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October 2023

The Volunteer Center is proud to host Montgomery County’s 34th annual community service celebration. This year, the whole month of October is dedicated to honoring the organizations and volunteers that do so much for people and places in our communities. We thank you all for your service!

—From the Volunteer Center Staff

Calling all volunteers ages 18-49! The Volunteer Center is hosting a Community Service Fair on Saturday, October 14 from 10 am - 12 pm at the beautiful Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallen Avenue in Wheaton, MD . Volunteer organizations with loads of great things to volunteer for will be on hand to tell you what they do and how you can be a part of it. No reservation needed, but please give a heads up via our Facebook event notice if you plan to come!  We look forward to seeing you there.

Like empowering others to volunteer? Be a 50+ Advisor! Opportunities are still available to join the Volunteer Center team as a Volunteer Advisor for the 50+ Volunteer Network! This program offers a golden opportunity for volunteers to help other prospective volunteers tailor their own search for their ideal volunteer opportunities. No experience needed! Advisors are trained to navigate the Montgomery County Volunteer Center website, and they, in turn, apply that training in advising others while providing encouragement and moral support. This program is supported by AmeriCorps Seniors, an independent federal government agency dedicated to helping volunteers make a difference in communities across America. For more information, check out the listing on our website or email 50plus@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Like helping teens learn life skills, dream big, and make plans for the future? Empowering the Ages (ETA) has several short- and longer-term volunteer opportunities to work with high school students starting this fall. Topics include goal-setting, plans after high school, resumes and interviewing, and much more. ETA’s programs foster beneficial connections between older adults (ages 50 to 150!) and students in the critical spaces of civic engagement and workforce development. Click here for more information about the current opportunities, or email volunteer@empoweringtheages.org.

Like giving peace of mind to people at tax time? Volunteer with Montgomery County’s AARP Tax-Aide program! Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation to low- and moderate-income taxpayers at over 17 locations across the County. No experience is necessary! Training and support are provided, and your time will make a big difference in the lives of others. There are openings for:

• Tax Preparer 
• Greeter
• Appointment Scheduler (remote opportunity)
• Technology Support
• Language Interpretation

If you are interested in volunteering with AARP Tax-Aide, learn more and sign up here. Informational sessions will be held in November on the dates listed below. Please contact MontgomeryCountyTaxAide@gmail.com with questions.

Wednesday, Nov 1st, 10:30 AM - White Oak Community Rec Center

Wednesday, Nov 8th, 10:30 AM - Wheaton Community Rec Center

Wednesday, Nov 15th, 10:30 AM - Gaithersburg Library

For date-specific opportunities, visit the Volunteer Center Calendar. It is so easy to search!

NEW! YOUR Opportunity in The News… Hi, Organizations! Want one of your activities featured in Volunteer News? Please complete this brief form to place your request.



EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It!

Get ready! MLK Week of Service, January 15-20, 2024. Watch for updates!

Pictured are Sandy Smith (left) and Donna Kleffman (right).

Sandy Smith hosts "Make A Difference" - the county's cable TV show about how volunteers are making a difference every day in Montgomery County. In September, she spoke with Donna Kleffman, the Coordinator for Student Service Learning at MCPS, about the Student Service Learning (SSL) hours that MCPS students need to complete for graduation. Here is the link to watch this interview.

Service-learning is an instructional strategy that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning. It is a form of civic education that provides students with opportunities to explore and reflect on what it means to be an active, engaged citizen. According to the Maryland Department of Education, in the 2022-2023 school year, students in Maryland collectively engaged in 7.5 million hours of service-learning to serve the local and global community!

If you know a special volunteer whose story could be featured, please email Cassandra.Smith@montgomerycountymd.gov.