Choose Your Cause - Choose Your Store
Did you know that many thrift stores are operated by non-profit organizations that support their mission through their thrift store proceeds? Here are just a few local options that always welcome volunteers:
Pivotal Point - Provides support to families and individuals helping them to overcome homelessness and build life skills that will lead them to self-sufficiency
Fab-U-Less Finds - Provides low-cost or free clothing and household goods to lessen the financial strain of individuals.
Habitat ReStore - The ReStore sells donated home goods and building materials at a low cost to raise funds that help to build affordable homes for qualifying, low-income families.
Goodwill - Sales from the Goodwill thrift store help the organization provide free career counseling, skills training, and resume prep services that help unlock opportunities for job seekers.
Salvation Army - The Salvation Army provides a variety of assistance to families in emergency situations or times of financial hardship. Services are made possible with the help of thrift store funds.
Ask us how you can get started as a volunteer with one of these great organizations! You can also choose to help out at a non-profit based thrift store in your hometown!
Various Needs
Second Harvest Community Food Bank, 915 Douglas, St. Joseph MO
The mission of Second Harvest is to provide nourishment and hope to the hungry in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, while engaging and empowering the region in the fight to end hunger.
Volunteers can choose from several different opportunities including:
Packing senior boxes
Food rescue sorting
Assist at mobile distribution sites
Backpack Buddies (school year only)
No Hunger Summer (June-August)
Contact Andrew Foster at afoster@schfb.org to find out more about volunteering with Second Harvest!
Collections & Archive Assistant - 3406 Frederick Ave (open 7 days 10am-4pm)
Description: Learn about the St. Joseph Museums collections as you help catalogue, research and preserve over 200,000 artifacts. Museums all over the country are working to digitize paper records to digital systems and we are no exception. Opportunities include:
Educational Program Volunteer - Wyeth-Tootle Mansion 1100 Charles St. (times vary)
Description: The St. Joseph Museums organize a minimum of four (4) educational programs per month. We are looking for students to spark a smile and be a mentor in the community. Event duties may include: Help with planning, Setup, Facilitate, and/or Take Down
Paranormal Tours - 3406 Frederick Ave (after hours)
Description: The St. Joseph Museums is receiving an increasing number of requests from paranormal groups looking to explore their grounds after museum hours. Volunteers are needed on site during the tours to act as a point of contact between the museum and the tour groups
304 N. 8th St., St. Joseph MO
GRIT Center Mentor (Growing Resilient Independent Teens)
Monday-Friday: 3pm-6:30pm
Saturday: 12pm-4pm
New Start Store Volunteer
Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm (can make own schedule)
Healthy Teen Parents/Healthy Babies
No set dates or times
Hospital Advocate
Daily 5pm-5am (you choose your availability)
Special Events (Back to school, Christmas, annual golf tournament & more)
Mosaic Life Care
5325 Faraon St, St. Joseph MO
Mosaic has an ongoing need for volunteers in many areas! If you are interested in serving in a healthcare setting, we will get you in touch with the volunteer coordinator at Mosaic Life Care near the MWSU campus. She will discuss with you what your interests & availability are and help to find an area for you to volunteer.
Front Desk/Greeter
5400 King Hill Avenue, St. Joseph MO
InterServ is looking for volunteers to help out at the front desk of their facility located at 5400 King Hill Avenue. The primary responsibility would be to geet visitors and direct them to various locations within the building.
InterServ meets a wide variety of needs in our community serving all ages through their various programs. To learn more about what they do, visit their website
If interested in volunteering email Mike Ritter for details - rsvp@interservstjoe.org
Various Needs All Year Long!
Robidoux Resident Theatre engages, inspires, entertains and challenges our community through quality theatrical and artistic productions while providing a stage for artists to perform and cultivate their artistic expression. We provide life-long educational programming, ensuring the long-term viability for community theatre in Northwest Missouri.
Volunteers are always welcome to assist in one many available roles at the theater! There is something to fit all schedules, including but not limited to:
Children's Theater Academy
Summer Musial Theater Camp
Front House - Usher/Ticketing
Back Stage Assistants
Video Production
Set Construction
Building & Property clean-up/maintenance
Contact us in the Center for Service if this is something you might be interested in!
Workout Buddy
Freudenthal Center for Parkinson's Disease
Located inside East Hills Shopping Center, St. Joseph MO
Freudenthal Healthcare is seeking individuals to partner with our clients to assist with our FitBoxing classes on Monday/Wednesday/Friday's. Classes are offered at 11:00 am & 4:30 pm. Volunteers are welcome to join us as often as their schedule allows.
Please contact the Center for Service for more information about this great program!
Spanish Translators
Social Welfare Board, 904 S. 10th Street, St. Joseph MO
The Social Welfare Board provides low cost primary healthcare and dental care to Buchanan County residents with limited incomes. They are seeking bilingual volunteers to help caretakers better communicate with patients.
If interested, please contact the Center for Service for more information.
The Albee Farm - Horse Hospice & Rehab
Country Club, MO
THE ALBEE FARM HORSE HOSPICE provides quality care for senior & disabled horses. We provide safe, interactive experiences through workshops & classes where you will quickly learn that just because they are disabled doesn't mean that these horses are no longer useful!
Ground-breaking research is primary to our patients! Working with universities including Texas A & M and K State, we are able to help not only our horses, but horses across the country by providing crucial data on the treatment programs we develop.
We also foster injured horses who are in need of short term rehab to re-gain or improve mobility. Once they are steady and progressing well we then offer these horses up for adoption.
There are many ways you can volunteer at The Albee Farm! Contact the Center for Service if interested.
Be a "Big"!
Not only is mentorship beneficial for mentees, mentors gain from the experience. Mentors learn about themselves, enhance their resumes, improve interpersonal skills, develop empathy and gain a deeper understanding of youth problems. Most importantly, mentors gain a sense of accomplishment by positively impacting the life of another person; the process of helping youth achieve their potential and discover their strengths is rewarding in itself.
“What you do” with your Little is as easy as finding common interests. Ask your Little what they like to do for fun and go do it. We find that a lot of our Littles just enjoy spending time with you. You do not have to spend money on your Little and BBBS works hard to inform our Bigs of free or low cost entertainment options in our area.
Click here for more information or to fill out the BBBS application.
Math Tutor
St. Joseph Youth Alliance, 5223 Mitchell Avenue, St. Joseph, MO
Youth Alliance is looking for math tutors for several of their students to prepare them for the the HiSet exam. We are seeking someone that is available to meet with the students one hour per week for a limited time and can make the lessons fun and engaging. Late afternoon is preferable but we are willing to compromise on day & time if needed.
Please register in VOMO and contact Anita Jolly with Youth Alliance if you would like to help out!
816-232-0050
This location is with-in walking distance of campus & would be a great opportunity for our resident students that do not have transportation to get involved and earn free elective credit!
If you have a recurring need for volunteers you would like us to share, please contact us at 816-271-4100 or centerforservice@missouriwestern.edu
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