You are an important player in communicating your organization’s goals, aims and vision. But your talents can also be put to use in giving back to the community as a member of PRSA. Here are some volunteer opportunities you might want to consider:

Communications help wanted:  Must love dogs!
F.I.D.O. (Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside, http://www.fidoindy.org), a grass-roots, volunteer-driven animal welfare group, seeks communications help in the following areas: PR Director, Newsletter Editor, Literature Coordinator, Promotional Materials Coordinator, Fundraising Project Coordinator, Grant Writer, neighborhood association liaison.
 
Created three years ago to help reduce the number of dogs in Indy that live chained and neglected, F.I.D.O. has evolved into a credible and respected organization with a core team of about 20 volunteers. F.I.D.O. focuses its efforts in urban neighborhoods, working closely with low-income dog owners to "unchain but contain" their dogs and provide other basic necessities such as shelter, spaying/neutering, flea treatments and food and water. F.I.D.O. volunteers conduct regular community outreach days as well as fence-repair and dog-house-building days.
 
F.I.D.O. has been featured in the Indy Star and on local radio and TV programs.  The group is well-run, effective and eager to take its communications efforts to the next level so it can continue its unique and important mission of helping Indy's most at-risk dogs. If you are interested in supporting F.I.D.O. in any capacity, no matter how large or small, please contact President Jeni Christoffersen at jeni.christoffersen@gmail.com.
 

American Cancer Society Needs PR Pros for Inaugural Discovery Ball
Looking for a unique volunteer experience in addition to networking opportunities? The American Cancer Society's Indianapolis Discovery Ball offers a fun, engaging evening as a way to fight back against cancer. The organization's PR committee is seeking additional volunteer support to help market and publicize the Ball and, in doing so, promote the lifesaving mission of the American Cancer Society. For more information, please contact Karen Copp at karen.copp@cancer.org.


Connect2Help Seeking Volunteers
Every hour of every day, people need essential human services - they are looking for training, employment, food pantries, help for an aging parent, addiction prevention programs for their teenage children, affordable housing options, support groups and ways of becoming part of their community. 2-1-1 allows people to give help and to get help. Connect2Help (C2H), a United Way agency, serves as the 2-1-1 Center for central Indiana.  The organization has many wonderful people on its board of directors and, with the help of talented volunteers, C2H can extend its reach and become even more effective in fulfilling its important mission. C2H invites you to visit Connect2Help.org or contact CEO Lynn Engel (317-789-8600) to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

AARP Tax-Aide Program

The AARP Tax-Aide Program has over 700 volunteers in Indiana and provides FREE Tax preparation to moderate and low income taxpayers with emphasis on the elderly.

We are currently looking for a volunteer to help us with publicity and public relations. This person does not have to have tax law knowledge and does not have to participate in preparation of taxes, but have knowledge and experience in publicity and public relations. Time requirements would be a couple hours a month plus possibly attending a couple of meetings around the state during the Fall. Interested persons can call Seymour Suber, State Coordinator, at 317-272-4638.

The American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis

The American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis is seeking public relations and communications professionals to join its Public Affairs (P.A.) Team. P.A. volunteers provide vital support to the mission of the Red Cross by communicating with media representatives and the general public.

From major disasters to house fires, the Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis provides its services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The nature of services provided by the Red Cross often place the organization in the media spotlight, so it is essential that our volunteers are skilled communicators and comfortable working with the press.

For public relations professionals, involvement with the P.A. Team provides an opportunity to exercise skills in crisis communication while supporting a non-profit organization that provides essential services to local victims of disasters, large and small.

P.A. volunteer opportunities are limited to those who have a college degree and communication-related experience. Participants will be asked to complete ten hours of training.

Key duties and tasks include:

• Providing the media with a clear and accurate picture of Red Cross services.
• Informing disaster-affected communities about Red Cross services available, as well as where and how they can be obtained.
• Serving as spokesperson at the scene of a disaster, as necessary and coordinate media interviews.
• Advise disaster management staff about the public relations implications of operational issues.
• Serve as an official spokesperson during other events when necessary.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Komen’s mission is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all and energizing science to find the cures.  The Indianapolis Affiliate serves 21 counties in Central Indiana. We achieve our mission by raising money through various fund raising events including the Race for the Cure, Pink Tie Ball, BMW Ultimate Drive and Passionately Pink for the Cure along traditional non-event centered fund raising efforts.

We also have local education and outreach efforts including Pink Parties, Pink Champions and annual educational symposiums for medical providers and the general public.

As a relatively young organization, we continue to struggle to become better known in the community, particularly for our activities beyond the Race for the Cure, and feel a strong Marketing and Communications Committee is key to our success. This committee is charged with communicating the mission and key messages to raise awareness of Komen. They provide communications support for various events and community outreach programs. They are responsible for increasing awareness and knowledge of breast health and breast cancer among local media, the general public and other target audiences.

For more information, contact:
Dana Curish
Executive Director
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
1099 North Meridian Street, Suite 111
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.638.CURE
Fax: 317.634.4980
dana_curish@komenindy.org

Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS)

Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS) seeks qualified and competent tutors to help youth age 6-18 who are residents of Lutherwood Residential Treatment Center & School. Over 50% of our children are behind their appropriate grade level in reading. The major goal of our tutoring program is improving each child's reading skills. We ask that our Volunteer Tutors meet with their assigned child either every week or every other week. As a prospective tutor you must possess the following characteristics:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• A basic knowledge of materials covered in grades K - 12
• The ability to help a child set educational goals
• The ability to focus on the strengths of the child
• Conviction about the capacity of persons to grow and change
• A belief that education is a key that can unlock many barriers in life
• Able to maintain appropriate boundaries and to set limits in working with the child
• The ability to recognize and respond appropriately to cultural differences

• Sort donations of food and clothing
• Work directly with clients by performing triage (helping to uncover needs and to break the cycle of poverty)
• Organize food and clothing drives
• Answering phones
• Filling orders as clients come in
• Work at home to make blankets, quilts, and infant layettes
• Data entry on a computer
• Picking up donations at various locations in the community

• Sort donations of food and clothing
• Work directly with clients by performing triage (helping to uncover needs and to break the cycle of poverty)
• Organize food and clothing drives
• Answering phones
• Filling orders as clients come in
• Designing window displays
• Serving as a cashier
• Pricing items for the thrift store
• Data entry on a computer

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be a role model
• Able to create and build healthy relationships with our children
• A strong desire to help our children grow and succeed
• Appreciate the value of education
• Have a love for all types of children
• Be creative and able to plan fun age appropriate activities
• Able to maintain appropriate boundaries and set limits in working with children

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Show by example how one can be a productive citizen
• Involve the young person in activities, sports, educational or civic events
• Introduce the young person to hobbies and opportunities to help others
• Help the young person experience the community as a safe environment
• Share interests, life stories and solutions to daily problems

If you are interested in becoming a one-on-one Mentor, please contact the Volunteer Resources Department to set up a personal interview. Your time is valuable and we aim to facilitate the process as efficiently as possible. You are required to complete a volunteer application, provide 3 references, complete or provide documentation of a TB screen during the past year (paid for by LCFS), complete or provide documentation of a physical within the past 3 months (paid for by LCFS), provide proof of Automobile Insurance, and provide a date of birth and soc. # so that we may process a Limited Criminal History check and Sex Offender check

Upon completion of the mentioned requirements, you will meet one-on-one with our Mentoring Coordinator, the child's therapist and the child.

People's Burn Foundation
Burn victims experience unimaginable pain and face months – often many years – recovering from the physical and mental wounds. The support of family and health professionals is vital, but victims also have a friend in the Indianapolis-basedPeople’s Burn Foundation . The PBF operates several programs designed to assist burn victims and their families, including: Brave Hearts’ Camp (a summer event for youngsters in Brown County), support groups for loved ones, Ask A Nurse (nurses available to answer questions about burn treatment at the IU Burn Unit at Wishard Memorial Hospital, speaker’s bureau and Amanda’s Project, a burn/fire safety educational program established in memory of Amanda Arnold, a youngster killed in a home fire. The PBF offers an excellent volunteer and support opportunity – and it might make a good fundraising project for your organization. For more information or to get involved, contact: The People’s Burn Foundation, (toll free) 877-814-2024, or http://www.peoplesburnfoundation.org/.

Indiana Youth Group
The Indiana Youth Group for gay teens seeks professionals to help develop a media plan for the organization. If interested, contact Mary Byrne, mary@indianayouthgroup.org.

Father Resource Center
The Father Resource Center at Wishard Health Services needs assistance with newsletter content, website development and classroom collateral for its fatherhood programs. If available, contact Aaron Craig at 921-5936. Visit their website at http://www.fatherresource.org/.