FREE for YPN members
Spring Into Action with YPN The Young Professionals Network spends a day in service, helping to make our community better and stronger! The Spring Service Day provides opportunities to volunteer at nonprofits throughout the area. After morning volunteer activities, participants can meet for lunch to network and share experiences. Choose from one of the following options:
AnimalKind AnimalKind’s mission is to end the unnecessary euthanasia of adoptable cats and dogs in North Carolina shelters. The organization operates a number of programs to fulfill their mission including a “ReTail” thrift shop, which is a thrift shop owned and operated by the organization where 100 percent of profits go to support their mission.
Activity: YPN volunteers will work in organization’s ReTails Thrift Shop on various projects including sorting and stocking inventory, cleaning, and other miscellaneous tasks within the store. Location: 2821 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 6 Boys and Girls Club The mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The organization accomplishes this goal by offering a wide range of after-school and summer programs for youth ages 6-18 to help them achieve academic success, develop good character and citizenship and live health lifestyles.
Activity: YPN volunteers will spend the first part of the afternoon working on various cleaning, repair and maintenance projects at the Raleigh Boys Club. The second part of the afternoon will be spent participating in a fun activity with the children when they arrive from school. Location: 701 N. Raleigh Blvd., Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10 Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina Established in 1980, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that has provided food for people at risk of hunger in 34 counties in NC for over 35 years. The Food Bank serves a network of more than 800 partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults through six branches in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, Sandhills (Southern Pines), and Wilmington.
Activity: YPN members will work with the Food Bank on sorting and repackaging items such as produce, canned goods, bulk dry items like pasta or rice, or food that comes from the Food Bank’s retail partners. Location: 1924 Capital Blvd., Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 16 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation JDRF is the leading global organization funding Type 1 Diabetes Research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.
Activity: YPN volunteers will assist JDRF in preparing for its 2017 Hope Gala at North Ridge Country Club, one of the most anticipated black-tie events of the Triangle, which last year raised over $850,000 for T1D research. Location: 6612 Falls of the Neuse Road, Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 6 Marbles Kids Museum Marbles serves a diverse population of families, school groups, and community organizations with dozens of themed exhibits, daily programs, summer camps, IMAX educational and feature films, and special events year-round. Marbles ranks among the top family destinations in North Carolina and is recognized nationally for a bold approach to play-based learning. Marbles uses play as a foundation for academic success and emotional well-being, as a way to strengthen families, and as a tool to build community.
Activity: YPN volunteers will help ready the museum for their annual Marbles Imagination Ball spring gala event. This high-energy volunteer opportunity will focus on event preparation including auction set-up, guest experience preparation, and décor assembly and installation. Location: 201 E. Hargett St., Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10 Raleigh/Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness The Raleigh/Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness is an organization that works collectively with the City of Raleigh and more than four dozen community groups to support the Oak City Outreach Center in downtown Raleigh. The Center provides meals, hygiene kits, and other resources for those who are unstably housed or homeless in Wake County.
Activity: YPN volunteers will work with a local artist to create a beautiful mural that will be a permanent fixture outside the Oak City Outreach Center. Location: 215 S. Person St., Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10 Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now) Stop Hunger Now, which in 2017 rebranded to Rise Against Hunger, is a local organization that works to end global hunger. Meal packaging volunteers put together millions of meals annually that are distributed to partners in other countries around the world.
Activity: YPN volunteers will participate in a meal packaging “face off” to package over 1000 meals. Two teams of 10 volunteers will go head-to-head to complete their portioned meals for the fastest time. Location: 3200 Wellington Court, Raleigh Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 20 The Special Olympics of North Carolina The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Special Olympics aims to combine high quality sports with a wide audience and be a driving force for social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
Activity: Join your fellow volunteers in the Special Olympics warehouse, organizing and sorting their event shirts, trophies, and tents, and helping with other various activities as needed. Location: 2200 Gateway Centre Blvd., Suite 201, Morrisville Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10 Wake County SmartStart Wake County SmartStart works to ensure that children from birth to age five are prepared for success in school and in life. Together with 11 local agencies, WCSS provides services through 22 programs to support their mission.
Activity: YPN volunteers will participate in an outdoor “dream team” to assist in creating an outdoor learning environment at Wanda's Little Hands Educational Center in Raleigh. This project will transform playground into an outdoor learning environment by making it more interactive with grass mazes, walking trails, and edible gardens. Project involves construction, physical labor, and potential interaction with kids at the center. Location: 3308 Poole Rd. Suite 108 Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10 Wake Enterprises Wake Enterprises provides vocational and social opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and became the first agency in North Carolina to offer supported employment in 1982. Wake Enterprises serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, down-syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, and seizure disorders.
Activity: Do you have a green thumb? Do you enjoy working outside? Look no further! YPN volunteers will be working outside together to revitalize the gardens at Wake Enterprises. Location: 3328 Air Park Road, Fuquay-Varina Time: 1 – 4 p.m. Number of Volunteers: 10
Questions? Call 919.664.7063 or email Katie Craig Join the conversation on Twitter @raleighchamber #RaleighYPN