Volunteers Larry Clark, Bill Summers and Bud Stott.
Volunteer opportunities for the new year
Nan Nasser
As the year winds down, many of us might be considering a resolution to try something new, like volunteering our time to help those less fortunate.
Why volunteer? It connects you to others, is good for your mind and body, has a happiness effect and can bring fun and fulfillment to your life. SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) has oodles of opportunities for you!
The primary objective of SBCO is to make a positive impact on the lives of needy school children in neighboring communities. Since its inception in 1996, SBCO has operated a clothing bank called Kids’ Closet that provides school outfits to children from Catalina through the mining corridor of Pinal County and across to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. This is a 100-mile stretch in Arizona that suffers from poverty. Education was added to SBCO and now includes tutoring, support of enrichment programs and college scholarships. To help with nutrition we host an annual food drive for Tri Community Food Bank located in Mammoth and provide financial support throughout the year. We also maintain an office in Suite L, SB Commercial Center, which is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
The Closet offers all kinds of opportunities, from working directly with a child to find the appropriate clothing, to warehouse and stocking needs, receiving and inventory assignments, and sorting books for children to take home. Carpools are arranged for the days the closet is open, and you can sign up for a specific day or for a monthly spot.
Education is always looking for tutors in math and reading in schools closer to SaddleBrooke. The committee reviews applications for enrichment programs and scholarships and monitors the college kids to make certain their grades are worthy of a renewal of the award. They visit the enrichment sites and offer a special party for new scholarship recipients to meet those who have previously benefited from the program.
The annual food drive, which will be March 14, is a SaddleBrooke event, takes just one morning, but also needs contacts in each unit to distribute flyers and pick up curbside donations. Thanksgiving food baskets are provided for selected families in Oracle, and that entails sorting the food into baskets for delivery.
Suite L needs volunteers for three-hour shifts to answer phones, take messages and greet interested people. There is training for that job.
Volunteering increases self-confidence, combats depression and helps you stay physically healthy. Join SBCO, make new friends, find a spot just for you and start the new year off with an opportunity to brighten the lives of kids and their families.
Much more information and contacts are on our website, www.community-outreach.org.