People with Disabilities
Blue Mountain Industries Adult Employment Services
Parent to Parent
Rising Sun Club House
Serendipity Child Development Center
United Blind of Walla Walla
Valley Residential Services
Volunteer Chore Services
Blue Mountain Industries Adult Employment Services
Contact: Brenda Bamford, Programs Director, 2616 E. Isaacs, Walla Walla, (509) 525-5433, brendab@lilliericecenter.org
Mission: Blue Mountain Industries offers five different types of work experiences (Manufacturing Assembly, Grounds Maintenance, Janitorial, Individual Supported Employment, and Volunteer Employment Experiences), each which provide a stepping stone for vocational skill development, enrichment, and training, with emphasis on employment for adults with developmental disabilities.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Required Skills:
Skills Learned:
Training:
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help out with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Parent to Parent
Contact: Angie Witt, PO Box 1595, Walla Walla WA 99362, 509-524-2920, walla2parenttoparent@hotmail.com
Mission: To offer support and information to families who are raising children with disabilities. We also offer recreation opportunities year-round for kids with disabilities.
Volunteer Opportunities: Coach soccer, basketball, etc. also help with activities one-on-one with a child with a disability. We could also use office help, fold newsletters, library shelving, etc.
Required Skills: A positive attitude working with our kids. A love for kids of any ability. On time and respectful to Recreation Coordinator. Willingness to learn.
Skills Learned: We do several trainings througout the year to teach volunteers about different disabilities, confidentality, volunteer opportunities.
Training: Learn more about kids with disabilities and how to work with them.
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Rising Sun Club House
Contact: Nicolette Harral, Director, 35 West Chestnut Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-529-0120, risingsunclubhouse@yahoo.com
Mission: The Rising Sun Clubhouse provides a support place reflecting the clubhouse model of social rehabilitation opportunities which empower members with mental illness to reach their full and considerable potential while rediscovering their self-respect, dignity, and abilities, through the opportunity to perform productive work, create meaningful relationships, and to belong to a community.
Volunteer Opportunities: Work side-by-side with members doing a variety of activities which are part of a work ordered day. Examples are putting pantry shelves in order, major cleaning projects such as window washing, participating in helping members to work on their own personal growth plans, writing their autobiographies, learning or working on computer skills.
Required Skills: Good listener, a person who has a variety of experience, positive attitude, self-starter, able to keep information confidential, creative, someone who can look for things to do, willing to use thier talents. Volunteers must be comfortable with persons with mental illnesses, flexible in their way of dealing with people, and upbeat and cheerful in their manner.
Skills Learned: They will learn more about how much mentally ill people are just like everybody else; they will lose their uneasiness around persons with psychiatric disabilities, and they will gain insight and sympathy for persons who bear the terrible stigma of mental illness. They will also gain firsthand knowledge of how symptoms of mental illnesses (such as hearing voices, problems with being withdrawn and paranoid) affect the people who suffer from them, and how kindness and understanding can help people overcome some of their symptoms. Finally, they will learn how kind persons with mental illnesses are toward their peers at the clubhouse and how a community can benefit them.
Training: At the start of their volunteer experience and then on-the-job through supervision.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help out with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Serendipity Child Development Center
Contact: Terry Henkle, 1627 Evergreen St., Walla Walla, (509) 525-3532, TerryH@LillieRiceCenter.org
Mission: We are an Early Head Start child care center who works with at-risk children from low income families, or who have a disability. We provide early intervention services as well as developmentally appropriate assessments and child care for children one month through 3 years of age.
Volunteer Opportunities: Working with teachers in the children's rooms: Reading and playing with the children. Feeding bottles to the infants. Clerical Support
Required Skills: Loves working with very young children. Must be 16 years old. Spanish is very helpful.
Skills Learned: Volunteers who stay with us long enough can learn about assessment tools with the very young children, writing and utilizing lesson plans, behavioral techniques in working with young children, and so much more.
Training: Volunteer training occurs when we have volunteer applications. We begin with an interview to determine the goals of the volunteer. This sets the apropriate training program in place.
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
United Blind of Walla Walla
Contact: Vivian Conger & Barbee, 1519 Whitman Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362,509.526.4967, blazie.girl@gmail.com
Mission: The purpose of this organization is to promote the special interests of the legally blind in Walla Walla, Washington and the surrounding area. In addition it is the goal of this organization to expand equality, independence, and opportunity for the legally blind citizens of Walla Walla.
Volunteer Opportunities: Assisting folks with shopping, yard work, reading, cleaning
Required Skills: Caring, willingness to learn, good people skills, and various other talents
Skills Learned: Learning to work with individuals who are blind or visually impaired
Training: brief instruction before or at event
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Valley Residential Services
Contact: Nancy Riggle, 240 Bush Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-522-0400, nancy@valleyresidential.org
Mission: Client care
Volunteer Opportunities: Client care
Required Skills: Respectful, caring, dependable
Skills Learned: Varies
Training: Volunteer orientation
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Volunteer Chore Services
Contact: Robin Dowsett, 408 W. Poplar, Walla Walla WA 99362, 509-525-0572, rdowsett@ccspokane.org
Mission: Volunteers provide a wide variety of household tasks and assistance that enables recipients to remain in their homes with dignity and connection to their community.
Volunteer Opportunities: Tasks include housework, laundry, transportation, shopping and similar independent living requests.Volunteers also participate in one-time projects such as moves and yard clean-ups. There are also opportunities to serve in an indirect capacity doing data entry, filing, taking pictures, making promotional materials, cooking, setting up for, serving or entertaining for volunteer recognition events, making thank-you cards, legislative advocacy for low income elders and disabled services, distributing promotional materials, mailing surveys to clients, and many other tasks.
Required Skills: Desire to help low income elders and/or disabled adults in the community.
Skills Learned: Enhanced interpersonal skills.
Training: Initial orientation is in the Catholic Charities office during a one-on-one meeting with the Program Manager. There are opportunities for additional training as well as volunteer appreciation events throughout the year. There is also a newsletter.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
345 Boyer Ave.