Volunteer News | May/June 2022
Volunteer Opportunities and Announcements
Greetings!

You are receiving this email because you are one of our treasured volunteers here at Saranam. Thank you so much for giving your time and talents to help our families!

We are happy to send out our first volunteer newsletter! This newsletter is meant to be a way to learn about opportunities we have coming up to get involved in. Eventually, we will be setting up a database to house all of these things, but alas, the wheels of technology move slowly. So for now, we will send out an email like this one every other month. Here is May/June!

So how does this work?

Have a volunteer job you're super happy with? Great! You don't need to re-sign up for anything. This will just be a nice thing to pass along to friends.

Want to get involved in new ways? Keep scrolling down to see if anything catches your eye.

Have a friend who wants to get involved? Send it along!

We have included links to sign up for any of the jobs below and if you have any questions about any of these, please feel free to contact Sunny Holmes, Community Engagement Coordinator, at (505) 377-5086 or sholmes@saranamabq.org.
Housing

Summer is a busy time as we get ready to welcome 10 new families to Saranam, and we have a flurry of preparations you can help us with!

You can sign up individually, or as a group. Bring a friend!
Kitchen in a Box

Date: Tues., May 17
Time: 9:30-11:30am

Details: We need 8-10 volunteers to create "kitchen in a box" containers for new families moving in this summer

Requirements: none
Sorting Monthly Supplies for Families

Date: Wed, May 25
Time: 9:30-11:30am

Details: This job would be great for 2 volunteers. We need to sort monthly supplies (cleaning, personal care, toiletries) and put together a bag for each family.

Requirements: none
Patio Clean Up

Date(s): flexible- you let us know what works for you!
Time: Also flexible

Details: We need to clean up the patio of our Weil Family Center for classes and in preparation for our alumni reunion. This would be an easy job for a small group!

Requirements: none
Campus Refresh

Date: flexible- you tell us what works for you!
Time: Also flexible

Details:
This is a great job for a group looking for a creative outdoor project! We could use some help refreshing the fun paint designs in our courtyards.

Requirements: none
To sign up for any one of these, contact Jen Clear at jclear@saranamabq.org or (505) 362-6283
Decorating Information

Are you interested in decorating apartments for incoming families this summer? Planning is beginning soon. Here are some important dates to know:

Zoom Info Sessions for NEW/Prospective Volunteer Decorators:
Tues, June 14th 11am-12:30pm OR Thurs, June 16th 6pm-7:30pm
* Need verbal or written commitment to decorate by Wed, July 6th
 
Zoom ALL Decorator Planning Meeting:
Thurs, July 7th 6pm-7pm

If you're new to decorating and interested in signing up or referring a friend, contact Jen Clear so you can attend the first Zoom meeting.

More will happen in July, so stay tuned!
Alumni
One of the most exciting parts of Saranam is that we are still in touch with so many of the families whose lives were changed in our program!

We have a couple of great opportunities to get involved!
Financial Education Classes

Date: Wednesday afternoons from May 4-June 22
Time:1:30-3:30pm

Details: We need 2-3 volunteers to provide childcare while parents are participating in the program. You don't need to sign up for all the Wednesdays. Whatever you can help with is most appreciated!

Requirements: Volunteer training and Safe Sanctuaries test taken

To sign up: contact Sunny
Alumni Reunion

Date: June 11
Time:11:00am-2:00pm

Details: So many volunteer opportunities available both the day of the event and in preparation for it.


Requirements: none but a willingness to have a great time!

To sign up: contact Rachel Zepper, Alumni Coordinator
Education
Even though school will soon be out, we have fun plans to keep our little ones learning over the summer. Families will keep meeting for one Family Night per week and will be doing a literacy project- writing, illustrating and reading an original creation!

Consistency is important for our families, so please sign up for something you can commit to. We understand if you have summer plans and need to skip a session or two- just let us know.
Family Night

Date(s): Thurs. nights starting June 9
Time: 5:30-7:15

Details: We need 2-3 volunteer to help families with activities related to writing, illustrating and publishing their own books. This can include working with individuals, manning a station, or even just crowd control.

Requirements: Volunteer training and Safe Sanctuaries test taken
Substitute for Family Nights

Date(s): Thurs. nights starting June 9
Time: 5:30-7:15

Details: Can't make it regularly to Family Nights? Sign up as a substitute!

Requirements: Volunteer training and Safe Sanctuaries test taken
To sign up for any of these contact Sunny
Special Announcements
Our next volunteer training will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 9:00-12:30. To sign up, email Sunny: sholmes@saranamabq.org

If you want to talk more about how to get involved, contact us! We're always happy to talk.

Thank you for your wonderful service to our families!