PLEASE FOLLOW ALL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC. SOME VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED AT THIS TIME.
Contact: IpswichHighSchoolVolunteers@gmail.com with questions. Browse the list below to find volunteer opportunities right here in Ipswich. When you find something you like, checkout their website, call or email the contact person listed to discuss opportunities! Note: Your 30 hours of Community Service should be with a non-profit organization and you should not be compensated for your work. Also, your work must be done outside of school hours! Up to half of your hours can be done within the school system.
Note: If you volunteer with an organization that is not on this list, please email your name and class, along with the name of the non-profit organization, what you will be doing and the contact name and their contact information to: ipswichvolunteers@gmail.com
Volunteer Opportunities:
Info and Hours Confirmation sheet available here: https://ihsvolunteers.wordpress.com/log-your-hours/
Ipswich Fire Department:
Attention Ipswich high school students, have you done your community service? Sign up for the Fire Hydrant Community Service. You will be assisting the fire department in mapping the fire hydrant locations of all the fire hydrants in town. In order to do this activity, you will have to first meet with Firefighter Dalton at the fire department, and he will show you how to map the GPS coordinates of the fire hydrants. This activity should be done with one other person, so find a friend that you want to do it with, and have some form of transportation to get around to the different areas of town that need to be done. Also, since this is depending on the GPS satellites, keep your eye on the weather forecast. This needs to be done on a day where there is a good amount of blue sky. The more clouds in the sky, the less accurate the results will be. Has your neighborhood been done? If not you can get community service hours for walking around your neighborhood. How great is that? There are plenty of hydrants in town, so do as many or as few hours as you need. The more you do, the more you are helping the fire service.
Firefighter Dalton can be reached at JeremyD@ipswichfire.org
https://www.ipswichma.gov/819/Community-Service
Ascension Memorial Church
978-356-2560
Looking for help Sunday’s at 8:00 am to 10:15 am.
Ipswich High School Athletic Hall of Fame:
For students who love history, sports, or both, are energetic and would like to help memorialize the accomplishments of past Ipswich High School athletes, this is the place for you! Perfect resume-building opportunity for students interested in a future career in sports journalism, sports management, or event management. Student Interns for the Ipswich High School Athletic Hall of Fame are needed on a regular basis from June through November for a total of 30 hours to assist with research of former IHS Tigers’ athletic and academic accomplishments, help in preparing the program booklet, and assistance in preparation for and at the annual induction ceremony that takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving. If interested, please contact Steve Markos at IpswichHOF@gmail.com.
IHS/IMS Volunteer Opportunities
Ipswich Art/Music Department
Music Dept: (Mr. Dolan) We are looking for a student or students to rehab our music stands by painting them. We will provide the supplies! We anticipate this may take a total of 4 hours over two different days.
– We are looking for a student to help to organize our Jazz Music library. We need to alphabetize and catalog the music scores. This can be done at anytime and may be a 6-8 hour project.
SAIL Program (Suzanne Bediz,sbediz@ipsk12.net) The Students Achieving Independent Living (SAIL) Program at IHS is looking for qualified students to work as a peer mentor with students who have disabilities. Peer Mentors work closely with students in coordinated activities (such as community outings, leisure/recreation activities, musical activities). Peer Mentors will participate in activities in a variety of roles, including modeling appropriate social behavior, fostering appropriate social relationships, and facilitate participation in activities.
Activities may include:
– outing to Pomodori’s/Dunkin Donuts/DQ
– leisure games (card/board games)
– recreation (workout at IHS or Ipswich YMCA with IHS staff)
– cooking lessons
– other clubs based on student interest
You will need to meet with Suzanne Bediz for pre-volunteer training. Please contact me via email (sbediz@ipsk12.net) or phone (978-356-3137 x191) if you are interested in after school opportunities Monday – Thursday from 2:30 – 4:00 pm.
Litter pick up on the school campus
Help keep our school campus clean! Pick up litter on a periodic basis. This is an easy job that will make a big difference! It is a great way to get an hour of service in and can fit into your schedule easily. Email ipswichvolunteers@gmail.com
Generation Growers
Work with Animals
Ipswich Humane Group (Laura Cuniff, Community Service Trainer/Supervisor
cuniff.la@gmail.com -or- ipswichhumanegroup@gmail.com)
978 356 6652
Ipswich Humane Group Website
We Need Help With:
- Cleaning the shelter in preparation for our weekly open house.
- Socializing with our animals (primarily cats).
- Photographing our animals for posting to our social media.
- Opportunities are year-round; primarily Sundays 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. with additional hours on Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m
Come join us! Caring makes you feel good!
(Note: All volunteers for The Ipswich Humane Group must submit the volunteer application and parental consent forms provided by Laura Cuniff).
Wolf Hollow
wolf@wolfhollowipswich.org
978 356 0216
Wolf Hollow Website
Work with Children
Ipswich Public Library (Katy Wuerker, Email: kwuerker@mvlc.org)
Teen volunteers would aid the teen librarian with basic library duties (shelving, shelf reading, etc.) and other duties as assigned (project-based).
Birth to Three Center ( Abigail Gold agold@ipsk12.net 978 412 0123)
Birth to Three Center Website
Birth to Three is seeking volunteers to support programming and outreach to Ipswich young children and families. Specific needs are in site management & classroom projects, babysitting & programming assistance, and promotional support.
Bright Happy Power (Gail Doktor info@brighthappypower.org 978 356 3780)
Bright Happy Power Website
- We need volunteers leading up to and working at two events:
- Ipswich Illumination: We need people to fold origami cranes and wax paper boats prior to the event and (ii) people to help work with crowds (500 people who want to write wishes to be floated out onto the Ipswich River).
- Later in the season, volunteers are needed to help decorate a Christmas tree at Castle Hill during the first week of December. You’ll need to be at Castle Hill EARLY (this will require time away from school 8AM-12 for one day).
- A small number of volunteers (3-4) are needed to work with cancer patients at Childrens’ Hospital Boston this autumn (timing to be determined).
FRIES Winthrop
Toni Mooradd
tmooradd@verizon.net
FRIES Winthrop Website
FRIES Winthrop Facebook Page
We have a great playground that needs tender loving care (TLC) — general raking, gardening and sprucing up the grounds. We have many volunteer days planned for fall and spring.
Ipswich Middle School Homework Club (Ms. Scuito kscuito@ipsk12.net)
The middle school is seeking volunteers to work in our after school Homework Club. The club runs Monday thru Wednesday 2:25-3:45. We need 4 students per day for the program.
If interested please contact Ms. Scuito.
Culture and Reading
Ipswich Museum (Terri Stephens, office@ipswichmuseum.org, 978 356 2811 or educator@ipswichmuseum.org)
Ipswich Museum Website
If you can give us your time, we will provide training, encouragement, and plenty of gratitude! If you love history or art, are energetic and like meeting new people, then this is the place for you!
Education Volunteer at Ipswich Museum: Needed on a rolling basis as programs are scheduled to assist with planning or running events and programs for variouis age groups. Examples include leading younger kids with Colonial games or crafts during school vacation programs.
Collections Volunteer:1-2 hours per week. Tuesday through Thursday, work alongside Curator and other collections volunteers to catalog, organize, or photograph artifacts within the museum collection.
Tour Guide: lead tours of our 3 historic buildings for local and international visitors to IM. (May-October).
Ipswich Public Library (Patty Ditullio, ipswich@mvlc.org 978 356 6649)
Ipswich Public Library Website
The Ipswich Public Library is in the process of developing an in-depth volunteer program. We welcome interest and participation from students and look forward to hearing from you!
Assist Elderly Citizens
Council on Aging: The Council on Aging has a writing group where students are writing stories in a journal. We are looking for volunteers to have these stories typed into a Word document.
Would you be interested in helping with this project?
Sheila Taylor
Director, Ipswich Council on Aging
P: 978-356-6650
F: 978-356-6676
John Bertram House, Salem MA (Liz Stone, johnbertramhouse.avc@sunriseseniorliving.com)
Young people to interact with elderly population.( Reading to them, Playing board games, Accompany them on walks.)
Ipswich Council on Aging (Sheila Taylor Sheilat@ipswich-ma.gov, 978 356 6650)
Council on Aging Website
Note: For the Council on Aging, you can submit a registration form directly from this site by clicking this COA Volunteer Registration Form
Our Seniors Need Help With:
- Entertainment (reading, visiting, music)
- House work (cleaning, organizing, painting, etc.)
- Pets (walking, feeding, cleaning up after)
- Technology Help
- Yard Work & Shoveling
Oak Hill and Memorial Hall Apt
(Theresa Whitmore,oakhilloffice@verizon.net )
Snow Shoveling 1-3 hours per storm Use your snow days to earn community service hours and get outside and enjoy our wonderful New England Winter and help out a non profit and the elderly. Email us that you are interested with your phone number and we will text or email you when we are having a storm and need help with shoveling or cleaning off cars.
Working Around Food
Acord Food Pantry(Adam Liptak adam_liptak@yahoo.com 978 468 7424)
Acord Food Pantry Website
Our site touches on some basic volunteer opportunities, but please call or email Mr. Liptak to discuss a couple of other programs that are being done in other towns.
Ipswich Dinner Bell
Dorothy Calandra dorothy@ipswichdinnerbell.org 978 356 4801
Ipswich Dinner Bell Website
Sustainability and Preservation
Ipswich River Watershed, (Ryan O’Donnell, rodonnell@ipswichriver.org)
978 412 8200 ext. 15
Ipswich River Watershed Website
We Need Help With:
We have a number of volunteer opportunities, including fish count monitoring in the spring, macroinvertebrate sampling in the fall, and invasive species removal, which can happen any time, among other volunteer opportunities as they arise.
One of our greatest needs is help with managing invasive plant species on our property. We are in the process of trying to remove as much buckthorn (a woody shrub) as we can. This is an ongoing project requiring the use of hand tools while working off the trails on selected sections of our property.
There may be data entry tasks available also.
Ipswich Sustainable Education (regs5@yahoo.com ) http://www.sustainableipswich.org/
We assist all the schools in the district with GREEN sustainable practices.
Such projects consist of composting, recycling, no- Styrofoam, gardening, water stations, farm to school in the classroom and cafeteria. Also green team mentoring in the elementary and middle School. We also might be hosting Cooking events. We can use help in all of these areas. If you are passionate about the environment- and want to make a difference in your schools- then come help us! We are also open to your ideas of ways you can help!
The Trustees of Reservations (volunteer@ttor.org 978 921 1944)
The Trustees of Reservations Website
Volunteer locally at Appleton Farms and Crane Estate, to name a few. Visit our site for complete details!
Refuge and Hospitality
Ipswich House of Peace
John and Carrie Schuchardt
thehouseofpeace@yahoo.com
978 356 9395
The House of Peace welcomes refugees and victims of war in a community that also includes some adults with disabilities. We currently have three young children from Iraq and Syria who need gentle and meaningful play, a little English help, games, etc. Their parents are also wanting help with conversational English, best accomplished through friendly visits and genuine interest.
Ipswich Community Access Media (ICAM)
ICAM
ICAM – Ipswich Community Access Media
Beth Meyer, Executive Director
IcamIpswich@yahoo.com -or- http://www.icamipswich.com
978 356 0353
We need people to do video recordings (using ICAM field cameras) of local Town Events and Youth Sports. We also are in need of people to operate Studio Cameras to record local programs. All equipment and training is provided for free. Opportunities are year-round.
Come up with your own idea for a local program that will benefit the Town and/or Schools, and earn Community Service credit!
(Note: All volunteers for ICAM must submit a volunteer application and parental consent form if under 18. Forms are provided by Beth Meyer.)
Sports
Film IHS Lacrosse Games (John Gillis, JGillis@mortgagemaster.com)
We have 18 games this season that take about 2 hours each (longer for away games). We are looking for 2-3 kids who would be willing to film the games for community service.
Ipswich Basketball, (Jim Restuccia, jrestuccia@verizon.net)
Looking for assistance for Travel basketball. (Tryout nights – includes checking in players,handing out #s and collecting forms). Sunday home games – looking for volunteers to work the snack table. Several time slots available from 11-4 ( includes helping set up and breaking down/ clean up)
Town Hall Departments
Ipswich Housing Authority (Kate McGuire, iha.kmcguire88@gmail.com )
978-356-2860 ext. 205
Ipswich Housing Authority Website
We Need Help With
- Painting
- Fall clean up
- Snow removal
- Gardening
- Outreach to senior community
Waste Reduction Advisory Committee (ipswichcomposts@gmail.com)
Please check out our website (www.ipswichrecycles.org) and contact us if you are interested in volunteering at one of our recycling events. We also have a lot of projects that an enthusiastic student could run with!
Ipswich ReCreation & Culture (Kerrie Bates, kerrieb@ipswich-ma.gov, 978 356 6644)
Ipswich ReCreation & Culture Website
Some examples of new program initiatives are:
- Movie Club: Choose films for screening, promote your event, set up the high projector screen, and host your event!
- Ipswich Cultural Events: Help with a wide-array of events including Ipswich Illumination, Ipswich is First… Period, and Ipswich Evergreen, to name a few!
Most important of all, Ipswich ReCreation & Culture would like to partner with students to realize cultural initiatives that start with our young people.
Ipswich Town Clerk’s Office
978 356 6600 ext. 1015
Ipswich Town Clerk’s Office Website
We Need Help With:
- General office work, filing, photocopying, etc.
- Assistance with elections and the election process
- Assistance with Town Meeting and the Town Meeting process
We have had four Community Service Students in the past, and we welcome future ones!
(Note: Many items in the Town Clerk’s office are restricted and not for public review or public knowledge, so confidentiality is of the highest priority.)
Talia Duff Foundation (tmooradd@verizon.net)
We are a local non-profit organization formed to expedite a cure for the ultra rare disease CMT4J. The Duff family of Ipswich created the foundation because their daughter, Talia, a 5th grader at the Winthrop School was recently diagnosed. To raise awareness and funds, we are setting up events which will need volunteers. We are specifically looking for volunteers to sell custom shoe laces at sporting events around town. I would love to opportunity to speak more about the initiative. My cell is 617-947-9999.
OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU FIND ON YOUR OWN MUST BE APPROVED BY EMAILING: ipswichvolunteers@gmail.com
Looking for Other Opportunities?
Check out Facebook page: IHS Volunteers
Explore opportunities with North Shore United Way
United Way North Shore Volunteer Hub
IHS VOLUNTEERS 