The Joseph Maley Foundation is reliant on the generous support of our volunteers to help make sure that our programs are as impactful as possible. We love our volunteers, and we’re always looking for passionate individuals to join us in our mission to serve children of ALL abilities. Volunteer opportunities, however, are not hard to come by, and with so many options available, we want to take the time to explain why volunteering for US is the right choice for YOU. This week’s blog focuses on answering the question: “Why should you volunteer for JMF?”.
The disABILITY Awareness program provides volunteers with the opportunity to learn alongside the students we work with. Each grade level focuses on a different disability, with some grades learning through hands-on activities. Each of these activity stations are manned by adult volunteers, who use written guides to help implement and teach the material to groups of students.
As a disABILITY Awareness volunteer you have the opportunity to introduce braille to second graders, practice sign language with fifth-grade students, teach kindergartners about adaptive play, and much, much more.
Each of these disABILITY Awareness activities are typically 45 minutes to an hour in length, and occur during typical school day hours.
Additionally, individuals living with a disability can volunteer to speak for the disABILITY Awareness program, and share their lived experiences with students of all ages and backgrounds.
To learn more about disABILITY Awareness visit our program page.
JMF’s Health through Outreach, Personal perspectives, and Engagement (HOPE) program teaches children, grades preschool through twelfth, how to advocate for their own health, as well as their peers’, by focusing on four pillars of overall health: mental, social, emotional, and physical.
HOPE regularly holds “speaker nights” for parents and students on topics ranging from internet safety to test anxiety and depression. Speakers are typically health professionals who share their expertise on topics relating to all four pillars of health.
HOPE speakers are offered the unique opportunity to reach students and parents during critical moments in a child’s development.
Speaker nights are held either during school hours, or during the evening, and are typically an hour in length.
To learn more about HOPE visit our program page.
Children with disabilities often have limited access to recreational athletics. Joseph Maley Fitness aims to change that, by offering over a dozen all-inclusive recreational activities each year, including sports like rowing, soccer, swimming, t-ball, and many more.
As a Joseph Maley Fitness volunteer you will become a “mentor” for a Joseph Maley Fitness athlete, and will guide them through the safe practices, techniques, and skills associated with each sport. Mentors see first-hand the growth of confidence within their paired athlete, as they achieve new goals, and experience the joy of physical activity.
Each recreational activity is held once a week, for three to five weeks, and are typically an hour in length. Mentor training is provided beforehand.
To learn more about Joseph Maley Fitness visit our program page.
Joseph Maley Family Support is always looking for attorney volunteers to work with families on navigating the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Attorneys who volunteer with Joseph Maley Family Support are also offered at reduced price for our Continuing Legal Education (CLE) offerings.
To learn more about Joseph Maley Family Support visit our program page.