Volunteer Opportunities

Hello All!....

I hope the semester has started out well for everyone! SOWSA is continuing its work with Family Promise during the Spring semester and will be asking for members to volunteer for some upcoming events.
As things stand at the present moment, volunteers are being sought for the following events during the month of March:

Sunday, March 6th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 9:30 am-1:00 pm

Sunday, March 20th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 9:30 am-1:00 pm

Sunday March 13th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Sunday, March 27th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 1:00 pm-5:00 pm

  ***** Also, during the month of February, we are seeking volunteers who are able to stay with the families on Saturday, February 26th, on either shift: 9:30-1:00 and/or 1:00-5:00 at the day center **********

Please contact me if you are interested and/or have additional questions!
I would also like to thank the individuals who volunteered their time during the month of February!... It's greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Tanisha Julias
tjulias@fau.edu

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities!

Hello All!


I hope the semester has started out well for everyone!  I am writing because, as you may be aware, SOWSA is continuing its work with Family Promise during the Spring semester and will be asking for members to volunteer for some upcoming events. As things stand at the present moment, volunteers are being sought for the following events during the month of February:

• Sunday, Feb. 13th: Individuals to assist with "breaking down" furniture items at organization's shelter home, to allow for installation of new carpet.
• Tuesday, Feb. 15th: Individuals to assist with the reassembling of items
• Friday, Feb. 18th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families overnight from 5:00 pm-8:00 am
• Sunday, Feb. 20th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 9:30 am-1:00 pm
• Sunday, Feb. 27th: Two (2) individuals to stay with the families at the day center from 1:00 pm-5:00 pm

We are hoping to have a successful semester working with Family Promise! I hope that you are able to participate in one or more of the events listed!.... It is really a worthy cause!


All the best!!!


Tanisha Julias
tjulias@fau.edu


***Message from Phoenix Adams, President of SOWSA***

I want to encourage all of you to volunteer some time to this organization that is in great need of our support. I volunteered over Thanksgiving, and it was a great experience. I promise you, if you volunteer, it will be very rewarding.

I believe in this organization and their needs so much, that I am personally going to donate a 50 dollar gift card to the student that logs the most amount of volunteer hours for Family Promise between now and the end of the school year. I will present the gift card at our last SOWSA meeting in April.

Happy Volunteering!!!!

Phoenix Adams
SOWSA, President

Volunteer Opportunity through the Holidays

 

We all made it through another semester!

I know this is a time when many people will be leaving town to spend time with family and friends, but for those of us who will remain local, I just wanted to inform you about some events Family Promise has requested our assistance with:

On Monday, December 27 Family Promise is looking for volunteers to help sell 50/50 Lucky Drawing tickets at the Florida Panthers game at the Bank Atlantic Center. Volunteers are asked to arrive at 6:00 p.m., to allow early entrance into the arena, and will be allowed to stay and watch the game afterwards. Of the tickets sold, Family Promise will get 25% proceeds!... This is a great way to help out the organization and get into a game free!

SPACE LIMITED to the first 8 people!

During the week of December 20^th, Family Promise would like any available volunteers to stay with families at the designated home, to have dinner and socialize with them from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm.

There is also a great need for volunteers to remain with the families overnight from 7:30 pm to 7:00 am. I, personally, have done this over the Thanksgiving holiday and if you would like additional information as to what this entails, please feel free to contact me.

If you are interested in working with the families in another capacity, volunteer opportunities are available driving the agency van and/or spending time with the families at the day center.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at tjulias@fau.edu

Thank You, but our work is not done…

SOWSA would like to thank all the volunteers who helped out with the recent event on November 4^th in support of our adopted agency Family Promise.

Your help was greatly appreciated!

But our work is not done…..

In the Spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and in our continued partnership with Family Promise, SOWSA is looking for volunteers to stay with the families of the program at a designated shelter on Friday, November 26^th and/or at the day center on Saturday, November 27^th

Hours vary from morning to overnight!

Please help us support this great agency that does so much for homeless families in Palm Beach County!

Time spent with these families will be much more than a few hours out of your day… it could be a life changing experience!

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact SOWSA’s Community events committee chairperson: Tanisha Julias at: tjulias@fau.edu

Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Volunteer Needs!

Hello Social Work Faculty and Students!

As you know, SOWSA has "adopted" Family Promise as an agency that we will support throughout the 2010-2011 academic year through volunteer events, fundraising events, food and clothing drives and other organized activities.

Family Promise will commemorate its second anniversary with a “One Night Away” fundraiser at Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, November 4, 2010, from 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, at  201 Plaza Real, Mizner Park,  Boca Raton, FL 33432 (former Cartoon Museum).  At this event, Family Promise will celebrate their achievements, recognize their sponsors and volunteers, and support their mission through fundraising and a silent auction.  

Family Promise needs many volunteers to support them through this event. SOWSA's November meeting, which is also scheduled for November 4th, will be devoted to supporting Family Promise through this volunteer opportunity. In place of our monthly meeting, SOWSA's officers. Committee chairs, and members will sign up for volunteer shifts based on the needs identified below. We would like to ask you to join us in support of these efforts. Family Promise needs volunteers on November 4th starting at Noon through 9PM.  

If you or any of your contacts can volunteer, please send an email to our Volunteers Committee Chairperson, Alexandra Jolly, at ajolly@fau.edu. Please indicate the shift that you would like to sign up for in your email request. For additional information, you may contact Alexandra or email SOWSA at SOWSA.FAU@comcast.net

The shifts and number of volunteers needed for each shift are indicated below: 

• From Noon to 3 - The noon people will  help roll in tables and set up chairs (5 people)
• From 3-5, we need people to set up the silent auction.  (3 people) 
• From 4-5:30 we need to set up the bars and front entrance.   (4 people)
• From 5:00 to 6:30, we need greeters to welcome guests and make sure people get on the elevators.  (4 people)
• From 6:00- 8:00, we need people to casually walk around and make sure tables are cleaned, pick up cups, etc - host (3 people)
• From 6:00-8:00, we need people to say good night to the guests and make sure they get on the elevators (4 people)
• After 7:30, we need people to move the tables out, help people with silent auction items, clean up. 

Please see our updated Volunteer page for some great opportunities to assist the Office Depot Foundation, as well.

Thank you for your consideration, on behalf of SOWSA and Family Promise!

SOWSA Meeting Recap: October 5, 2010

On Tuesday, October 5, 2010, SOWSA welcomed Kokie Dinnan, Network Director of Family Promise of South Palm Beach County – our new Community Partner! Family Promise is an organization that assists homeless families. They work with local churches that provide facilities in which to feed and house the guests. Family Promise works daily with the families, the faith community network, and social service agencies to transition the families back into the community on a self sufficient basis. The supporting congregations also provide volunteer and fundraising support, as well.

Here’s are the meeting minutes:

SOWSA Meeting October 5^th , 2010 meeting called to order at 7:15 pm

• Guest Speaker Kokie Dinnan from Family Promise
• Care typically provided for 30-90 days, Working towards preventing homelessness, Provide mentoring and aftercare,
• 1^st skills training for mentors Oct 17t
• Interfaith partnership (23 hosting congregations: Providing 4-5 weeks of hosting a yea
• Needs Assessment – Kokie and member: 14% increase in shelter requests since last year alone, Homeless children in Palm Beach County exceed 1400
• VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
• One Night Away (volunteers needed): Contact Gerry at 561-265-3370 ext 103, 11/4/10, 5:30-8:30pm, Silent Auction
• Guest Speakers (one Sunday per month)
• Take donations from individuals at day center 8-5pm
• Volunteers Needed (training required, online)
• Day Center Opportunities: Weekends (9:30-1, 1:00-5)
• Drivers Needed
• Host Guest Families
• Committee members needed

• Reviewed changes to Blog and Facebook page – 3 cheers for Ash (Great job!)

• Announcements:
• Habitat for Humanity Event: http://sowsafau.blogspot.com/2010/09/habitat-for-humanity-recap.html 
• Great Event
• Recipient was so grateful
• Learned new skills, did lots of finish work
• Livability Study - VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
• Sat 10/10 8a-5p: Will receive a total of 9 field hours, Two sessions morning and afternoon, Must have training to participate(training at 8am), No jeans please (wear walking shoes, Contact Tanisha for tracking tjulias@fau.edu
• Office Depot Foundation –
• Partnership: Can come speak with us, Initiatives focus on child welfare
• VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
• Golf In Event: Tues 11/9, NFL players and alum will be present, Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Could benefit FAU with scholarships towards future SOW students
• AVDA: 10/10/10: 5 K, $20 to attend, Contact tanisha at tjulias@fau.edu
• Committee Updates
• Membership (Jody):
• Membership tally: 52 Members
• Membership ID: Will be printed at one time for total membership to be included
• Try to mention SOWSA in classes and remind others of meeting times
• Service Committee – (Tanisha) – tjulias@fau.edu
• Domestic Violence Awareness month: Contacted Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (ABDA) who will do presentation for us. Tentatively Wed 10/20 or 10/27 at 4:30. More to come. RSVP to Tanisha – tjulias@fau.edu. Contact your professors to see if they can allow students to attend. Would your professors be willing to host?
• Family Promise: Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit to graduated families.
• Will approach Office Depot and Publix for turkeys and food donations.
• Food Drive among multiple campuses
• Public Announcement on Owl radio
• Social Events – (Jessica)
• Looking for more committee members, Contact Jessica at jponn@fau.edu
• Comedy Club in Boca: Possible Mixer/Fundraiser
• Fundraising (Lilly)
• Will work in conjunction with social events
• Will investigate with whole foods for donation opportunities
• Peer Support (Emily): No report
• Meeting adjourned at 9:07pm.

 

Next Meeting: Thursday, November 4^th , 2010 at 7:00 pm SO285

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Please check out our new Volunteer and Community Partnership pages (above)!

Exciting announcements!

SOWSA would like to invite you to our next meeting which will take place on Tuesday, October 5^th at 7PM in room SO 285 (FAU Boca). We will have a guest speaker from Family Promise, and we be discussing our “Adopt an Agency” initiative and planning related events. We look forward to seeing you there.

Please see the following related announcements and information on upcoming events and community service opportunities:

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During our first meeting on September 9, members voted on a community organization to “adopt.” Through this initiative, our goal is to support a local social service agency throughout the 2010-2011 academic year. Based on the needs of the selected agency, SOWSA will arrange a number of activities to benefit the agency, including food and clothing drives, holiday toy drives, and volunteer events. The organization that the members selected was Family Promise of South Palm Beach County.

Family Promise is an organization that assists homeless families. They work with local churches that provide facilities in which to feed and house the guests. Family Promise works daily with the families, the faith community network, and social service agencies to transition the families back into the community on a self sufficient basis. The supporting congregations also provide volunteer and fundraising support, as well.

We are excited to announce that Family Promise has accepted our offer and the Network Director, Kokie Dinnan, will be attending our next meeting on Tuesday, October 5 at 7 PM in SO 285. Kokie will introduce the agency to SOWSA and explain the organization’s needs. This is an exciting partnership for SOWSA and we hope that you join us in welcoming Family Promise at our next meeting. With your input, we can work together to plan appropriate activities and events that best fit the needs of Family Promise. 

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SOWSA is excited to announce a new partnership with a national philanthropic organization. The Office Depot Foundation will provide SOWSA with volunteer opportunities to support them in impacting the community through their initiatives listed below:  

Office Depot is known throughout the world as a company with a heart. They have distinguished themselves through consistent support of charitable organizations and worthy causes on a local and national scale. Today, the independent Office Depot Foundation is continuing this tradition. The Office Depot Foundation is focusing on the following five strategic priorities for a period of five years:

• Helping children get ready for life and work.
  The Foundation will seek to help 50,000 at-risk children in 50 states to get the tools and support they need to graduate high school and either get an advanced education or find a meaningful job.
• Helping non-profit (civil society) organizations become more professional and productive.
  The Foundation will endeavor to help 5,000 non-profit (civil society) organizations to get tools and support to increase their capacity to fulfill their missions.
• Enhancing disaster relief and recovery.
  The Foundation will assist local communities in the wake of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes and the like – and will continue to be involved through the rebuilding process
• Strengthening local communities.
  The Foundation will endeavor to enhance the quality of life and provide opportunities to deserving children and families at a local level.
• Promoting global development
  The Foundation will seek to promote entrepreneurship, economic and community development programs to help improve economic and social conditions around the world.

The Office Depot Foundation has also launched a website to help connect volunteers to opportunities they would be interested in pursuing. This website is called Caring Connection – check it out! http://caringconnection.volunteermatch.org/.

Please continue to check our blog and Facebook page for more information on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities through this exciting new partnership.

Habitat for Humanity Build: September 26, 2010

SOWSA is excited to announce our Kickoff Community Service Event for the 2010-2011 academic year. On Sunday, September 26th from 1PM to 5PM, SOWSA will participate in a community building event with Habitat for Humanity. If you are interested in participating, please send an email request to sowsa.fau@comcast.net and you will receive a response with instructions on how to register. There is limited space available, and participants will be confirmed on a first come first serve basis. 


We hope to see you at this exciting event!