JACKSON, WY— ‘Tis the season for giving—giving thanks, gifts, love, and time. Jackson is home to over 200 nonprofits, many of which work extra hard over the holidays to offer their services to those who need them most. In other words, it’s the perfect time to volunteer. Wondering where to channel your seasonal altruism? Here are a few ideas:
PAWS
The holidays are some of the busiest times for animal shelters across the country. PAWS works with local shelters, including the Animal Adoption Center and Jackson/Teton County Animal Shelter to care for and place animals in hard times. All you need to help them out are a set of working legs, an hour or so of free time, and a love of four-legged friends. PAWS is always looking for dog-walkers and cat care help at Jackson/Teton County Animal Shelter.
Animal Adoption Center
Speaking of furry friends, what better gift this holiday season than the gift of a loving home? The Animal Adoption Center is always looking for foster families to take their resident animals home for the night, day, week… however long it takes for them to find their fur-ever home. Fill out a foster application at AnimalAdoptionCenter.org.
Teton Literacy Center
Volunteers for Teton Literacy Center’s Tutoring and Enrichment Program get to spend an hour a week making a direct and immediate impact on students’ lives. Work with students one-on-one to provide reading and writing support, or facilitate small-group activities and lessons. TLC provides all the training you need to take students to their next level in reading and writing. Visit TetonLiteracy.org for more information.
The Senior Center
The Senior Center needs help with Meals on Wheels delivering meals to homebound seniors in the area. Call Hannah at 307-733-7300 or visit SeniorCenterJH.org/Volunteer.
Hole Food Rescue
Hole Food Rescue (HFR) combats two major grievances in the valley: food insecurity, and food waste. Approximately 3,000 Teton County residents were deemed “food insecure” in 2015 according to the Teton County Community Needs Assesment. HFR works with community partners to collect excess food—perfectly good, edible food that would have otherwise ended up in the trash—and redistributes it to local organizations that serve at-risk Teton County residents. They always need volunteers to help rescue excess food, sort it, deliver it to partners… there are countless ways to help feed people this holiday season through HFR.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat has been hard at work building the third phase of the Grove, an affordable housing project designed to serve Teton County’s lower-income working families. But they don’t stop just because it’s cold out. Handy men and women can volunteer time and hands on-site Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Habitat also always needs volunteers at the ReStore. They ask for a minimum of two consecutive hours to move, display and sell goods.
Meals with a Mission
Once a week, gather at the Elks Lodge to prepare meals for St. John’s oncology patients. With the support of the St. John’s Hospital Foundation and St. John’s Oncology department, full three-course meals are prepared and delivered to patients’ homes every Thursday. Contrary to the popular idiom, there can never be “too many cooks” in this kitchen.
One22
One22 provides interpretation services, advocacy, emergency services and community outreach to Teton County’s Latino, immigrant and Spanish-speaking residents. If you don’t have time to give, One22 has more than two dozen families in need of a Secret Santa. Email Amy Brooks, amy@one22jh.org, for more information and a wish list.
Central Wyoming College (CWC)
Bilingual people looking for a stable, long-term volunteer commitment need look no further than Central Wyoming College. CWC needs ESL classroom volunteers Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. They ask that volunteers commit to one class a week for the remainder of the semester.
Community Foundation of Jackson Hole
The Community Foundation keeps all the aforementioned non-profits alive through grants, philanthropy and leadership. If that sounds like a lot of work… it is. Ask what you can offer them. They might point you in another direction, and pair you with the perfect non-profit for your time and interests. Their website VolunteerJH.org offers even more ideas for volunteering.
