United Way of Greater Portland can connect you with one-time opportunities and events that help our community, tools for hosting a collection of needed items, as well as ongoing and regularly scheduled opportunities that support long-lasting change and Thrive2027 goals. You can choose what moves you!
Every month we share a Volunteer Engagement Newsletter with opportunities to engage throughout Greater Portland. Here are some of the highlights from January’s Volunteer Newsletter.
PROJECT HEAT TELETHON
Want to help keep your neighbors warm this winter and get 30 seconds of fame? Join NEWS CENTER Maine on Thursday, January 16, as they host their annual Project Heat Telethon to raise money for United Way’s Keep ME Warm program, Maine’s emergency heating assistance fund. Volunteers are needed to answer phones and process donation information in 2-3-hour shifts, from 5 a.m. – 8 p.m. at NEWS CENTER Maine’s office, One Congress Square in Portland, corner of High & Congress Streets. (Volunteers will be asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to their shift for training.) Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served with snacks throughout the day. Shift times are flexible. FMI contact volunteer@unitedwaygp.org.
ALZHEIMER’S & DEMENTIA ADVOCACY DAY: SAVE THE DATE!
Join the Alzheimer’s Association on Thursday, January 30, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Hall of Flags on the second floor of the State House, 210 State Street in Augusta for Maine’s Alzheimer’s & Dementia Advocacy Day. This day of state advocacy is designed to enable those affected to share their experiences face-to-face with state elected officials while surrounded by supporters. All Mainers who want to fight Alzheimer’s disease are welcome to attend.
CONNECT PEOPLE TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES THIS TAX SEASON
CA$H Greater Portland (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Opportunity Guides assist tax site clients with the intake process, discuss financial goals and challenges, and provide information about local programs and services to help increase their financial stability. Opportunity Guide volunteers receive orientation and training, as well as meals during shifts. Volunteers commit to serve for a minimum of four shifts during the tax season (late January – April). Shifts at our central site in Portland are from 5 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and 8:30 a.m. – 2 or 3 p.m. on Saturdays. To learn more about this opportunity to help people access valuable resources, please email Kerrie Keller, kkeller@unitedwaygp.org.
HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS BY BECOMING AN IRS TAX LAW CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARER
CA$H Greater Portland (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope), an initiative of United Way of Greater Portland in partnership with the Greater Portland CA$H Coalition, is looking for people to become IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers. Tax Preparers receive free training—no accounting experience is needed! This is a great opportunity for people with basic computer skills who enjoy working with the public and would be comfortable having one-on-one conversations with tax site clients. Volunteers commit to serve for a minimum of four shifts during the tax season (late January – April). Shifts at our central site in Portland are from 5:30 -8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and 8:30 a.m. – 2 or 3 p.m. on Saturdays with meals provided. Prefer to volunteer during the weekday? There will be options for that, too! To learn more about this opportunity, please email Kerrie Keller, kkeller@unitedwaygp.org.
THRIVE2027 COMMUNITY EVENT
United Way of Greater Portland, serving as the backbone of Thrive2027, will host 5 public conversations throughout Cumberland County from January to April 2020. The purpose of the conversations is to follow-up with community members, reintroduce Thrive2027, hear concerns and public comment, and showcase work that has been done in the first 3 years of the Goal Strategies. Participants will also be presented with tangible opportunities for engagement.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Date: January 28, 2020
Time: 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Location: Portland Public Library
RSVP: email advocacy@unitedwaygp.org.
Check out our January Volunteer Newsletter. for more opportunities or search online at http://volunteer.unitedwaygp.org.
