Samaritas Volunteer Opportunities Are Available On Your Phone!

Have you heard of Causer? The new app sensation sweeping the nation? Or...just those already using Galaxy Digital?

Yes! It's true! Galaxy Digital has their own app! This means that you can carry all of Samaritas' volunteer opportunities around with you via the phone in your pocket. This makes it more convenient than ever to look up volunteer opportunities and respond to needs while waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store.

But that's not all. Causer also lets you log your volunteer hours directly from your phone! No need to remember to log hours when you get home or at the end of the month. Now, you can log hours as soon as you end your volunteer shift.

How can you access this great new resource? We're glad you asked! Simply go to your app store and select "Causer". (See the attached image.)

Causer is available on the

App Store and Google Play.

Here is an example of your app's menu. You can access this menu by selecting the 3 dashes at the top left of the app after logging in.

From this menu you can view your upcoming volunteer activities by selecting the "Schedule" option.

You can search current volunteer needs and opportunities via the "Search" option.

And you can add volunteer hours directly via the "Add Hours" button.

So if you haven't yet, check out this app to begin searching volunteer opportunities and logging those volunteer hours on the go!

Volunteer Spotlight

Shout-out to Berkley Hills Church!

Shout out to Berkley Hills Church in Grand Rapids for repairing and repainting many of the "loved" spaces in our Grand Rapids office! These areas receive a lot of traffic from staff, families, and children (we're not saying there's running up and down the halls, but there might be running up and down the halls.)

We've been seeking a team for a while who can help refresh our family spaces - and the college team from Berkley Hills came through! It looks FABULOUS.

Thanks to them, our staff and families now have bright, cheerful spaces to welcome them at the Grand Rapids office!

THANK YOU for bringing so much joy

to those in need!

Don't Forget!! The Kendra Scott Fundraiser is THIS WEEKEND.

May 18-19, 2024

This May, Samaritas is celebrating National Foster Care Month in partnership with Kendra Scott’s Designer Jewelry Store in Novi! From May 18^th-19^th you can shop at Kendra Scott online using the code “GIVEBACK-GARQJ” and 20% of all proceeds will go to Samaritas to help us serve families, seniors, and children throughout Michigan.

Want to shop in person? If you stop by the store in the Twelve Oaks Mall on May 18^th from 1pm-4pm, you can shop in-person with 20% of sales going back to Samaritas, enjoy refreshments, AND say hi to Samaritas staff who will be there to answer your questions about foster care.

We need your help! Help us reach our goal of $5,000 by spreading the word to your fashion friends and networks! If 84 shoppers recruit 5 more people to buy only one piece of jewelry, we can make our goal!

Help Our Running Team Hit our Fundraising Goal!

Do you love to run? Samaritas is putting together a team - Team Ripple Effects - for the Detroit Free Press Marathon October 18-20! (There is also a 5k and 1k. You can also just walk. Whatever is your preference!)

Help us reach our goal of raising $5,000 to support children and families in Michigan. You can help by:

1 - Joining our team! Sign up at freepmarathon.com and select Samaritas as your charity. Or email kpark@samaritas.org to say you'd like to join the team.

2 - Supporting our runners! Donate at our GivenGain Fundraising Page and support either Samaritas or individual runners reach their fundraising goal. All money raised goes to Samaritas to help us serve clients throughout Michigan.

Groups, organizations, and companies with two or more fundraising runners can be listed as official Team Ripple Effects Sponsors! Contact kpark@samaritas.org to learn more.

Samaritas in the Media!

Check out these news stories to see how your support is helping empower others to live their fullest life possible!

Bridging communities: Samaritas employee creates Afghan Halal International Market in GR. See more at WoodTV. (April 18, 2024)
Samaritas and MDHHS Partner to Highlight Foster Parent Shortage for Teens and Tweens. Read more at PR Newswire. (May 2, 2024)
Affordable housing isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Read more at The Detroit News. (May 8, 2024)

We are always looking for ways to share information and updates about what Samaritas - along with our generous friends and supporters - accomplishes every day.

Do you have a group that is interested in learning about the community around them and opportunities to make a difference? Invite a speaker from Samaritas! Contact Kayla Park at Kayla.Park@samaritas.org if interested.

Volunteer Needs

Summer Program Volunteers

Samaritas will be running our yearly Summer Program for children and adults, please see the flyer below!

We are looking for volunteers for any of the event dates to assist with the following:

-Assist teacher with classroom tasks

-Assist with arts & craft

-Assist with children

-Assist teaching ESL in class

-Spanish and Swahili Translators for basic translation

Learn more here.

Contact Suzy Youkhana at syouk@samaritas.org for more information.

World Refugee Day Picnic

What: This event is to celebrate and honor all our refugee clients. We invite Samaritas staff, volunteers, donors, community members, etc. that all played a part in sharing our mission of welcoming refugees this last year, to enjoy a day in the park with food, fun yard games, sports activities, arts and crafts, raffle prizes, music, and more! This is a day refugee families can meet other refugee families, that have shared same experiences, make friends (especially the kids), and just feel love and support from all walks of life.

When: Friday, June 21 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: FORD FIELD NORTH (LARGE Pavilion) park- 22001 Cherry Hill Dearborn, MI 48124

How to get involved? Volunteer or donate!

Volunteer Opportunities for day of event:

Setting Up/Take Down

Food table (setup, passing out, take down)

Helping with fun various activities and arts and crafts

Transportation for refugee families

Donating:

Please check out our World Refugee Day Amazon Wishlist, on the list it explains people are more than welcome to purchase a similar item from a different vendor, it does not have to be Amazon- Samaritas World Refugee Day Wishlist

Volunteer Team to Clean Family Visitation Rooms - Grand Rapids

Volunteer groups are needed to clean family visitation rooms and disinfect toys in our Grand Rapids office on a regular schedule.

Are you part of a team looking for volunteer opportunities? Sign up for a one time volunteer event or sign up for a regular schedule, such as once a year or monthly - whatever works best for you.

Thank you for helping us keep our visitation rooms welcoming to children and their families. :)

To get involved, contact Kayla Park at kpark@samaritas.org.

Check out more volunteer needs and opportunities at our volunteer portal:

Click here to go to the volunteer portal

Any questions? Reach out to Kayla Park at Kayla.Park@samaritas.org or 517-449-3270.

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