Events

Get creative and give back! Join us for a Friendship Bracelet Making event where you can design your own bracelets and help brighten someone’s day. We will meet in the Illini Union Basement from 4pm - 5pm on October 14th. 

Points: 1 point

Join us in making pink bracelets for Breast Cancer Awareness! You can support the cause and help others by wearing your bracelet and making more to be distributed at a local health center! 

Points: 1 point

Volunteers will assist with set-up, welcoming families, and helping kids (grades 1–5) create their own haunted paper bag houses. Volunteers may also help with games, activities, and clean-up after the program. Bring your creativity and a Halloween spirit!

Points: 3 points

"Calling all cat lovers and DIY enthusiasts! Join us for a purr-fectly fun crafting event where you’ll create cat-approved, no-sew catnip toys from scratch. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or just in it for the whiskers and giggles, this event is for you!

Animal Allies will provide all the materials — fabric, catnip, and instructions. We will donate these to a local shelter to make a shelter cat's day!"

Points: 1 point

Join I-CAUSE and VIP for a special food and hygiene drive supporting ISCU’s Emergency Pantry as part of the I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action. Help us collect essential items like canned goods, cooking staples, and personal care products for the community. Volunteer to earn points, or donate and receive 1 point per item (limit 3 points)!

Donations Needed: 

Canned vegetables, fruits

Canned tuna, chicken, salmon, sardines

Bagged rice, lentils, flour, cooking oils

Tostadas, tortillas, seasonings

Hygiene items, diapers, tylenol, oral care

Points: 1 point for volunteering at the table, 1 point per item donated (3 point limit)

We will be packing non-perishable food bags and donating them to a local food pantry. 

Points: 2 points (1 per hour)

Get into the fall spirit at VIP’s Pumpkin Painting Social! Materials and fall snacks will be provided so you can focus on creating something gourd-geous and some quality time with friends and other members. Stick around for a lighthearted judging round at the end; winners will take home Halloween candy (and bragging rights). 

Points: 1 social point

The Fall Family Festival is an amazing, FREE, community event held  at the Stephens Family YMCA and we need volunteers to help make this event so successful! The event will be held on Saturday, October 18th at the Stephens Family YMCA. There will have a disability friendly time from 10-10:30am, and then to the general public from 11am-1pm. Over 1,000 individuals and families are expected to attend. VIP will be helping with the food station, pumpkin patch, bounce house, and more. 

Points: 1 point per hour

Join us for a day helping out at Sola Gratia Farm, a community focused farm dedicated to sustainable agriculture and fighting food insecurity in Champaign-Urbana. We will be taking part in a variety of hands-on farm tasks, which may include planting, weeding, harvesting or preparing vegetable beds. Come prepared with closed-toed shoes, clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and a water bottle. Work gloves and extra supplies will be available.

Points: 2 points

Note: Please fill out both sign up links! One is for the actual event and the other is for a headcount!

CCHS recently received a donation of DIY cardboard cat scratchers and they chose us to organize and test them out! We will have someone from the shelter join us to help and learn as we go!

Points: 1 point

Join us to create "Know Your Medical Rights" cards designed specifically for immigrant communities. These essential cards provide a quick, accessible reference for accessing healthcare and navigating your rights. Come contribute, learn, and help empower our community!

Points: 1 point

We will be assembling Holiday food bags that the Hope Center team will then hand out and/or count and sort socks for Socktober. (I signed up for two dates, so they may ask us to do one time food packing and one time doing the socks, or both times doing the same, but I won't know until the date gets closer.) 

Volunteers can be reimbursed by VIP for Uber/ Lyft to events when necessary. Message the project director for more information. 

Points: 3 points

Join us for an afternoon of Halloween fun with crafts, games, and activities! Plus take home a free book as a special treat! Costumes and kids of all ages are welcome.

Points: 3 points

Need help from volunteers to table for upcoming blood drives. No more than 3 volunteers signed up per slot.

Points: 1 per hour of tabling, 3 for donating blood

We will be assembling Holiday food bags that the Hope Center team will then hand out and/or count and sort socks for Socktober. (I signed up for two dates, so they may ask us to do one time food packing and one time doing the socks, or both times doing the same, but I won't know until the date gets closer.) 

Volunteers can be reimbursed by VIP for Uber/ Lyft to events when necessary. Message the project director for more information. 

Points: 3 points

J.U.R.Y is an RSO at U of I that participates in restorative justice through peer court and does outreach to youth within the community to educate them about their rights, responsibilities, and real-life consequences that can come from their choices. At this event we will be creating pamphlets and know your rights information cards in support of their community outreach initiatives. 

Points: 1 point

Join VIP for a spooky movie night! We will be enjoying some candy while watching a horror film. Come bond with fellow volunteers and get in the spirit of Halloween! :)

Points: 1 social point

Volunteers will support Children’s Services staff by helping with room setup and cleanup and assisting kids as they build their Legos! All Lego blocks are provided; volunteers just bring their creativity and enthusiasm!

Points: 2 points

Volunteers will support Children’s Services staff by helping with room setup and cleanup and assisting kids as they build their Legos! All Lego blocks are provided; volunteers just bring their creativity and enthusiasm!

Points: 2 points

Tutoring opportunities this semester take place at many of the local schools. You will be working in the classroom with students from Kindergarten to Adult Education programs, depending on where you want to tutor! This opportunity is exactly what you make of it; you can pick the school, grade level, times, and dates you tutor. We just ask that you stay consistent and communicate with the volunteer coordinator you begin working with. 

Points: 1 point per hour volunteered

The sign-up link takes you to the spreadsheet with all of the Dates, Times, Locations, and Contact Information for the volunteer coordinator associated with that particular opportunity. You are welcome to email them or me (vip.tutoring.project@gmail.com) to begin your process of getting involved. 

Support students in the Edison Middle School adaptive programs by helping during Academic/Functional-Life-Skills (FLS) classes, Adaptive PE and Encore classes (Art, Music, STEM, Drama). Volunteers will aid teachers, assist and encourage students, and help foster an inclusive environment. In the FLS classroom, students need one-on-one support, so volunteers will work directly with them to provide the assistance they require.

Times:

2nd Period (Academic/FLS Classes): 9:00–9:42 AM

3rd Period (Encore Classes): 9:42–10:24 AM

4th Period (Adaptive PE): 10:26–11:08 AM

5rd Period (Academic/FLS Classes): 11:10–11:55 AM

Requirements:

Background check (coordinated through Edison)

Weekly commitment preferred

Points: Interest Form Submission: 0.5, 1 point per class period volunteered

Do you love animals and want to make a difference? Do you want more hands-on volunteering with animals? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Animals Allies is working with CCHS to organize an ongoing volunteering sign-up, but we want to make sure there is enough interest! We're looking for passionate individuals interested in hands-on volunteering with the animals at the Champaign County Humane Society! Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or just curious, we'd love to hear from you! Fill out this form if you would want to participate!

Anywhere from dogs and cats to critters, YOU can get involved.

Volunteers will support Children’s Services staff by helping with room setup and cleanup and assisting kids as they build their Legos! All Lego blocks are provided; volunteers just bring their creativity and enthusiasm!

Points: 2 points

Hosted with Illini Medical Screening Society (IMSS)

Join us to hand out nicotine quit packs to community members looking to start their journey toward a nicotine-free life. Each quit pack includes helpful tools, tips, and resources to support those ready to quit. Our volunteers will share information about methods that can help make the process easier. Together, we can promote healthier choices and support the community in taking a first step toward a nicotine-free future.

Points: 2 points