Local Volunteer Fair features more than 40 nonprofits
Those looking for a way to give back to the community can find a
variety of opportunities at the first ever Community Volunteer
Fair, Feb. 13, from noon to 4 p.m., in the Sacred Heart Gymnasium,
670 College St.
The event is co-sponsored by the Community Foundation for San
Benito County and Sacred Heart Parish School, and will feature more
than 42 local nonprofits seeking volunteers.
Local Volunteer Fair features more than 40 nonprofits
Those looking for a way to give back to the community can find a variety of opportunities at the first ever Community Volunteer Fair, Feb. 13, from noon to 4 p.m., in the Sacred Heart Gymnasium, 670 College St.
The event is co-sponsored by the Community Foundation for San Benito County and Sacred Heart Parish School, and will feature more than 42 local nonprofits seeking volunteers.
“This is the first time and we are really excited to partner with Sacred Heart School,” said Stephanie Hicks, the director of Community Outreach and Leadership Development for Community Foundation, who said the school principal approached her with the idea of a volunteer fair.
The eighth-grade students at the school will be ambassadors at the fair, and will host the refreshments, to gather community service hours.
“So many students need service hours,” Hicks said, “from middle school all the way to college.”
The fair will include opportunities for all ages to work at a variety of different agencies in the community including Community Food Bank of San Benito County, the Hollister Downtown Association, St. Francis Retreat Center, the YMCA of San Benito County and more (see below for full list.)
Admission to the fair is free and registration to participate was also offered for free to the nonprofits. There will be refreshments, a face painter and participants will be entered in an hourly drawing for $100 to be donated to their favorite nonprofit. The money is funded by the Foundation and Sacred Heart School.
“We felt Sunday afternoon would be a really easy way to capture the most people because a lot of people are here on Sunday,” Hicks said. “We wanted to make it a family event. They can come to the volunteer fair, maybe after a church service, get a bite to eat and peruse the event.”
Kristi Alarid, the district director for HOPE Services, first heard about the volunteer fair when she attended a grants workshop at Community Foundation, and then through e-mails.
“We really want to reach out to the community and get the community more involved,” Alarid said. “We are a nonprofit and we welcome people to come in and volunteer in assisting us in the business that we do.”
HOPE Services coordinates job training and opportunities, leisure activities and assisted living for residents with developmental disabilities.
“Some volunteers help us with providing classes,” Alarid said. “We are looking for people to help with our computer lab, vocational training and some of our leisure-time activities.”
She said she, staff members and clients were looking forward to participating in “this community networking activity.”
Community Foundation’s collaboration on the volunteer fair was an easy fit, Hicks said, because the organization has contact with more than 150 nonprofits in the community. She said they often field calls from people looking for a way to get more involved in the community.
“We get so many calls from people wanting to know where they can volunteer – what is out there,” Hicks said. “This is a great way to have a showcasing of all the opportunities in one venue.”
Hicks said the goal is to host the fair once a year.
“It’s our way to help the nonprofits in their capacity building,” Hicks said. “Our goal and our dream are to have a very robust database so people can come to us for opportunities.”
Community Volunteer Fair
Feb. 13, noon to 4 p.m.
670 College St.
Admission is free
Participating nonprofits:
Advocacy, Inc.
Baler Education Foundation
CASA of San Benito County
Central Coast Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice
Chamberlain’s Children Center
Child Injury Prevention Coalition
Community Food Bank of San Benito County
Community Media Access Partnership (CMAP)
Community Solutions
Compassion Pregnancy Services
Dreams and Visions Community Development, Inc.
El Teatro Campesino
Emmaus House (women and children’s shelter)
Fishes and Loaves
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
Heritage Foundation
Hollister Angels Youth Ministry
Hollister Downtown Association
Hollister Youth Alliance
Homeless Coalition of San Benito County
Hope For A Cure Memorial Education Scholarship
HOPE Services
Janet Graham Memorial Fund
Junior Achievement of Northern CA
Pat’s Place Thrift Shop
Pet Friends
Sacred Heart Parish School
San Benito County 4-H
San Benito County Arts Council
San Benito County Free Library
San Benito County Historical Society
San Benito County Oriana Chorale
San Benito Fire Safe Council
San Benito Health Foundation WIC program
San Benito LULAC Council #2890
San Juan Bautista Fire Fighters Association
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
Seniors Council Foster Grandparent program
Si, Se Puede! Learning Center
St. Francis Retreat Center
Women’s Club of Hollister
YMCA of San Benito County
