disabilities. Your responsibilities over the course of the semester will include: 1-2 hours of mentoring and planning; helping your mentee plan what to discuss regarding their experiences in healthcare; helping your mentee articulate what is important about them for their care providers to know; attending virtual events with your mentee to learn about their disability and experiences; creating advertisements for panel discussions to be sent to students at UMass Medical; creating surveys pre-and-post to collect information about this experience; and more! You will also have the opportunity to network with medical and graduate students at UMass Medical. You will learn about this underserved population and gain valuable skills and knowledge as well as learn the role of advocacy. This opportunity would be especially helpful for any students interested in nursing, medical, or other allied health professions. Timing based on volunteer's availability, WPS student's availability, and UMass Med's availability.

One-Time/Miscellaneous Opportunities

AVID - As of 3/19, this site is full

AVID, (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a college readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. AVID is in the elementary through twelfth grade in the Worcester Public Schools. In the elementary level, the AVID strategies are embedded into the daily instruction. At the secondary level AVID, is an approved credit bearing elective course taken during the day. For one class period a day, students learn organizational and study skills, work on critical thinking and asking probing questions, get academic help from college trained tutors and participate in motivational activities that make college attainable. Typically, college students serve as tutors in AVID classrooms. However, remote learning has made that impossible. Instead, AVID is looking to recruit college students who could serve as panelists to discuss college readiness. College students will share about their experience applying to and being in college to help AVID students gain an understanding of what the college application process and college itself are like. AVID is looking for English and Spanish-speaking panelists. Note that dates are not yet set for the panels. Signing up for this opportunity would put you on a contact list. You will be contacted when AVID panels are scheduled to see if they fit with your schedule.

C.O.R.E. (asynchronous opportunity)

C.O.R.E. (College Corps’ Online Repository of Educational Content) is a new online resource that provides supplemental academic and extra-curricular materials for Worcester students and their caregivers. The online repository is a creation of College Corps, a coalition of representatives from Worcester-area colleges that has come together to respond to needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The repository is filled with videos and additional content made by Worcester-area college students, faculty, and others to amplify and add to school-day learning. C.O.R.E. is looking for newly created content for its repository. This could be content about a subject area with which you are familiar (examples include, you reading a picture book that’s suitable for children, doing science or math lessons for younger students, advice for college readiness, you discussing or doing your favorite activity, etc.). If you have any non-English language abilities, C.O.R.E. is also looking for newly created content about learning languages for younger, English-speaking students (for example, learning about how to say colors and numbers in Spanish or French, simple vocabulary, etc.). Video content should be short (no more than 7 minutes), easy to follow along with, and feature you in some way. C.O.R.E. is also looking for folks with various language abilities to translate content that is currently on the website (all content is currently in English). Isabelle Jenkins will assist students in brainstorming content and drafting a video outline.

Guild of St. Agnes * - As of 2/12, this site is full

The Guild of St. Agnes provides families with quality, affordable early childhood education and school age programs. This program seeks volunteers who can record videos, songs, poems, or book readings that would then be shared (asynchronously) with the children St. Agnes serves (ages 5-12). Please note that there is no virtual interaction with the children, as the content is used by teachers and staff independently as needed.

Italian Circle

Il Circolo di Conversazione Italiana, (the Italian Conversation Circle) hosted twice monthly, was established over 30 years ago to provide an opportunity for people of all ability levels to practice their Italian conversational skills in a friendly, non-judgmental setting. The Circolo shares in conversation about anything and everything - from food, to the arts, to culture, to Italian history, and more. Since the pandemic, the Circolo has gone virtual. The Circolo seeks Holy Cross Italian-speaking students to join in on the conversation. For Spring 2021, the Circolo is meeting on the following Saturdays: 2/13, 3/13, 4/10, and 5/8 (10am-12pm or 2-3:30pm).