National Volunteer Week Creek and Trail Cleanup

Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful

Location: San Jose location.

Date/Time: Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m.–noon,

Ages: Children under 15 years old need to be accompanied by an adult.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Come help us clean the Coyote Creek and Trail for National Volunteer Week! Help us beautify Coyote Creek and surrounding trails through a community cleanup. Meet new people; improve a neighborhood park; watch the overwintering birds; build community around a shared sense of service. Free litter kits and community service hours will be available. Groups are welcome to participate!

Contact: Rae Knapp, Event Assistant, rae@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org. Registration is available online. 

https://www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org

March for Babies: A Mother Of A Movement™ 

March of Dimes

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11. 

• 7:30 a.m. registration.
• 9:30 a.m. Superhero Sprint Sponsored by Stanford Medicine Children's Health.
• 9:45 a.m. March For The Health Of All Moms And Babies.

Location: CEFCU Stadium, 1257 S 10th St, San Jose.

Ages: Everyone can walk. 

Time Commitment: Varies.

March of Dimes believes in a world where every mom and baby is healthy regardless of wealth, race, gender, or geography. The U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth, especially for families of color. Through research, programs, and advocacy, our supporters enable us to be there for parents throughout their pregnancies. March for Babies is a campaign to rally millions of Americans in a collective effort to transform the health of all families. It is more than a march, it’s America’s larger call to action to ensure that all families get the healthy start they deserve! You’re lifting up communities for health equity, opening the door for all moms to have access to care, and protecting the health of families by pushing for their rights. You’re taking action for all families throughout their pregnancy journey by raising critical funds to help March of Dimes continue research, programs, support, and advocacy so families get the best possible start.

Contact: 1.888.274.3711. Registration is available online.

https://www.marchforbabies.org

Spring BioBlitz

Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful

Location: Hellyer Park, 996 Hellyer Ave, Cottonwood Lake - Southwest trail entrance, San Jose.

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11, 9–11:30 a.m.

Ages: Families are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Two and a half hours.

Join Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Bioblitz Club, and Peninsula Open Space Trust for a BioBlitz! A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place. Docents will guide you and teach you to use the iNaturalist app on your smartphone to record all the living things you encounter. Flowers, trees, butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles, birds, and squirrels. We love them all - now let's go find them! The best part? All you need to participate is a smartphone with the iNaturalist app! So bring your family and prepare for an in-depth tour of this great park.

Hosted by Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Bioblitz Club, and Peninsular Open Space Trust. 

Contact: Rae Knapp, Event Assistant, rae@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org. Registration is available online. 

https://www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org

National River Cleanup Day

Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful

Location: Olinder Dog Park, 1202 Woodborough Dr., San Jose.

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m.–noon.

Ages: Children under 15 years old need to be accompanied by an adult.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful and friends for a community cleanup and beautification event. Meet new people; improve a neighborhood park; watch the springtime wildlife; build community around a shared sense of service. Free litter kits and community service hours will be available. Groups are welcome to participate!

Contact: Rae Knapp, Event Assistant, rae@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org. Registration is available online. 

https://www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org

Weeding for Wildlife

Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful

Date/Time: Sunday, May 19, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge - Environmental Education Center, 1751 Grand Blvd, San Jose.

Ages: Children under 15 years old need to be accompanied by an adult.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Come out to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge for a few hours to restore wildlife habitat. While you are removing invasive vegetation, planting new plants, or laying down mulch, you'll get to enjoy fresh Bay air, see lots of birds, and learn from restoration experts about why this work is so important. Free litter kits and community service hours will be available. Groups are welcome to participate!

Hosted by Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, and San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society. 

Contact: Rae Knapp, Event Assistant, rae@keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org. Registration is available online. 

https://www.keepcoyotecreekbeautiful.org

The Race4Every Kid 

Soles4Souls

Date/Time: May 1–31.

Location: Your own location.

Ages: All ages can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Soles4Souls launched 4EveryKid with a mission to provide new athletic shoes to every child experiencing homelessness in the U.S., so they can stay healthy and fully participate in school. Join the Race 4EveryKid and become a champion for children overcoming homelessness. Whether you decide to walk, run, cycle, swim or hop, skip and jump, every dollar you raise will provide joy and dignity to kids across the US. This year, our goal is to raise at least $350,000, ensuring that 17,500 kids step into the next school year with confidence. No child should have to feel embarrassed, discouraged, or left out simply because they lack something most of us take for granted. It’s super easy to make a big difference. Register for the race, either as an individual or as part of a team. It’s free to participate! Use your personal race page to collect pledges for every mile you run, walk, or cycle. All through May, log your miles and raise funds. Your supporters can donate right through your race page. Learn more here.

Contact: theresam@soles4souls.org. Click here for online registration.

https://soles4souls.org/

Make Hygiene Kits

PATH Santa Clara

Date/Time: Ongoing need.

Location: Create kits in your own home, and email Jessegomez@epath.org to coordinate shipment or drop them off at 290 N 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95112.

Ages: Everyone can help!

Time Commitment: 30–60 minutes.

PATH is ending homelessness for individuals, families, and communities by building affordable housing and providing supportive services throughout California. PATH is constantly in need of hygiene kits for unhoused individuals at our various locations around Santa Clara County. Our Outreach Team delivers these kits to individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Santa Clara County. You can help people stay clean and healthy by donating daily essentials, such as shampoo and toothpaste, to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Items Needed:

• Each individual packet includes travel-size toiletry items, including shampoo, conditioner, a toothbrush, toothpaste, razors, chapstick, body wash, feminine products, nail clippers, lotion, sunscreen, wipes, face wash, hand sanitizer, moisturizer, underwear, socks, gloves and hats (during cold weather months), emergency blankets, and small snack items, such as granola bars or nut packs.
• Feel free to include a personalized, handwritten note with the hygiene kit items expressing your hope that these items will be helpful to them! 
• Gallon-size Ziploc zipper bags.

Instructions: 

• Purchase required supplies. 
• Pack each individual hygiene kit and note in a gallon-size Ziploc zipper bag. 

Contact: Jessegomez@epath.org or 408.398.6241.

https://epath.org/regions/santa-clara/

Hygiene Kit Assembly

Simply the Basics

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity. Please note that we need at least 15 days from confirming your activity date so that we have time to ship Simply the Basics tote bags and help you acquire the necessary products.

Location: Host at your own location or schedule on-site in San Francisco. Contact Simply the Basics to order materials and for more information.

Ages: Everyone can participate. This activity is great for kids and can be customized for their age range!

Time Commitment: Varies.

The Mission of Simply the Basics is to provide for people, communities, and nonprofit organizations their most basic needs with dignity so they can focus on greater goals. Engage your family, friends, or community group in an activity that really impacts health and wellness - and saves nonprofit partners time and resources! By hosting a Simply the Basics Hygiene Bank Activity, you are helping ensure that people have their most basic needs met, plus it is a lot of fun! We will ship all supplies needed to your home and send over email the detailed instructions for your volunteer activity, which include:

• Discussion questions. 
• Video.
• Guidelines to ensure a successful day! 
• Once completed, you will double down on your impact by delivering the finished products to a Simply the Basics Receiving Site in your area (confirmed by Simply the Basics). 

Simply The Basics has had a profound impact on health and dignity because of the quality we put into every kit; we appreciate your help in adhering to these standards!

Contact: Admin@SimplytheBasics.org. Click here and scroll down to complete the Host a Simply the Basics Hygiene Bank Activity form.

https://www.simplythebasics.org

Donation Needs

CityTeam San Jose

Date/Time: Donation drop–off hours are Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–noon and 1–3 p.m., and Saturday, 1–3 p.m.

Location: CityTeam in the Neighborhood, 1297 North 13th Street, San Jose.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

CityTeam is founded on meeting immediate needs and providing lasting solutions. Our programs across the United States offer help and hope through hot meals, groceries, shelter, transitional housing, and restorative programs. CityTeam needs your help with donations year-round. These needed items will greatly help us serve more of our neighbors in need. All donated items must be in good working condition. Items in poor condition may be declined at our discretion.

• Diapers (size 4 and up) and wipes.
• Men’s and women's undergarments. No used underwear, please.
• Men’s and women's socks.
• Flip flops or shower shoes in men’s sizes 8–13.
• Sweatpants and basketball shorts (M–2XL).
• Men’s and women's hygiene items.
• Linens, curtains, blankets, and towels.
• Non-perishable food items.

You can also purchase items for CityTeam from our Amazon wishlist.

Contact: info@cityteam.org, 408.232.5600.

https://www.cityteam.org/give-help/san-jose

Share Your Surplus Garden Harvest

AmpleHarvest.org

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Your own garden or find a community garden near you.

Ages: All ages can participate, depending on the garden or farm.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Do you like to garden? One out of six children in America lives in a food-insecure home, meaning their parents don't know where their next meal will come from. No matter where you live, there are people in your community that are experiencing hunger. Food pantries can help fill in the gaps but are continuously lacking in healthy, fresh produce to offer. Luckily, you can help alleviate this issue in your own neighborhood! By planting just a little extra to donate, you can improve the health of your community as well. When you donate your surplus garden bounty, you are helping to relieve hunger and making an impact on obesity and other food-related diseases. Consider planting an extra row or even a few additional plants to donate to a local food pantry. And if you find yourself with a runaway zucchini plant or another bountiful crop that gives you more than you can eat, don't let it go to waste! Even a small donation will help increase food security in your area. 

Ampleharvest.org is pleased to partner with Bonnie Plants “Grow More Feed More” initiative and Home Depot's “Donate Your Harvest” initiative. Bonnie Plants will donate 5% of online sales to Ampleharvest.org. Click here for more information on Grow More Feed More and to order your plants online. Home Depot supports Ampleharvest.org with its Donate Your Harvest initiative. Click here for links to gardening helpful hints, plants and supplies, and locations on harvest drop-off locations in your area.

Contact: You can find one of more than 8,000 food pantries in all 50 states (and on Native American Reservations too!) eager for your help by clicking here.

www.ampleharvest.org

Raise a Puppy and Be a Hero

Canine Companions

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.

Location: Nationwide. Remote volunteering is an option.

Ages: Please note: If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian fill out the application and you can sign on as a co-applicant. 

Time Commitment: 14-18 months (flexible).

Canine Companions is a national nonprofit organization that provides expertly trained service dogs and a lifetime of follow-up services – completely free of charge – to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities so they can lead lives with greater independence. Canine Companions volunteer puppy raisers provide purpose-bred puppies a safe home, take them to puppy classes, serve up a healthy diet, provide socialization opportunities, and give lots of love. Each hour spent caring for a Canine Companions puppy is vital to their development as a future service dog. Our puppy-raising program provides a unique opportunity for families to volunteer to assist with our very important mission. As a volunteer puppy raiser, we ask that you meet the following requirements: 

• Provide a safe environment for a puppy who will be the only dog under 12 months old in your home. 
• Work closely with Canine Companions to monitor the puppy’s progress and submit monthly reports. 
• Attend an average of two Canine Companions-approved classes per month. 
• Teach the puppy manners and basic skills. 
• Responsible for the puppy’s food, veterinary expenses, and puppy classes. 
• Transport the dog to the regional training center at the projected turn-in time. 
• Feed the puppy a diet recommended by Canine Companions. 
• Utilize a kennel or crate for sleeping indoors. 
• Provide the puppy with age-appropriate socialization opportunities, such as public outings and veterinary appointments. 
• Keep the puppy on a leash at all times, unless supervised in a securely fenced area. 
• Supervise the puppy throughout the day. 

Contact: nwrpuppy@canine.org. Email us or sign up by visiting Canine.org and filling out a puppy-raising application request.

Canine.org