Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding
www.equestcenter.org
Equest Center is always looking for volunteers to do everything from cleaning the horse stalls, to helping riders with their therapy classes.  All ages are welcome and a volunteer training class is provided ahead of time.

HandsOn Battle Creek
www.handsonbc.org
Through out the year this organization offers many ways families can volunteer in the Battle Creek area.  Everything from coat drives to community clean-up projects.  On November 21 there is an opportunity to participate in National Family Volunteer Day.

Heart of West Michigan United Way
www.waybetterunitedway.org
The United Way is committed to linking volunteers with opportunities to serve the community.  Tell them what your family is interested in and they’ll put you to work!

Kids Food Basket
www.kidsfoodbasket.org
This organization can take up to 75 volunteers a day to pack sack suppers for children in need.  Anyone over the age of six can help volunteer, so make it a family event! 

Paws With A Cause
www.pawswithacause.org
If you love dogs, this is a great way to give back.  PAWS is always looking for volunteer foster families to raise puppies as service dogs.

Schools of Hope
www.waybetterunitedway.org/program-soh.php
If you enjoy working with children this program is for you.  They are looking for adult volunteers to commit 30 minutes each week to help a child read.  You’ll be assigned a child through Grand Rapids Public Schools and serve as a literacy mentor.

Volunteer Match
www.volunteermatch.org 
All you do is type in the city you live in and a list of places in your neighborhood that need volunteers will come up.  It’s easy to navigate!

The goal is to close the achievement gap between the highest and lowest performing school districts in Kent County.  Recently published information shows that more than 30% of fourth graders in Grand Rapids Public Schools are reading below grade level.

Research shows that reading volunteers can make a difference.  That’s why United Way is asking 2,000 people to step up to the challenge and volunteer to help kids learn to read.  It only takes 30 minutes a week during the school year and you can transform a child’s life.  No prior training or experience is necessary.

High school age students through senior citizens are welcome to volunteer.  For more information on this initiative call 616-459-2255 or visit http://www.waybetterunitedway.org/program-soh.php.