SOMA Kindness: Virtual opportunity alert! Did you know Citizen Archivists enhance access and discoverability of the 500 million records our National Archive is digitizing? Transcribe handwritten documents, tag archival photographs, and connect with other volunteers. No set assignments or deadlines, do as little or as much as you want, every contribution helps unlock history! https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist
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SOMA Kindness: Creature Comfort Pet Therapy can help your pet become certified to visit places like SOMA libraries, and are also in search of volunteers to evaluate animals in training. They welcome adults as well as children who can sit quietly when needed: https://ccpettherapy.org/volunteer-to-help-with-testing/
SOMA Kindness: The Rahway River Watershed Association is in desperate need of volunteers on 3/21 between 9am and noon, to get their native plant garden in shape for a big 35th Anniversary Celebration. Text Clea at 908-472-6152 for more information, or to RSVP. Location: 337 East Milton Ave, Rahway.
SOMA Kindness: Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) has many new opportunities to support fresh food access! Support needed with mobile markets, food pantries, and delivery in Newark, Orange, Maplewood and more! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F094AAEAE2EA1F49-54978051-volunteer#/
SOMA Kindness: Laptop Upcycle is a volunteer run initiative that wipes donated laptops for reuse by local students. They seek adult volunteers of varying skills to help manage lab activities in Montclair and support youth who learn tech through volunteering. Learn more: https://www.laptopupcycle.org/
SOMA Kindness: Friends, the fairies need your help! The Fairy Trail Festival is on May 2, and there aren’t enough houses for all the fairies!! Creative builders are needed to build new homes! Learn more here about how to solve this housing crisis (and win prizes too): https://www.somocon.org/fairy-trail/
SOMA Kindness: It’s almost baby bird season, and that means the The Raptor trust in Millington (about 25 min from SOMA) needs lots of volunteers. You must be 18+ and commit to 4 hours per week for 10 weeks, and the opportunities are wide ranging! If you love the animal side, volunteers care for songbirds, waterfowl, gulls, and pigeons (not raptors); help is also needed in the gift shop and reception, as well as with essential tasks like laundry and maintenance. https://www.theraptortrust.org/volunteer
SOMA Kindness: Family friendly opportunity alert! Buddy Ball is an inclusive program at South Mountain YMCA that teaches basketball to neurodivergent children of all abilities. They’re seeking SOMA kids age 13+ to be paired as a buddy to guide, teach and partner with participants. Volunteers must be patient, kind, have basic basketball knowledge/skill, and genuinely care about helping others. The spring session begins next week, for more info on volunteering (or participating!) email Nicole njosey@metroymcas.org
SOMA Kindness: Due to the massive accumulation of snow, Newark’s AHS shelter is struggling to safely walk dogs! They urgently need volunteers with snow removal equipment to help clear walkways and access areas!
If you can help provide some much-needed relief, please contact them 973-824-7080
SOMA Kindness: Moms Helping Moms got loads of new donations and could use help at their Wayne warehouse sorting baby clothes and diapers. It’s near the Stirling Hotel & Grill and the Stirling Fountain vintage ice cream shop if you want to make a day of it! https://portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/YBRGXVlG6S