Needs From: United Way of the Wabash Valley

Are you friendly, helpful and organized?

 Volunteer must be a self-starter who is able to follow routine procedures, fold and stack clothing neatly, sort clothing and make independent decisions. Volunteers may work on a regular basis, or as needed, depending on the supply and demand. Hours are flexible. Volunteers will accept or reject donated items based on condition and appropriateness. Organizational skills are a must. The goal is to keep the Clothing Closet neat and stocked for daily use by clients. If volunteer wishes to work directly with families (clients) hours are 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Mon.- Fri.

If getting in the Christmas mood is a challenge for you, this is the place to come and volunteer!

Teams of volunteers work through the year, to sort through donations to determine which are acceptable for the Christmas Store Program. Items not suitable for the Christmas Store are sent to the Clothes Closet, Household Exchange or recycling/repurposing. Items at the Christmas Store are new and verified in working condition. These items will be collected into their specific storage or display location for further determination as to their use.

The team meets every Tuesday from 9am-11am at the Christmas Store.

One of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences is as a Volunteer Shopper Assistant. This position is needed during the Christmas Season each year and is based on the Christmas Store schedule When you assist our neighbors through the store and help them select items, hear what is on their mind and who they are shopping for you will often hear how grateful they are to have this experience.

Do you enjoy working outdoors and getting your hands dirty?

Grounds/Maintenance Grounds/Maintenance volunteers meet the maintenance needs of the yard and house. This can consist of general gardening, lawn mowing, planting flowers, also, exterior building maintenance such as changing light bulbs, sweeping, leaf racking, etc. It could also include maintenance of equipment for those with the appropriate skills.

This would be on a regular basis with consideration of the weather.

Do you like to read? Are you a proficient reader? Then this just might be the opportunity for you!

Champions Reading Program – The Champions Reading was created in response to the IREAD-3 exam.
Our goal is to ensure children attending Ryves Youth Center are reading at their grade appropriate level.
Volunteers will focus on reading by working one-on-one or in small groups of children from
kindergarten-3rd grade.

We encourage our volunteers to read to these children and for the children to
read to the volunteer. This interaction creates a wonderful synergistic experience to both individuals
and allows the children to feel approval, validation and achievement for their efforts. Our hope is that
the child will be motivated towards more educational opportunities.

The curriculum and assessments will be provided by the Ryves Youth Center Educational Coordinator.
Progress of each child is tracked by the Educational Coordinator.

Tutors work one-on-one with children to help them understand their school
work and assignments.

Are you crafty?

 Volunteers are needed to help plan and implement arts and crafts activities. Ryves
Youth Center has art supplies on hand. Staff are always open to new ideas that you might have and want
to share with us.

Fun Food Friday is a weekly program, offered on Friday afternoons, that involves a
healthy snack combined with a theme or a craft project. It might be themed on a specific holiday such as
Christmas, Easter or Valentines or it could be Star Wars, a Jungle Safari or Veggie Pizza day. Whatever it
might be, bring your imagination and your kitchen skills to this one. Volunteers are needed to help
coordinate and implement activities.

Children experience other cultures and histories through food, such as Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Polish, German and other countries and cultures. Volunteers are needed to work with the children in preparing a menu and assisting with cooking.

Library volunteers read to small groups of children.

They help coordinate educational games and keep the library clean and organized.

Are you an athlete? Do you like to play basketball or perhaps you like coaching?

 During the school year, Ryves Youth Center hosts several basketball leagues for middle
school (Tuesdays) and high school (Thursdays) age children. Volunteers are needed to coach, referee,
and run the scoreboard. We offer co-ed teams with varying skill levelsfor the children. Coaches provide
a great opportunity for children to get the guidance and support needed. We encourage positive
reinforcement with these children. Your attention and interest in them can make a big difference in
their lives. In some situations, you might be a role model to them and when you share a kind word or a
compliment it can motivate them to reach beyond their own perceived limitations.

Volunteers can help coordinate sports activities like soccer and volleyball as well
as other physical activities and games in the gymnasium.

The Ryves Preschool primarily serves children who are homeless and at risk of
homelessness. Preschool hours are 8am-5pm. Preschool volunteers work directly with our preschool
children and assist with preparation of meals such as breakfast and snack. Lunch and dinner are
provided through our Gourmet Kitchen in the lower level of The Center. We work with the children in
the classroom in small groups during learning modules and on class projects.

All families in the community are welcome to join us on the third Wednesday of each
month for Family Night. Families are encouraged to eat dinner together at the Youth Center, listen to a
presentation from one of our community partners and participate in activities. Volunteers are needed
to help plan and facilitate some of the family activities. The Family Night Committee meets once a
month to plan monthly activities. For more information, contact Jim Pinkstaff at (812) 235-1265 Monday
thru Friday noon – 8 pm.

Catholic Charities Soup Kitchen serves a hot meal at no cost from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.,  Monday thru Friday and offers free bagged lunches on Saturday and Sunday.

Kitchen support is needed for assisting with meal preparation, washing dishes, cleaning tables, serving food, etc.

All volunteers must complete an application, background check and training course located on our website, ccthin.org.

Maintain exterior cleanliness of Ryves Youth Center at Etling Hall.  Responsibilities may include, mowing, weed removal, pruning, planting flowers, raking leaves, snow removal, picking up trash.  It will be your responsibility to ensure that visitors form a positive first impression when visiting our program facilities.

Volunteer hours vary and are flexible, Monday thru Friday.

All volunteers must complete an application, background check and training video located on our website ccthin.org.

Assist with receiving, sorting, weighing and loading of food products and other goods.

Volunteer hours are 8:30-11:30am and 12:30-2:30pm Monday through Friday.

All volunteers must complete application.

Maintains interior cleanliness of Ryves Youth Center at Etling Hall.  Responsibilities may include sweeping, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning restrooms and other indoor cleaning tasks. 

Volunteer hours vary and are flexible, Monday thru Friday.

All Volunteers must complete application, background check and training video located on our website, ccthin.org.

TIME for Me, or Trauma-Informed Mentoring for Excellence, is a program at Ryves Youth Center that matches girls and
boys ages 9-17 with approved Catholic Charities volunteer mentors.

The mentor-mentee relationship is fostered through weekly meetings, and all in-person meetings take place at Ryves
Youth Center. Research shows mentoring is not only a positive experience in a youth’s life but also improves academic
performance, builds confidence and decreases the likelihood to use drugs and alcohol. Mentored children are also
less likely to drop out of school or enter the juvenile justice system.

Thanks to a prestigious grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP),
TIME for Me at Ryves Youth Center fosters one-on-one
relationships on-site for one hour a week for 12 months.
Ryves group activities including Salsa Club, tutoring, story
time and Fun Food Fridays are offered to mentees.

Mentor Requirements:
• 21 years of age or older
• Interviews with Mentor Coordinator
• Submits volunteer application
• Background check
• Safe Parish online training
• Group interview involving mentor, mentee and parent
or guardian
• Completes Certification in Inclusive Mentoring Practices
through the National Disability Mentoring Coalition
(NDMC)