You can help: Conduct a community choir, repair equipment or become a tax hero

The Herald-Times
·3 min read

The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network provides information about volunteering locally. For a complete listing, visit BloomingtonVolunteerNetwork.org or call 812-349-3433. The inclusion of an organization in this list does not imply City endorsement or support of the organization’s activities or policies. Information and registration links for the following opportunities can be found online at BloomingtonVolunteerNetwork.org.

Sing for Joy! Community Choir director

The Sing For Joy! Community Choir provides a welcoming environment inviting all people, including the other-abled, to join in making music. Under the umbrella of Area 10 Agency on Aging, the choir currently includes adults from 20-90 years of age, performing 2-3 concerts per year. This vibrant, enthusiastic choir is looking for a director who will continue to engage members with fun-filled music-making. Qualifications for this position include previous experience in choral conducting and some college-level music education courses, degree preferred. This position begins in September 2024, but inquiries are being accepted now. The position includes a stipend. Please send inquiries to bloomingtonsingforjoy@gmail.com. To view this opportunity, visit https://tinyurl.com/choir-conductor. Interested volunteers have an opportunity to see the choir in action at the upcoming Happy Holiday Concert on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Monroe County Public Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.

Repair person volunteer needed

Do you tinker? Do you repair? Do you like to make people happy? Then this may be a volunteer opportunity for you! The Mobility Aids Lending Library (MALL) is looking for a skilled helping hand to keep their equipment inventory in good circulating order. The MALL's mission is to provide free mobility aids to anyone who needs them. They recycle donated mobility equipment, including gently used canes, crutches, walkers, rollators, wheelchairs, scooters and other rehabilitative medical aids. Sometimes this equipment needs repair. Work on a flexible schedule for a variable amount of time, roughly 2-10 hours a week. Volunteers will report directly to the Wheelie Women who run the organization. Sign up today at https://tinyurl.com/repair-volunteer. For questions or for more information, please email mallbloomington@gmail.com.

Become a tax hero!

Not all heroes wear capes. Some help hardworking families file their taxes for free! For the 2023 tax season, 54 incredible volunteers helped families file 865 tax returns for free, saving our community $395,305 in tax prep fees and bringing back $980,004 in refunds and credits. United Way of South Central Indiana is looking for this next season's heroes, and they need help filling three types of volunteer positions: intake specialists, certified tax preparers, and lead tax preparers. Training for these positions will take place in late November through early December. Most sites offering tax filing assistance begin appointments in late January through early February and stop around late March or early April. The exact timeline will vary by location. Visit https://tinyurl.com/tax-hero to learn more about the responsibilities of each volunteer position and to fill out the online application. Questions? Contact the Tax Hero Volunteer Coordinator, Catherine Blankensop, at catherine@monroeunitedway.org.

Community Wish List Spotlight

BVN Community Wish List

The Bloomington Volunteer Network (BVN) Community Wish List is comprised of over 50 nonprofit organizations located in Monroe and surrounding counties. Wish list needs range from food and essentials to arts and crafts supplies. Donations to the Community Wish List help benefit the many outstanding programs and services that these vital organizations provide to our communities.To make a wish list donation:

Lend a helping hand by volunteering.
Lend a helping hand by volunteering.

You can find current in-kind, material needs on the year-round Community Wish List at BloomingtonVolunteerNetwork.org/communitywishlist.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Conduct a community choir, repair equipment or become a tax hero