What's the Buzz at Bergen Volunteers? ❤️

Bergen Volunteers Buzz

March 2020

What is the Buzz?

Bergen Volunteers Buzz is our monthly newsletter highlighting organizational news, events, updates, and volunteer opportunities. Look out for our newsletter at the beginning of every month to stay connected with your friends at

Bergen Volunteers!

Upcoming Events

Resiliency:

Leadership in Changing Times

March 27, 2020

Stony Hill Inn

Our panel will consist of: Kay Fernandez, Vice President of Marketing at Konica Minolta, Jacqueline Luthcke, Chief of Police in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Julia Orlando, Director of the Bergen County Health, Housing, and Human Services Center. Lori Grifa, Partner at Archer Law will be moderating the discussion.

Panelists will discuss navigating leadership positions and overcoming obstacles!

Knowledge is Power:

2020 Census Education

March 12, 2020

Bergen Volunteers Business Volunteer Council is excited to offer you a new, unique free workshop, one that happens once every 10 years! Join Lynne Algrant, CEO of Bergen Volunteers for breakfast to learn about the importance of the 2020 census and how it affects your everyday life, from roads to schools and beyond!

RSVP directly to Elizabeth at ereich@bergenvolunteers.org .

Join Our Team

Improving Lives Program Assistant - 20 hours/Week

Our Successful Families Team that works with the Mentoring Moms and Dads and Mentoring

Youth programs is looking for a part-time Program Assistant. We’re looking for someone who is detail-oriented, compassionate, and preferably speaks Spanish. Let us know if that is you, or someone you know. View job description here .

Exciting Volunteer Opportunities

Making-It-Home: Remote Intern

Are you looking into a career in the nonprofit sector? Want to hone your grant-writing skills?

Making-It-Home is seeking an intern to research potential funders and complete proposals and applications for Making-It-Home. No phone or face-to-face solicitation required. Work can be done from home. Contact Cynthia Massarsky by e-mail here or by phone, 201-803-4608.

Making-It-Home Mover

Achieve your 2020 fitness goals by combining volunteer work and lifting! Making-It-Home is looking for volunteers to assist in moving gently-used furniture from donors’ homes to clients’ apartments. Generally from 8 am to 1 pm. No ongoing commitment required – volunteers sign up and we contact you when we need help. Must be able to lift furniture with other movers, often up 1-2 flights of stairs. Contact Tim Franco by e-mail here or by phone, 201-289-8444.

Making-It-Home: Remote Volunteer

Do you have some free time? Want to help those formerly homeless have beautiful pieces to furnish their new homes? Making-It-Home is seeking Intern/Volunteer to identify and contact potential donors of gently-used furniture (e.g., assisted living facilities, hotels). Work can be done from you r home. Contact Cynthia Massarsky by e-mail here or by phone, 201-803-4608.

Helping Home-Bound Seniors: CHEER Volunteer

Grocery shopping is a tedious task, but did you know that there are seniors in Bergen County who can’t do it themselves and have no other help? Become a CHEER volunteer and assist a local senior in need by doing their grocery shopping. For two hours a week, you’ll make a senior feel safer and more independent as well as give them the socialization they often miss out on. Contact us here for more information.

Program Updates

Bergen LEADS: Class of 2021 Applications

The Bergen LEADS Application for next year is now available! We are looking for individuals from a wide range of fields who have the skills, values and motivation to be a special kind of leader. You will have the opportunity to meet leaders and decision makers; explore opportunities and challenges in Bergen County; discover your passions; and be part of change in your community! Access the application here .

Census 2020

Bergen Volunteers has teamed up with community partners in an effort to spread the word and move towards a complete count on the 2020 census. Data collected from the census is used to allocate more than $675 billion annually to support state, county, and community programs. These programs impact housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy initiatives in your community! Bergen Volunteers is a 2020 census site and has available laptops for residents to complete their census on. Learn more here or contact info@bergenvolunteers.org !

College LEADS

Bergen Community College’s LEADS program will “graduate” on April 22, 2020. Students have been looking at Bergen County healthcare, law and public safety, environmental sustainability, and human services issues. The focus of the project for this class is mental health and wellness. To find out more about the program and their presentation, contact Debbie Emery here.

Volunteer Spotlight

Mike celebrates 20 years

with CHORE!

Over the past twenty years Mike has helped over 21,000 seniors remain safe in their homes by installing grab bars, building stairs, and weatherizing homes. Mike noted that he continues to give back because he can see the instant effect his service has on improving the quality of life for his clients.

Jimena celebrates 15 years with CHEER!

Over the past15 years Jimena has been a lifeline to fourteen seniors in Bergen County. Jimena's reliable and consistent help allows her clients to stay in their own homes with independence and dignity. Jimena provides weekly visits for grocery shopping and errands. One of her clients stated "I do not know what I would do without the help of Jimena. She is so cooperative and does a great job of shopping, just the way I would if I could."