National Volunteer Week: 5 Ways You Can Volunteer in Gilbert, AZ
Gilbert, AZ wouldn’t be the thriving community it is without its volunteers. Looking for your own cause to be a part of? This National Volunteer Week, we have five ideas for how you can get involved!
1. Gilbert Police Department
The Gilbert Police Department LOVES its volunteers, and is always looking for individuals that can assist in the field or help provide support to Gilbert’s police force.
If you’re interested in helping spread the word about safety resources at community events, being on patrol, or providing crisis support to victims, there’s options available as part of Gilbert Police’s Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) program.
While not everyone might be available to participate in the VIPS program, Gilbert’s police force always appreciates residents that show their support in other ways, such as writing encouraging notes or dropping off a meal.
Learn more about Gilbert Police Department’s volunteer opportunities online or contact Volunteer Coordinator Sherry Nielsen at 480–635–7711.
2. Gilbert Fire & Rescue
Working as a volunteer for Gilbert Fire & Rescue is yet another impactful and rewarding experience to be a part of.
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities to choose from, including: assisting as a car seat technician or home safety evaluator, providing community education, or joining the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) or the Community Assistance Team.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
CERT volunteers respond to emergency situations under extreme circumstances. They help provide critical support to first responders, immediate assistance to patients, organize other volunteers at disaster sites, and collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that improve the safety of the community.
Community Assistance Team
Community Assistance volunteers respond and work in partnership with the on-scene fire department units to provide a wide range of services, such as assisting families displaced by residential fires, providing transportation, assisting motorists, and installing smoke detectors and batteries for residents.
Interested in getting the perspective of an active Gilbert Fire & Rescue volunteer? Read about Bryan Eisen’s experience here.
To learn more about getting involved with Gilbert Fire & Rescue, please visit their website or reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Kim Yonda-Lead at kim.yonda-lead@gilbertaz.gov.
3. Gilbert Parks & Recreation
Volunteering with Gilbert Parks & Recreation is a fun and unique experience, providing a variety of different opportunities throughout the year.
If you’ve ever noticed how clean Gilbert parks are kept, a huge reason for that is because of our incredible volunteers. This is a great option if you love the outdoors and have a passion for helping the planet.
Have an interest in helping special needs adults? Gilbert Parks & Recreation offers Adaptive Recreation activities, including social nights and arts & crafts events, where you can help volunteer and even make some lifelong friendships. Watch to learn about one volunteer’s experience.
Volunteers are also needed for special events, youth sports, trail cleanup, and more.
Find out what options are available on the Gilbert Parks & Recreation website, or contact Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Lauria at Jennifer.Lauria@gilbertaz.gov.
4. Neighbor 2 Neighbor Organizations
Gilbert’s Neighbor 2 Neighbor (N2N) program benefits 20 different local non-profit organizations that support Gilbert families and residents in-need. While Gilbert accepts donations throughout the year for this program, we also encourage individuals to get involved directly by volunteering their time with these organizations, such as the United Food Bank, Child Crisis Arizona and Hope for Addiction.
Whatever you might be looking for, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities available through our N2N organizations. Learn more and find the full list of non-profits that are part of the program.
5. More Great Gilbert Volunteer Opportunities
Aside from the options listed above, there’s tons of other resources available out there to find your perfect match for volunteering! Check out the following sites to search for options in Gilbert:
Just Serve: www.justserve.org
Chamber for Good: www.chamberforgood.com
Gilbert Cares: www.gilbertcares.org
Volunteer Match: www.volunteermatch.org
All For Good: www.allforgood.org
Do Something: www.dosomething.org
Are there other volunteer opportunities we missed? Be sure to share them with us in the comments!
