Volunteer & Give Back

People count on us and our services.

• Our volunteers typically work once a week for a 2-3 hour shift.
• We ask you to take responsibility for your committment to the Council seriously. We know things come up and ask for a days notice if you are unable to attend.
• All volunteers will be asked to sign a confidentiality form.
• Volunteers that work in the Food Pantry, ELL and Tablets and Tutors programs will be asked to sign CORI form.
• Treat co-workers, clients and the members of the public fairly and without discrimination.
• Respect the mission and goals of the Council.

Thanks for your interest in volunteering at the Needham Community Council.  We are lucky to be in a town where the residents care so much about their neighbors and helping others.  At this time, we are unable to accept or onboard new volunteers to work onsite.  Please feel free to reach out again at a later date.

We have started a list of those interested in helping out should we find ourselves in need of additional drivers that can assist in our deliveries of food to our clients that are unable to get out.  These deliveries happen on Tuesday Mornings between 10-11.  Please sign up here if you could help On Call Food Delivery People. You can also check our website to look at other ways to support our efforts. 

Our ELL tutors do not need to know the language of their learner or have teaching experience.  They just need to be flexible, welcoming, and open to other cultures!

Tutors attend free training sessions in the spring or fall. They are then paired with a learner to meet [weekly] for 60-90 minutes to practice English conversation, reading and/or writing depending on student needs. Meetings can be virtual or at a location that is convenient.  (Zoom support is available)

For more about the ELL program and how you can apply to be a tutor: English Language Learning

We are grateful for your organization’s desire to give back.  Space within our building is extremely limited therefore we ask for support off site.  Please contact us to learn more about these opportunites and to get started.

Some ideas to help your group get involved are:

• Dedicated food drive
• Clothing drive for Thrift Store inventory
• Returnable can or bottle drive
• Coin drive
• Birthday bags
• Always open to new ideas!

If any of these opportunities interest you please complete the following application and share your interest or ideas in the Notes field

Volunteer Interest Form

Office & Lyft Rides:
Our active front office is in need of some technology savy volunteers that would be willing to help answer the phones and manage the increase in transportation needs.  The Holidays are a particularly busy time of year  – help us be sure no one’s phone call is missed!

If this opportunity interests you please complete and application and specify which position you are interested in.

Volunteer Interest Form

We offer volunteer opportunities to high school students.  In addition to completing their school community service requirements, our young volunteers learn the value of being a part of a community of “People Helping People”

Requests from parents, family members, teachers will not be accepted.  We feel strongly that part of the growth from a volunteer experience is a student taking on the responsibility in an independent and mature fashion.

We typically do not have students work in the Food Pantry due to confidentiality.

Preference is given to Needham residents.

More details about volunteering:  High School Volunteer Info

As we are reopening and adapting our programs after Covid, we are still limiting the number of volunteers in our building.  For this reason, we are unable to offer opportunties for our younger students.  

The Student Kindness Project encourages our students to perform a simple act of kindness for a friend, neighbor or family member.

In order to receive community service credit students must complete a Kindness Log and write an impact Statement.

Program Details:  Student Kindness Project Info (PDF)

The Cans for Calcium Program collects returnable bottles & cans and uses the proceeds to purchase all the milk for the Food Pantry.  Since the pandemic started he’s collected over $25,000 in returnables! Run by our volunteer, Jeff Dinneen, join his team of young people and families who help organize can drives in their neighborhood and help sorting and collecting the cans at the Needham Transfer Station.  Email the office@needhamcouncil.org if you are interested in joining the team.

Can’t get to the Needham RTS when they are open?  Drop your collections 24/7 at Jeff’s home at 1625 Great Plain Ave (green barrels at the end of driveway).  

Counting on You to Fight Hunger Activity

For the month of November the Needham Public Schools lunch program has partnered with us and printed a interactive Calendar on the back of all school menus.  You may also download it below.

Little hands make a big difference. Each day on the calendar has an easy and fun activity that your family can do together to be mindful of
hunger and help our Food Pantry.

 All you have to do is:

FIND: Find a bowl or storage container. Place it at your table to remind you of those who go without nutritious food each day.
COUNT: Every day, count something in your home according to the prompt on your calendar.
COLLECT: Put a coin in the bowl for each item counted.
DONATE: At the end of the month, donate the coins to the Needham Community Council’s Food Pantry, located at 570 Hillside Ave.

COUNTING ON YOU TO FIGHT HUNGER CALENDAR

The youth of Needham have amazing ideas, talents and heart!  Creating small private fundraisers that have big impact is a great way to give back and help kids enjoy building community.  We thank all the kids and families that have joined our team of “People Helping People” with some of these ideas:

• making jewelry to sell to friends 
• collecting golf balls to resell to local golfers
• selling healthy food to commuters at the train station
• collecting spare change coins 
• making tie dye masks to sell locally

Use one of these ideas or create your own to help your kids make a difference!

Please check back soon for details on a new way to help our kids learn about the importance of saving and giving back their resources.