People often like the idea of volunteering to help the community, but sometimes people have a hard time finding a good place to volunteer. If you are interested in doing some community service, here are some places in Ventura County that you might consider volunteering:
American Cancer Society of Ventura County
When you think about volunteering for the American Cancer Society, the only thing you may know about is the Relay for Life, but there are hands-on ways that you can help people in your community with cancer.
The American Cancer Society locally is seeking volunteers to drive patients to and from their treatments. Driver’s license, car insurance, and clean driving are required. Call 1-800-ACS-2345, or In Moorpark- 805-529-2530, Simi Valley – 805-527-2375, or Thousand Oaks- 805-497-0114 (opt 3).
Hospice Programs
Throughout Ventura County there are several hospice programs that provide volunteers to comfort the terminally ill and their families. Words cannot describe how much these services mean to the family. The hospices themselves also often seek volunteers to help with office and administrative work. Here are some hospice programs you could consider working with:
Assisted Home (all throughout Ventura and LA County): 805-677-7405
Camarillo Hospice: 805-389-6870 ext 18
Hospice of the Conejo: 805-495-2145
Kaiser Permanente Hospice: 1-818-832-7295
Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association: 805-642-0239
ProCare: 805-983-4708
Silverado Hospice (Westlake and Simi Valley): 1-888-328-6636
TLC Home Hospice: 805-517-1620
There are many kids, teens, and adults in Ventura County who have trouble reading. If you can read, you can help someone else learn how. Training is provided, and literacy program sites are open all over the county. Here is who you can contact:
Ventura County Library: 805-641-4484
Project Understanding (kids in Oxnard and Ventura): 805-652-1326
Santa Paula Library: 805-525-2384
Boys and Girls Club of Simi Valley: 805-527-4437
Conejo Valley Adult School: 805-374-1161
Laubach Literacy of Ventura County: 805-385-9584
Help the Elderly and Disabled
Life can be tough for the elderly and disabled, especially if they don’t have family around to help. There are programs that provide assistance to make life a bit easier and more pleasant.
Books on Wheels (Simi Valley) – Deliver and pick up books from the library. You can also read to people who are visually or physically unable to do so. (805)583-5043.
Braille Institute – Volunteers are needed for a number of services, especially driving visually impaired students to and from classes. (805)682-6222
Camarillo Health Care District- Seeking drivers for a home-delivered meal program, as well as volunteers for the community meal site and people to assist with activities at the Adult Day Support Center. (805)388-1952 ext 141
Caring Neighbors- Volunteers are needed to drive people to appointments and errands, go shopping for shut-ins, help with phone calls, do light housekeeping and yard work and minor repairs. (805)497-6207.
Meals on Wheels (Westlake, Agoura, and Oak Park): 496-2009
In Conclusion…
There are also other national programs you can volunteer with, such as Habitat for Humanity, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the American Red Cross, but these are just a few programs specific to Ventura County.
