A great number of community organizations regularly contacts the Bonner Center reaching out for volunteers. If you are interested in providing service for these organizations, please regularly check back here for updated volunteer opportunities.

Demonstration Garden Volunteer Opportunities

The Bonner Center is continuing efforts in the Demonstration Garden, an initiative started by the EcoFeminism Class and maintained by the Bonner Center during the summer.  Thus far this season they have weeded, tilled and planted new seeds into the garden.  However, they need your help!  They are in need of flower donations to line the garden’s perimeter, and monetary donations for a new solar pump and fence.  For those of you with a green thumb, they also welcome volunteers to help water, weed and till in the garden.  If interested in helping out or dropping off donations, please contact Heather Camp at x2108.  The garden is located between the two lakes off of Metzger Drive and all produce is donated to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.  Further information on the garden can be found at: http://bonner.pages.tcnj.edu/special-projects/community-garden/ .

Writers Needed for The Wall

Our incredible Wall Team is looking for a few good souls (and writers) who would agree to write one story for the next edition of our paper “with and for the homeless”. The Wall is looking for roughly nine to ten writers. If you are interested or need more information, please contact Lindsay at klein33@tcnj.edu with your top 3 article choices so she can finalize the list of contributors at the next all corps meeting. The articles are a max of 500 words and deal with a topic below.  Topics:

• Womanspace, inc.- Domestic Violence and how it effects homelessness
•  Success Story- Housing First success story
• Children and Homelessness- Homefront
• What is SRO- a single room occupancy
• Drug Addiction and Homelessness- Vincent’s Place
• Voting Rights- How to…registering to vote as a homeless person
• How to stay healthy on a budget
• Veterans- Where can you get services?
• Project Homelessness Connect
• What type of jobs do homeless people get and where are they?
• A GED success story
• What services can you get as you move out of homelessness- NJ Helps, Food Stamps, etc.
• What is Welfare Reform
• College students that face homelessness

ESL Tutors at Princeton YWCA

Paula Rossi from the Princeton YWCA is searching for tutors for the ESL classes at the Princeton YWCA.  As a Masters Alumni from TCNJ, she is hoping to find volunteers from within the campus community. If you are interested or have questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Ms. Rossi at prossi@ywcaprinceton.org

Tutoring at Trenton High School

The High School Education Team at the Bonner Center is requesting volunteers to assist in tutoring and mentoring athletes at Trenton High School. Tutoring sessions occur every weekday from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, occasionally until 5:00 PM  or 6:00 PM. Volunteers do not have to be education majors nor do they have to attend everyday. If you are interested, please contact Kat Avila at avila5@tcnj.edu.

Adult ESL Program at the Immigration and Refugee Services of Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey

LSM/NJ’s ESL Program , which is located in downtown Trenton, is looking for volunteer tutors and teachers to assist in ESL classes for adult students, most of whom are refugees from Burma and Bhutan. A number have had little access to education and are starting out at the beginning literacy level. The program has classes four mornings a week, Monday through Thursday, two sessions each morning, 9:00 – 11:00 AM and 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  New volunteers are urgently needed as the program moves from summer into the fall semester, and are only asked to offer a morning or two per week. Those interested would need to fill out a volunteer application packet which can be easily forwarded.  Previous teaching experience is great, but not required.  Many of the volunteers learn on the job with some guidance from staff. Those who are interested are asked to contact Jane Kleindienst, the ESL Program Manager, at 609.393.4900

Food Pantry and Flood Disaster Relief program at Hope House

Hope House, a not-for-profit, multi-service agency located in Dover, NJ, is looking for volunteers to provide service in the organization’s Food Pantry and Flood Disaster Relief program. Hope House, a Catholic Charities Agency, offers assistance to clients from impoverished homes and families and advocates fair and just treatment for all individuals. For interested volunteers, they can call Hope House at (973) 361-5555 or email for more information at information@hopehousenj.org

Learning Lab at Habitat for Humanity of Trenton

Starting September 26th, Habitat for Humanity will feature the program, the Learning Lab. Roughly 8 volunteers are needed to perform one-on-one tutoring sessions for K-6 students on a consistent basis for about two hours a week. The tutoring session will most likely be on Wednesdays from 2:30 PM or 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. For more information, please contact either Dominick Josso-Martin at martind9@tcnj.edu or Laura MaGaw at magawl1@tcnj.edu.

Tutoring at the Trenton Public Library:

The Trenton Public Library is requesting individuals to tutor adults patrons on basic computer use, such as email, signing up for government programs etc along with basic skills for GED exams (particularly math). These sessions can be set up according to students’ schedules. They would chose their availability and area of interest and the library would post the schedule for patrons to sign up. The library will make sure there are computers or study areas available. Library hours are 9-8 Monday – Thursday and 9-5 Friday and Saturday.  The computers shut down 15 minutes prior to closing. There is parking and security on-site. Students can email their availability to Susan Sternberg at susantfpl@hotmail.com.