Community Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Read to or Mentor a Child | This is a volunteer activity involving reading to a child in grades 1-4 OR mentoring child grades 3-6 for 30 minutes per week at the same time each week starting early October and ending in April | Contact your local public school to learn about opportunities |
| Robinson Community Learning Center | This center located close to the ND campus has volunteer needs for tutoring, violence prevention, and computer skills. | Christy Burgess, Community and Volunteer Coordinator rclc.nd.edu 574 631-8759 |
| The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. | This center has volunteer opportunities to serve senior citizens and opportunities in health and wellness. | centerforhospice.org 574 243-3100 |
| Juvenile Justice Center | This volunteer opportunity involves legal issues and advocacy as well as mentoring youth | jjconline.org 574 235-5437 |
| American Red Cross (St. Joe County Chapter) | Volunteer opportunities with ARC involve interest and/or expertise in health and safety, emergency services, computers and technology | stjoe-redcross.org 574 234-0191 |
| Center for the Homeless | If your interests include being a part of the solution with homelessness issue and life changing courses for the homeless, check out the opportunities here. | cfh.net 574 282-8700 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County | Through the Boys and Girls Clubs, volunteer opportunities abound for after-school activities with youth and children. | bgcjc.org 574 232-2048 |
| Food Bank of Northern Indiana | This volunteer activity addresses hunger and poverty issues. | feedindiana.org 574 232-2048 |
| Hope Rescue Mission | The mission has volunteer options to assist others who are living in poverty or who are homeless. | hopesb.org 574 288-4842 |
| Literacy Council of St. Joseph County | If you have expertise or interest in adult literacy or English as a New Language, check out the volunteer options here. | stjoereads.ning.org 574 235-6113 |
| Logan Center | Volunteer options are available at the Logan Center to assist children and adults with special needs. | logancenter.org 574 289-4831 |
| Northern Indiana Center for History | If you are interested in history, museum work, and/or archival work, please check out the volunteer options at NICH. | centerforhistory.org 574 235-9664 |
| St. Margaret’s House | St. Margaret’s House has volunteer options to assist with home and care for pregnant women. | stmargaretshouse.org 574 234-7795 |
| South Bend Civic Theatre | Community theater opportunities are available at this locations. | sbct.org 574 234-1112 |
| Christ Child Society | This volunteer organization provides winter clothing to local area youth (infant to age 12.) There is also a tutoring program for St. Adalbert School conducted through this organization. | christchildsb.org |
| Memorial Hospital of South Bend | Volunteer options abound in the health care of patients at Memorial Hospital | qualityoflife.org 574 647-3610 |
| Brain Works | Courses, exercise, Spanish and more are offered at Memorial Hospital for those life long learners. Web site says “Use it or Lose it!” | qualityoflife.org/brainworks |
| Notre Dame Relay for Life | This American Cancer Society grassroots level event is generally held in the fall and one walks to support cancer research and local cancer survivors. | relay.nd.edu |
| Pink Zone Challenge (Women’s Basketball) or Coaches vs Cancer (Men’s Basketball) | These are two organizations with fun activities all year long to raise monies for cancer research – much of which supports local endeavors | Coaches vs Cancer |
| St Adalbert Catholic School | Opportunities to mentor and tutor are available at this local Catholic school. | stadalbertparish.org |
| St. Joseph County Library | Opportunities to archive, read, etc. are available at this downtown location. | 574 282-4606 |
| St. Joseph Regional Medical Center | Opportunities to serve within the hospital are plentiful – call for more details | sjmed.com/careers 574 237-7569 |
| Babysitting Network | An opportunity to develop a babysitting network among ND/St.Mary parents and ND/St. Mary students | baby sitting network |
| Sister Rosalie’s Gateway to Heaven Shopping Club of St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph County | The no-dues club is dedicated to purchasing necessary items for the Thrift Store, Client-Choice Pantry and emergency clients. | St. Vincent de Paul Society 3408 Ardmore Trail South Bend, IN 46628 |
| Lists of volunteer activities available in the community | Lists of volunteer activities available in the community | allforgood.org |
Spiritual
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Bible Study | Weekly sessions on Wednesday | campusministry.nd.edu |
| Pray.ND | This is a website of reflections on daily Bible readings, prayers, and other inspirational words. | pray.nd.edu for prayer cards |
Arts
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| DeBartolo Performing Arts Center or DPAC | Films, plays, music, opera, dance and more are offered through the ND DPAC location! | performingarts.nd.edu |
| Arts Everywhere | Arts Everywhere home page provides a calendar of events for local arts and entertainment. Dance, theater, music, and art are presented for the Michiana area. If you are interested in taking art classes, those are available as well! | cfsjc.org |
| Shakespeare at ND | Incredible performances during the summer, with London performers and more during academic school year. | shakespeare.nd.edu 631-BARD |
Athletics
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Non-student Fitness Classes for spouses | These classes range from cardio to pilates to yoga and others at a reasonable price. | recsports.nd.edu |
| Faculty & Staff Soccer MWF 12:15 to 1:15 on the ND soccer practice field, right next to Alumni Field, the soccer stadium. | Friendly pick-up soccer, with between 10 and 20 players showing up. Dark shirts play against white shirts, no slide tackles, no long-distance shots, small goals without goalies. Age 20 – 65, with the bulk of the players between 30 and 45, sometimes even faculty kids play. Players mostly from North and South America and Europe, but all continents are represented. | |
| Faculty & Staff Basketball | MWF 11:30 at Rolfs Athletic Center | |
| Open Ice Rink | MWF 12:00pm-1:00pm from Sept. 15 – March 15 each year. No open skate on football Fridays. $3 fee for skate rental, and all participants must possess a valid University of Notre Dame ID card. | 574 631-7905 |
| Summer Golf League (mixed) | Wednesday afternoons at the Notre Dame golf course (old course); 9 holes | 574 298-2773 |
| Women’s Summer Golf League | Tuesday afternoons at the Notre Dame golf course (old course); 9 holes | 574 631-6455 |
| Family Time at the Rock | The Rockne Memorial Recreational Facility, including the pool, is open to the families of faculty, staff and students on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-5:00. | 574 631-5297 |
| Family Time at Rolfs Sports Recreation Center | Rolfs Athletic Complex is open to families of ND students and employees on Saturdays from 9-12 and Sundays from 12-2; The aquatic facilities at Rolfs are open on Sundays from 2-5 | 574 631-6100 |
| Swimming Lessons at Rolfs Sports Recreation Center | Swim lessons are offered throughout the academic year and summer. Classes range from parent-tot to advanced. Class times vary. | recsports.nd.edu |
| ND Summer Sports Camps | Camps are offered for baseball, basketball, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, ice hockey, swimming, diving, strength and speed, tennis, track & field, cross country, volleyball and football. Age ranges differ according to the sport. | youthsports.nd.edu |
Family Activities at ND
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Story Hour at the Hammes Bookstore (on campus) | Tuesdays 11:00 and 1:00. Miss Kay reads a story aloud and follows with songs and an art activity. | 574 631-6316 |
| Story Hour at the Hammes Bookstore (on Eddy Street Commons) | Thursdays 11:00 am | 574 287-6954 |
| Playgroup sponsored by the Ladies of Notre Dame/St. Mary’s College | Meet once a week at various locations around town. This is a great way to get to know other parents associated with the University with preschoolers or young kids. | lndsmc.org |
| Family Time at the Rock | The Rockne Memorial Recreational Facility, including the pool, is open to the families of faculty, staff and students on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-5:00. | 574 631-5297 |
| Family Time at Rolfs Sports Recreation Center | The Rockne Memorial Recreational Facility, including the pool, is open to the families of faculty, staff and students on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-5:00. Also, there are “playtimes” in the Rock on M and W from 9:00-10:30 for parents and kids! | 574 631-6100 |
| Even Fridays Pumpkin Patch Visits | RecSports will take trips to Thistleberry Farm to pick pumpkins, go on hay rides, pet animals, and play all kinds of fun games! Starts October 8th. | recsports.nd.edu |
| Swimming Lessons at Rolfs Sports Recreation Center | Swim lessons are offered throughout the academic year and summer. Classes range from parent-tot to advanced. Class times vary. | recsports.nd.edu |
| Notre Dame Marching Band Practice | Enjoy the ND marching band up close and personal. The band steps off the steps of the Dome at 4:00 on Fridays and marches past the stadium to their practice spot in a parking lot across from the stadium (next to the restaurant, Legends). This is a very entertaining and educational experience for kids. Feel free to bring tricycles and folding chairs. This is loads of fun for the whole family! | |
| Kids Night at Legends | Kids eat free on Wednesday nights at Legends from 4-9 pm. Lots of families attend. | legendsrestaurant.nd.edu |
| Debartolo Performing Arts Center | DPAC is offering several performances geared towards families this season. In the program guide for this year’s performances there is a green symbol that denotes performances appropriate for children. | performingarts.nd.edu |
| Family FuNDays | RecSports hosts Family FuNDays designed to meet the recreational needs of faculty, staff, graduate students, and their families. | Family FuNDays |
| Kids Around the Bend | Many opportunities for family activities are located in this monthly calendar from literacy to science to camps. | michianamom.com |
Michiana Resources for Children’s Activities
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Michiana Parks and Recreation | This site has class offerings from Mishawaka Parks and Recreation for youths and adults, City of Mishawaka events to attend, and a description of all parks and pools within the City. | mishawakacity.com |
| South Bend Parks and Recreation | South Bend Parks and Recreation offers classes for youths and adults, City of South Bend events to attend, description of all parks (including Potowatomi Zoo) and pools within the City. | sbpark.org |
| St. Joseph County Public Libraries | St. Joseph County Libraries offers activities for children and adults as well as ability to reserve books on line and have them sent to your local library branch. | libraryforlife.org |
| Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Libraries | M-P-H Libraries offer wonderful programs for children and adults; library services are accessible on-line. | mphpl.org |
| Michiana Soccer Association | Area soccer League for kids ranging from 5 yrs. to high school | michianasoccer.org |
| Michiana Moms | A great local resource for parents, grandparents, and families | momseveryday.com |
| Mother’s of Preschoolers (MOPS) | There are several, very active area chapters of MOPS. They offer playgroups and plenty of activities for mothers of young children. | mops.org (search for one of the local groups with your area code) |
| HealthWorks Museum for Kids | HealthWorks! magical exhibit floor contains over 20 larger-than-life hands-on activity stations that are designed to teach you something new about your body. | healthworkskids.org |
Ladies of Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s College
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ladies of Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s College | An organization run by female faculty, administrators and spouses. LND/SMC sponsors interest groups and organizes events and trips around the area. They also raise funds to provide scholarships to local women attending ND or SMC. | lndsmc.org |
| Activities include: Morning Book Club, Evening Book Club, Creative Cooking, Playgroup (Let young children play while parents connect – meets weekly), Tennis, “Off the Beaten Path” excursions (Visit local points of interest with friends), and more | ||
Preschools
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| ECDC Notre Dame | 2 yrs – Kindergarten | ecdc.nd.edu |
| Countryside Montessori | 3 yrs. – Kindergarten | 53333 Ironwood Rd South Bend, IN 46635-1305 574 277-6468 |
| Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes | 2 yrs. old – 8th grade | tma-el.org |
| St. Pius School | 3 – 5 yrs. | stpiuscatholicschool.net |
| Holy Cross School | 4-5 yrs. | holycrosscrusaders.org |
| St. Anthony’s School | Pre-K | stasb |
| Woodard | 3 yrs. – 5 yrs. | 17800 Fox Den Dr Granger, IN 46530-8527 574 272-2784 |
| Building Blocks (Logan Center) | Provides services for developmentally disabled children | logancenter.org |
Blogs, Wikis and more!
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| 365 Things to do in Michiana | Literally, different events and things to do in Michiana! | 365southbend.blogspot.com |
| Best of Michiana | Recommendations from LND/SMC | lndsmc.org |
| Scenic Michiana | Local attractions and historical places to visit in Michiana area | scenicmichiana |
| South Bend Area Blog | real estate and area attractions/activities | realst8.com |
Singles
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| The Acorn Theater | Three Oaks, MI, about 40 minutes from South Bend. This arty, renovated theater space features national and local talent—everything from Celtic rock to sideshow circuses. On Thursdays there’s open dancing with DJ | acorntheater |
| Young Professionals Network (YPN) of the St. Joe Chamber of Commerce | sjchamber.org |
Gardening Centers, Nurseries and other Nature locations to visit
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Quilt Gardens Tour in Elkhart | There are 18 gardens created to look like quilts in Amish country, IN. You can visit Shipshewa and more now until October 1, 2011. | amsichcountry.org |
| Morton Arboretum | This is a great place to spend the day about two hours west of South Bend in Iisle, IL. There are incredible treehouses and other areas for children to explore. | mortonarb.org |
| Fernwood Botanical Garden | Fernwood offers a leisurely day to hike many different trails and view the lovely garden in Niles,MI | fernwoodbotanical.org |
| Blankenship’s Garden Center | Locally owned center with a wide variety of perennials and annuals at reasonable prices. Located close to ND campus. | 103 N. Dixie Way South Bend (US 31 or 933) 574 243-5512 |
| Roseland Fruit and Garden Center | Located across the street from Blankenship and has wide variety of trees, flowers, fountains, plants and more. | 125 Dixie Way South Bend 574-272-7760 |
| Shelton’s Farm Market | This market in located on 933 or 31 going north toward Michigan. They offer a variety of plants and trees at reasonable prices. | 1832 S 11th St. Niles, MI 269 684-0190 |
| McKinley Terrace Garden Center | Again, a great selection of annuals and perennial flowers, shrubs, tree, and lawn ornaments can be found here. They give out August Bucks, one August buck for X amount purchased that are redeemable in August of plants. | Located on the south side of Michiana 133333 McKinley Hwy Mishawaka, IN 574 255-0114 |
| Vite Greenhouses | This nursery is a lovely drive to southern Michigan (about 20 or so minutes from ND and has a great selection. | 2610 S. Red Bud Trail; Bertrand Twp, MI 269-695-2959 |
| Varner’s Greenhouse | Great selection of annuals in the spring, mums in the fall, and all the other listed plants/trees above at reasonable prices. | Located northeast of Notre Dame 334 Fir Road Niles, MI 269 684-3530 |
| South Bend Farmers Market | A great location about ten minutes from campus for plants as well as fresh produce. | 1105 Northside Blvd South Bend, IN 46615-3920 574 282-1259 |
| Ginger Valley | Ginger Valley is located across from St. Pius Parish in Granger. The service is excellent at this location (if they do not have what you need, they will look in their nursery and call you when they have it in) and in addition to what is located above they have pond supplies as well. | 15065 State Road 23 Granger, IN 46530-9644 574 271-0202 |
Where to pick apples, berries, and pumpkins
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| All About Apples | This web site gives you 22 locations in northern IN. You can also search for lower MI! | orangepippin.com |
| Garwood Orchard | Located in LaPorte County, you can pick berries, apples, pumpkins, vegetables and more. | appleupick.com |
| Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard | Located in Goshen, IN, this web site tells you about the farmers’ market and orchard picking as well as fall activities. | kerchersorchard |
| Pumpkin Patches | Here are a list of pumpkin patches in Northern IN. | pumpkinpatchesandmore.org |
| Kali Blueberry Ranch | This U-pick blueberry ranch is located in Mishawaka and the rates are reasonable. | blueberryranch.com |
General Information
| Location | Description | Contact (if available) Website Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Human Resources | Here are some resources and general information that will be helpful with on campus activities as well. | hr.nd.edu |
| Make It Downtown | Information about dining, shopping, recreation, nightlife in South Bend | downtownsouthbend.com |
