Take Time to Volunteer This Summer with The Associated

Volunteer (Handout photo)

Boy’s Latin student Josh Meister only meant to spend two weeks of his summer volunteering at SuperKids Camp, a summer academic enrichment program to help Baltimore City elementary students. After all, that’s what he needed to complete his community service hours.

Yet, when the final Friday rolled around, and he began to say goodbye to the young students, he started to have second thoughts.

“When I mentioned I wasn’t going to be there, I’ll never forget the look on their faces’,” Meister recalls. “They told me they were looking forward to seeing me on Monday. It was clear to me that we had developed a strong relationship with each other.”

It was then that he realized he could not say no to these youngsters.

Two weeks turned into six in what would become one of the most impactful summers of this teen’s life.

Meister connected with SuperKids Camp, a program of Parks and People, through The Associated’s Jewish Volunteer Connection, which matches community members with volunteer opportunities that reflect their interests. The choices range from one-time experiences to ongoing programs.

Whether it is teens completing community service requirements or families and adults volunteering for the long haul, The Associated offers a variety of opportunities to find one’s niche within the Jewish and broader Baltimore community.

Summer is a wonderful time to volunteer. Here are a few Associated projects to get started.

Volunteer Drivers

CHAI and Jewish Community Services are looking for volunteer drivers to transport older adults to medical appointments, grocery stores or just about anywhere they need to go. Go to chaibaltimore.org or jcsbaltimore.org to learn more.

Summer with Purpose

Looking to add meaning to your child’s summer? JVC’s Summer with Purpose, part

of its monthly Live with Purpose program, provides monthly tikkun olam projects you can do at home as a family. This June, families can make snack mixes which will be distributed at summer camps in the city; in July, children can color cards for senior Meals on Wheels recipients.

Volunteer Abroad

Traveling to Israel this summer and want to add a volunteer component to your trip? The Associated has a diverse range of opportunities in Ashkelon, The Associated’s sister city in Israel. Help run a lacrosse or basketball clinic for at-risk children, participate in an arts or cooking project with children living in foster care or work on a sustainable farm. Email Marisa Obuchowski at mobuchowski@associated.org if interested.

Get Community Service Hours

High school students who need community service hours should contact JVC. This Associated program offers volunteer opportunities in Jewish Baltimore as well as the broader Baltimore community.

Learn more about volunteering at associated.org/volunteers.

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