Mission

The mission of the Volunteer Center is to harness the power of volunteerism in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties and assist volunteers in building a lifelong commitment to community service. In fulfillment of its mission, the Center focuses attention in four key areas: 1) educating community members about the breadth and diversity of volunteer opportunities; 2) providing volunteer management training and other resources to agencies, individuals and corporations; 3) recognizing volunteer service; and 4) strategically collaborating with organizations to address community needs. The programs that we offer include the following:

Volunteer Referral Services: The Center helps people find volunteer service opportunities and in doing so, we support the volunteer recruiting efforts of more than 550 nonprofit organizations in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. Our services include maintaining an active database, which contains over 900 volunteer opportunities. We also help strengthen agency programs through technical assistance, training and individual consultations.

Youth Action Council: This Student Council features middle and high school students taking an active role in their community and giving a youth voice to volunteerism. Students attend monthly meeting and participate in group service projects. We also provide information to schools and other groups interested in developing youth volunteer projects, through web-based medium, project bulletins, and presentations.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) RSVP provides opportunities for people 55 and over to make a difference in their community through volunteer service. RSVP volunteers contribute anywhere from a few to over forty hours a week, serving through schools, day care centers, police departments, hospitals and other nonprofit and public organizations to help meet critical community needs. RSVP offers maximum flexibility and choice to its volunteers. RSVP matches the personal interests and skills of older Americans with opportunities to help solve community problems, plus offers supplemental insurance while on duty and on-the-job training from the agency or organization where volunteers are placed.

Week of Caring: Week of Caring usually occurs in early to mid September each year throughout the Bay Area. Employees from Contra Costa and Alameda businesses including Basic American Foods, Chevron, and Wells Fargo Bank volunteer at local nonprofit organizations. Examples of volunteer projects include refurbishing classrooms, painting, participating in a coastal clean-up and visiting senior citizens. Week of Caring is a partnership of United Way of the Bay Area and the Volunteer Centers of the Bay Area to introduce business volunteers to the many opportunities available. Last year, over 4,000 employees participated in the Bay Area.

Holiday Volunteer Services: The Volunteer Center is committed to providing support to families during the holidays. We publish a comprehensive guide of holiday volunteer opportunities, food & toy drives, and Adopt-A-Family programs. We also administrate the Contra Costa Times Share the Spirit campaign, which helps over 30,000 low-income clients during the holidays.

Disaster Response: The Volunteer Center participates in a regional collaboration with other Volunteer Centers serving the Bay Area. The Volunteer Centers are committed to providing community support in the event of catastrophic disaster and are prepared to serve as a resource center for agencies and volunteers that want to help in response to disaster.