Hoosier’s Guide to Volunteering

Between classes, clubs, friends and parties, it is easy for collegiettes to get caught up in the college bubble. However, it is important to realize that there is more to the world than frat parties and basketball games. Volunteering is a great way to escape the IU bubble and get involved in the Bloomington community. Although it can be hard to carve out time to volunteer, it only takes a little time to make a big difference! Whether you are looking to expand your current volunteer involvement or volunteer for the first time, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the great places to volunteer around Bloomington:
 

Bloomington Animal Care and Control
If you love animals, this is a great place to volunteer! You can walk dogs, take care of cats and other general animal care. There are also opportunities to work as an animal adoption counselor or help dogs learn good manners. The time commitments vary based on position. Visit bloomington.in.gov/animalshelter to learn more.
 
Middle Way House
Middle Way House is a domestic violence shelter in Bloomington. It acts as a safe place for women who have escaped abusive relationships. Middle Way House provides endless resources for these women and is a wonderful place to lend your time. Volunteer opportunities include answering the crisis line phones, childcare, and legal advocacy, among other things. To learn more about specific volunteer positions as well as requirements, visit middlewayhouse.org.
 
Hoosier Hills Food Bank

Hoosier Hills Food Bank is a non-profit organization that provides more than three million pounds of food every year to people in need. As a food bank, Hoosier Hills takes food that would otherwise be wasted and uses it to feed the hungry. Volunteers can help repack food into family size portions, work in the garden to plant and harvest food, or work in the warehouse. To learn more about these tasks and other volunteer opportunities at Hoosier Hills Food Bank, visit hhfoodbank.org.
 
Pages to Prisoners
The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project provides free reading materials to prisoners with the hope of stimulating critical thinking behind bars. It is run completely by volunteers and relies heavily on students to get involved. Volunteers read letters from prisoners requesting books and search the shelves for books that match what the prisoners want. Volunteers then write a personal response to the prisoner and package it with the books. Volunteer hours for the spring semester are Sunday 2-5pm, Monday 7-10pm, and Thursday 7-10pm. To learn more about volunteering at Pages to Prisoners, visit pagestoprisoners.org/volunteering.
 
These are only a few of Bloomington’s numerous volunteer opportunities. Whether you love children, animals, the environment, building houses or anything else, there is a volunteer opportunity for you! Consider the causes you care about and search out opportunities to make a difference! To learn about all of Bloomington’s volunteer opportunities, visit the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network at bloomington.in.gov/volunteer. Have fun and happy volunteering!