Kick off the Jewish new year with a commitment to service! Sign up to participate in Season of Service, a month-long event hosted by Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC). Opportunities are available for individuals, families, and friends to make a difference throughout Baltimore, from safe in-person volunteering to meaningful at-home projects. Participate in one or more volunteer programs between October 11 – November 14.
Find a volunteer opportunity that works for you! Sign up for one or more of our Season of Service volunteer opportunities:
- GET OUT TO VOLUNTEER SAFELY: Volunteer in the community with our nonprofit and school partners
- VOLUNTEER FROM HOME: or get together safely with family, friends, classmates, teammates, etc.
- WHO ELSE IS CELEBRATING SEASON OF SERVICE? JVC thanks our participating partners.
GET OUT TO VOLUNTEER SAFELY: Volunteer in the community with our nonprofit and school partners.
JVC is closely monitoring the public health situation due to the ongoing pandemic. For all in-person events, JVC asks that all volunteers 12 and older be vaccinated and all volunteers should be masked in any indoor or crowded outdoor situations. If additional adjustments are necessary, volunteers will be notified before the event.
Bookworms at Timber Grove Elementary – Virtual
October 6th and November 3rd 10:30-11:30am
Join Bookworms to share in the gift of reading with students at Timber Grove Elementary School. Volunteers will read a book from the comfort of their home computer to a classroom of eager to engage students. Bookworms is a monthly reading program for volunteers to join as often as available with pre-registration required for virtual reading.
Volunteer Availability: 8 Volunteers
Restrictions: Volunteers must have a home computer with reliable internet access.
Register Here
Cemetery Clean Up with the Jewish Cemetery Association
October 10th, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Bowleys Lane Cemeteries, 6700 Bowleys Lane, Rosedale, 21237
Volunteers are needed to clean and restore monuments, and pick up debris at historic Jewish cemeteries at Bowley’s Lane in Baltimore. Tucked away behind an industrial park in Baltimore City, the historic Jewish Cemeteries at Bowley’s Lane are in constant need of maintenance and attention. Governed and managed by the Jewish Cemetery Association of Greater Baltimore, (JCA) these cemeteries are perfect examples of the important work and necessity of our organization. However, the JCA and the caretakers cannot perform their work alone. One way to help is by volunteering. Sign up to for this day of service, to help clean and restore the many monuments that, over time, have faded or become discolored, and to help pick up debris that inevitably collects throughout the cemetery. Please join us for an important community project that is particularly meaningful during this holiday season.
Volunteer availability: 50 volunteers
Restrictions: Ages 12+, with a parent if under 18
Register Here
Donation Sorting for Sol Levinson’s Fall Donation Drive
Sundays from 2:00-3:30 p.m.,
October 31- Outerwear (coats, Shoes, Hats, Scarves)
November 7- Toiletries and Women’s Hygiene Products
November 14- Books
November 21- Adult Clothing
November 28- School Supplies
Sol Levinson’s, 8900 Reisterstown Rd, Pikesville, 21208
Volunteers are needed to sort and quality check donations that are being collected at Sol Levinson’s through their Sol Levinson’s Fall Donation Drive: A JVC’s ‘Season of Service’ Project. Volunteers will sort and prepare the weekly donations to be delivered to recipient organizations. Up to 10 volunteers will be needed each Sunday from 2:00pm-3:30pm to process the donations alongside Sol Levinson’s staff.
Volunteer Availability: 10 Volunteers
Restrictions: Volunteers should be 8+, Volunteers under 18 should be accompanied by an adult.
Register Here
Western Run Stream Clean-up With CHAI
Sunday, November 14th, 1:00-3:00pm
LOCATION TBD
Join other volunteers and the greater CHAI community by rolling up your sleeves and picking up trash along the Western Run Stream. Trash bags and grabbers will be provided, but please wear long pants and closed toed shoes.
CHAI promotes stable communities for northwest Baltimore City residents through supporting seniors, increasing homeownership and active community building.
Volunteer Availability: 60 Volunteers
Volunteer Restrictions: Volunteers should be 8+, Volunteers under 18 should be accompanied by an adult.
Register Here
DIY Clean Your Street with CHAI
Sunday, November 14th, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (pick up time for kits at the CHAI office)
Pick-up Supplies at CHAI – 5809 Park Heights Ave, 21215
Beautify your own neighborhood with CHAI! Join volunteers around our community and clean up trash from your street/neighborhood. Volunteers can choose to pick up outdoor cleaning kits, free of charge and provided by CHAI, or use their own supplies. Cleaning kits are limited to one per household and are available on a first come first serve basis. CHAI works to strengthen the fabric of neighborhoods connected to Jewish Baltimore, through housing and community development, so residents of all ages can thrive.
Availability: 30 cleaning kits are available (1 per family/household)
Register Here
Donate Blood with the American Red Cross
October 20 – Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC – 3506 Gwynn Brook Avenue (21117)
November 11– Weinberg Park Heights JCC- 5700 Park Heights Avenue (21215)
The American Red Cross has a constant and ongoing need for blood donations, but the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a decrease in the number of blood donors. Please consider donating blood at one of the local community drives happening during JVC’s Season of Service.
Register Here
Red Cross Blood Drive—Volunteers Needed for Registration and Refreshments!
Thursday, November 11, 2 hour shifts from 1:00-8:00 p.m.
Weinberg Park Heights JCC, 5700 Park Heights Avenue, 21215
Register to assist the Red Cross in a community Blood Drive at the Park Heights JCC. Volunteers are needed to assist with registration and to run the “canteen” for donors to get drinks and snacks after their donation. Spaces are limited to 2 volunteers per job, per shift.
Shifts:
12:45-3:15 p.m.
3:00-5:15 p.m.
5:00-7:15 p.m.
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Jobs:
Registration OR Canteen Assistant
SAVE THE DATE for PJ Library Book Mitzvah Celebration with CJE!
Sunday, November 14, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Location TBD
Celebrate 13 years of PJ Library in Baltimore with a community celebration, including a book donation drive and service projects on site. All books are welcome at the book drive – Jewish, secular, adult, and kid-themed! Register for the Book Mitzvah soon!
Teen and tween volunteers needed to assist with book sorting during the event.
VOLUNTEER FROM HOME: or get together safely with family, friends, classmates, teammates, etc.
JVC’s Live With Purpose Kits and Projects
Throughout October and November
Join JVC in service projects designed to be completed safely in your own space, whether with friends and family, coworkers or your household. Please click on the links below to learn more and sign up!
- T-Shirt Tote Bags: Available starting October 4, while supplies last. JVC provides t-shirts and instructions for volunteers to re-purpose them into reusable tote bags. These tote bags will be donated to Living Classrooms to help with their Thanksgiving food distributions to local families. Just order online, pick up materials from the Park Heights JCC, and return the completed tote bags by the end of October. Learn more and register for your kit here.
- Casserole Challenge: Take part in our annual Casserole Challenge by preparing your favorite recipe and dropping it off with us on Tuesday, November 30. Last year we collected over 700 casseroles and donated them same-day to 12 nonprofits and schools in Baltimore. Help us make this year even better! Learn more and register for your kit here.
- Bunches of Lunches: Prepare bagged meals at home and drop them off at one of our curbside Bunches of Lunches collections. Every week, JVC and our partners collect homemade meals and deliver them to nonprofits that serve those experiencing food insecurity. View collection dates & locations and sign up now! Collection dates & locations are updated periodically as details are confirmed. Learn more and register here.
Sol Levinson’s Fall Donation Drive
Weekly Collections from October 11-November 30
Make this Season of Service a chance to clean out, clear out, and gift unused or gently used items from your home through the Sol Levinson’s Fall Donation Drive. Each week will feature a different item to donate, including adult and children’s clothing, books, toiletries, and baby items. The schedule of collections is coming soon so start collecting today!
FIDF Baltimore’s Lone Soldier Shabbat
October 11-17
Join FIDF and other Baltimore synagogues and schools as we honor our Lone Soldiers serving in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), and their families during Lone Soldier Shabbat taking place on October 11-17 throughout the community. Participants will fulfill service projects by making items that show love and support to Lone Soldiers and their families. For more information on how you can participate in FIDF’s Lone Soldier Shabbat visit https://fb.me/e/5p69o6cG8
WHO ELSE IS CELEBRATING SEASON OF SERVICE? Thank you to many of JVC’s partners participating in service during this season.
- FIDF Baltimore, for engaging community members in service projects that benefit Lone Soldiers and their families
- Baltimore Jewish Council, for engaging teen leadership program participants in a beautification project with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, as well as engaging volunteers across different faiths in making blessing bags to benefit people experiencing financial hardships and homelessness
- PJ Library and the Center for Jewish Education, for collecting book donations at the Book Mitzvah event
- 4Front at the JCC, for joining JVC and CHAI at Good Neighbor Day on November 14.
- Beth El, for hosting Bunches of Lunches collections in October and November
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