Welcome to our volunteer column sponsored by Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Discover which volunteer position best describes you. Pick a cause and react voluntarily!

Volunteer Spotlight 

Marcia Walls

GRandJazzFest Volunteer 

"The people who attend GRandJazzFest are so warm and friendly. It is an event for everyone, and I love helping to make it happen.” It’s a great way to give back to the community”

Jazz Lover

Get a “backstage pass” to this year’s GRandJazzFest as a volunteer! Help set up tables, banners and lights; sell merchandise, distribute t-shirts and coordinate autograph signings;  assist artists with load in/out, security checks, meals and anything else they might need throughout the day. Shifts take place in three-hour intervals and each volunteer receives a t-shirt, bottled water and an inside look at this year’s festival. This annual festival is a weekend-long event that presents jazz performers, including many Michigan-based artists. This year’s festival is Aug. 18-19 at Rosa Parks Circle.

Take Action: Sign up to volunteer at grandjazzfest.org/volunteers.

Justice Seeker

At the Legal Assistance Center anyone, regardless of income, can receive legal assistance according to the center’s mission of justice for all. There is a unique opportunity to volunteer to assist this hefty operation. Volunteers must be willing to learn basic law and procedure, follow directions and have respect and a desire to work for a diverse population. Some responsibilities include greeting patrons and signing them in, provide information and make referrals to community organizations and communicate basic law, procedure and options.

Take Action: To apply for this opportunity, visit legalassistancecenter.org/volunteer.

Family First Individual

Homeless families are being helped out of their struggle at Family Promise of Grand Rapids. This community organization provides emergency shelter and basic needs to families with children who are homeless, and then additional resources to help them get back on their feet. There are many ways to volunteer for this organization, from helping out in the office to playing with kids. Volunteers can help out one time, once a month, year or even daily, 365 days a year. Other ways to give include being a furniture donation driver, family driver or assisting in special projects. There are even volunteer projects online that families can do together from home.

Take Action: Check it all out at familypromisegr.org or contact Chelsea at chelseajfamilypromisegr.org

Child at Heart

What’s more fun than volunteering your time to play like a kid? At the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, there are all kinds of jobs for volunteers from sewing costumes and painting sets to attending field trips and reading stories. The time will fly when you’re having fun! Besides adults, teenagers aged 14-18 can become a youth volunteer and mostly spend time with the museum visitors.

Take Action: Grab a friend and apply to volunteer at grcm.org/volunteer or in person at the museum. 

Does your organization have a volunteer opportunity that would be perfect for this page or an extraordinary volunteer who we should spotlight? Please email our editor, Elyse Wild, at [email protected].