Lehman Community Service Council

What the heck is the Lehman Council, anyway? The Lehman Council is the student-run umbrella organization for all volunteer and service-oriented groups on campus. Below is a list of community engagement groups and the contacts for each group. Give it a look and then get involved!

Lehman Council for Community Engagement homepage
Berkshire Community Resources

Attention Groupheads: You can click on the appropriate link to your group and begin editing that page, adding contacts, dates, and other useful information as written in your grouphead manual. An online pdf version of the grouphead manual is available.

UPDATING YOUR GROUP'S MANUAL: DOING IT WIKI STYLE

• Thoughout the manual you may see _____ after prompts to write down any useful information. We do this because you know better than anyone the most pertinent information for your group. As mentioned in the continuity section, this information becomes a valuable resource in the future.
• You can click on the appropriate link to your group below and begin editing that page, adding contacts, dates, and other useful information.
• For help with the editing format, here are directions for editing a page. It really is as easy as clicking "edit this page", typing your information using some simple formatting rules, and then clicking "save page".
• Whenever you click "edit this page", there will also be a tool bar that will allow you to add fancier formatting (such as links or images) if you so choose.
• For inspiration, here is an Example group page.
• At the end of the year, we will compile any of the edits that have been made and update next year's group head manual accordingly. Thank you so much!

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition

Contact: Kathy Keeser, Lily Li (08lyl) website

The NBCC is a dynamic, collaborative organization that serves as a forum for the various non-profits, social service agencies, businesses, and local neighborhoods. It encourages communications and leadership as important components of neighborhood development, while encouraging organizations to pool monetary and human resources together to fund special events, projects, and celebrations. In addition, the NBCC is also a great resource for Williams students and can be a pool of potental campus partners and research opportunities. Examples of collaborative projects that have happened in the past and are ongoing are:

• Volunteers at community gardens
• Volunteers for art-work/ organization for start-up neighborhood baseball teams
• Williams dance groups at neighborhood celebrations

Living Without Borders

Contact: Khin Son (10mkp) Living Without Borders seeks to raise awareness about immigrant concerns and border issues.

HEALTH AND SUPPORT

Bone Marrow Registry

Contact: Kristina Brumme (08kmb)

Elizabeth Freeman Center

Contact: Elizabeth Upton (08ecu)

Elizabeth Freeman Center is a countywide agency that provides counseling, advocacy, emotional, educational, vocational and economic services for anyone affected by sexual assault. They oppose violence, harassment, and discrimination, and they promote the physical and emotional safety of all people. They strive to provide a haven and a communication network for all people regardless of gender, age, race, color, class, religion, or sexual orientation. Services include a 24-hour sexual assault hotline, a safe shelter, the family law project, personal economic planning courses, and the Athletes Against Abuse outreach project. http://www.berkshire.net/~cosmo/susan/web/freeman/frontpage.html

North Adams Regional Hospital

Contact: Deborah Nicholas (dnicholas@nbhealth.org)

The hospital needs volunteers to work within the different hospital units (admissions/emergency, volunteer department, psychiatric center). Students who play an instrument or have other special skills are particularly welcome. Volunteer tasks include helping out with small errands, transporting patients, conducting patient activities, etc. Volunteers may have to wait until spring semester to begin working at the hospital due to the availability of training sessions. After training, volunteers can work any time, day or night, and usually commit about 4 hours per week. http://www.nbhealth.org

P.A.V.E. (Prevention Against Violent Encounters)

Contact: Elizabeth Upton (08ecu)

Public Health Alliance

Sarah Wendell (08scw), Chanelle Diaz (09cmd)

REACH Community Health

Contact: Lindsay Rosshirt (09lbr) Jennifer Munoz (jmunoz@nbhealth.org)

Volunteers work with the REACH Community Health Foundation to provide breast cancer education at local food pantries, homeless shelters, and stores, and to register women for free mammograms. Timing is flexible and the commitment is minimal.

Run for a Cure, Cancer Awareness and Prevention

Contact: Kimberly Elicker (09kse)

Sweetbrook Nursing Home

Eugene Won (09ew), Caralyn Quan (08chq)

Volunteers bring enthusiasm, companionship, and a friendly face to the elderly who live in this nursing home. Volunteers are needed to chat with residents, challenge someone to a game of checkers, or read magazines or newspapers aloud. Anyone who is willing to give an hour each Sunday to brighten up the day of an elderly person is welcome.

WISHES, Reach Community Health Foundation

Contact: Lindsay Rosshirt (09lbr), Jen Munoz (jmunoz@nbhealth.org) wso-listserver =wishes Work with the REACH Community Health Foundation to teach elementary school kids about health, fitness, and nutrition, and to conduct research on these issues with kids.

HOMELESSNESS

Habitat for Humanity

Contact: Daniel Perez (10dmp), our current head, and Claire Zentgraf (09cmz), who is abroad for the spring semester

Listserv: <email>Williams-Habitat@wso.williams.edu</email> (To join the listserv, click here)

Project: Habitat volunteers help build and rehabilitate houses to be sold at no profit to low-income families who otherwise would not be able to afford a home. The Williams College and Northern Berkshire chapters of Habitat can always use student volunteers at the work site from 9:00-12:00 every Saturday, where they are building a new house on Henderson Road in Williamstown.

Feel free to visit/join our new Facebook group to find out when the next trip will be as well as an album of photos from each trip.

Louison House

Contact: William Bruce (08wbb), Will Lee (wl1), or Katerina Belkin (kb1) Louison House is a homeless shelter in Adams. Volunteer responsibilities range from helping a person write a resume to playing with kids and organizing food drives. A volunteer is also needed to help with case work and basic office assistance in North Adams.

HUNGER

Berkshire Food Project

Contact: Lauren Guilmette (08leg) or Laura Huang (lh1) The Berkshire Food Project, started by Williams students in the 80s, continues to serve food to low income local residents. Volunteers serve lunch, eat and talk with the clients, and clean up afterwards. Group go to North Adams from the Chaplain's Office every Monday, Thjursday, and Friday at 11:30 and return by 1:00. Volunteers are welcome on any and all of these days, but should contact in advance.

Williamstown Food Pantry

Contact: William Bruce (08wbb) Located just at the edge of campus at St.Patrick's Church, the food pantry is crucial to the Williamstown area, regularly distributing meals to 14-20 families regardless of their religious affiliation. Students are needed on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, from 1:00-3:00 to help stock shelves and hand out food baskets, especially at at major distribution times (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter).

Contact Candace Gibson '11, cog1

W.R.A.P.S. (Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus)

Contact: Wentao Xiong (xx1), Yibai Li (10yl) Listserv: wraps@wso.williams.edu WRAPS is the not-so-obvious acronym for "Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus." Four nights a week, a team of two volunteers picks up all the unserved food from the dining halls and transports it to two (at the moment) community organizations in Adams and North Adams who have need of it: the Louison House (a temporary home for homeless individuals) and the North Adams Salvation Army. Each run takes about an hour and a half, and each volunteer goes once every two weeks. College van licenses are helpful but not required.

Berkshire Share

Contact: Will Jacobson (08waj_2) or George Miller (09gam)

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE AND ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK TRIPS

Rotaract

Contact: Jane Lole (08jyl) The Williams chapter of Rotaract International, a worldwide network of service clubs for college students, works with the Williamstown Rotary to carry out international service and awareness programs in the greater Williamstown community. Volunteers run advocacy campaigns, fundraising programs, establish international pen pals programs with local youth, and may launch a new international service trip.

World Partnership Walk

Contact: Faaiza Lalji (08fl), Aleha Aziz (07aaa)

Hurricane Relief Coalition

Contact: Denise McCulloch (08djm), Carolyn Quan (08chj) Web site

OUTDOOR/ENVIRONMENTAL

Caretaker Farm

Contact: Kendell Newman (08kln) Caretaker Farm, is the local CSA in Williamstown, where we help the farmer and his interns to weed and harvest. Come get P.E. credit and some free veggies!

Forest Garden

Contact: Stuart Jones (Stuart.M.Jones) Come help us plant, weed, harvest and consume our campus community garden! Meeting Saturday mornings.

Thursday Night Grassroots

Contact: Zoe Fonseca (08zaf), Morgan Goodwin (08mjg), Julia Sendor (08jbs), Whitney Leonard (08wal) This dynamic environmental activism group meets on Thursday nights at 10pm in Dodd living room. Discussions and activism around climate change, local environemtnal issues, sustainability on campus and much more! Get involved organizing an awareness-raising event, pressuring the college to go green, or attending conferences with students from other schools to learn more!

Hoosic River Watershed Association

Contact: Eileen Fielding HooRWA is dedicated to restoration, conservation, and enjoyment of the Hoosic River and its watershed, through education, research, and advocacy. They run a wide range of events throughout the year and perform a lot of trail and river maintenance.

Berkshire Humane Society

Contact: Madeline King (mjk1) The Humane Society provides a safe place for abandoned animals and various services for pet owners. Volunteers can help weekly with pet training, walking, kennel monitoring, cleaning, and other tasks, as well as with the fundraising Humane Race.

Outdoor Outreach

Contact: Scott Lewis (Scott.A.Lewis) Listserv: outdoor-outreach-l@williams.edu Outdoor Outreach is run by the Williams Outing Club and the Williamstown youth Center to provide trust-building, fun, educational outdoor activities to children in the surrounding areas. These outdoor education and adventure classes will include hiking, canoeing, an overnight trip, rock climbing, and WOC's challenge low ropes course~! Classes run during the first and fourth quarters. Time commitment is 4 hours on each of four Saturday afternoons plus one overnight.

Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation

Contact: Leslie Reed-Evans, ruraland@wrlf.org (413) 458-2494 WRLF is a community land trust and enviornmental education organization. They have a beautiful new center at Sheep Hill (located on Route 7 south of Williamstown). They also help maintain several local trails, advise residents on conservation practices and land restrictions, purchase land for preservation, and are working on increasing affordable housing in the area.

PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Best Buddies

Contact: Matt Neuber (08mwn) Listserv: bestbuddies This program builds friendships between college students and people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Volunteers build close and lasting relationships with their buddies by going to the movies, sports events, concerts, museums and their social activities. Buddies talk on the phone once a week and meet twice a month for about 2 hours each time. No car is needed.

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

Contact: Libby Copeland-Halperin (09lrc), Megan Ramsey (08mer) This is a national organization that produces tape recordings of written texts for the blind community and those with dyslexia. The Williamstown branch is always in need of volunteer to read texts aloud and to monitor machinery. The weekly commitment is typically two hours and the schedule is very acommodating.

YOUTH SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND MENTORSHIP

ABC House Tutoring

Contact: Burcu Gurcay (10bg) The national A Better Chance (ABC) program, provides increased educational opportunites for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program has established a residence on Hoxsey Street in Williamstown so eight of these students can attend Mt. Greylock High School. Volunteers tutor the ABC House students in a wide range of subjects and as often as needed. The time commitment is about two hours, one night a week, and the house is a short walking distance from campus.

America Reads/America Counts

Contact: Kaatje White (kwhite) These national programs are both federal work study and volunteer opportunities. Volunteers can work either in the classroom as teacher's assistants or after school in one-on-one tutoring and mentoring programs. Williams volunteers work at Williamstown Elementary, Hancock Elementary (just south of Williamstown), Pownal Elementary (just north), and North Adams public schools. The time commitment ranges from one to several hours per week.

Big Siblings

Contact: Emily Studenmund (ems1), Wendy Powell (wpowell@mail.williamstown.net) Williams students are paired with a student from the local elementary school. Volunteers become close and highly respected friends to these children who need a reliable and caring role model. A Big Sibling can help a child discover a world of possibilities and opportunities simply by being a genuine friend. Volunteers do not need a car to participate, but must commit to one meeting a week with their little sibling.

Days at College

Contact: Hnin Hnin (09hwh) Work with children in grades 6-10 from NYC and Vermont to raise thier awareness of the possibility of college, the wide range of college options, and the necessary skills for succeeding in high school and college. School groups visit Williams for a simulated day at college.

Education Reform and Advocacy Group

Contact: Emma Bene (09epb), Willa Marquis (09wam), Jerusa Contee (10jjc)

Friends of Foster Families

Stephanie Kim (10shk)

Girl Scouts

Contact: Susan.Montiel@williams.edu Volunteers are needed to lead, co-lead, or assistant lead troops of 5-12 girls ranging in age from 5-18 years. The time commitment is 2-3 hours per week. No previous scouting experience is necessary, just excitement and the desire to have fun with and be a role model for these girls.

Hughes Science Foundation Tutoring

Contact: Jennifer Swoap (jswoap) Run through the Biology department but open to students of any discipline, this program allows Williams students to work with local elementary school teachers to create lesson plans and teach classes in the sciences and computer technologies. Time commitment for these paid positions begins at two hours per week. Teaching session occur during the school day and transportation is provided.

Junior Achievement and Financial Literacy

Contact: Adrian Rodrigues (10arr)

Mt. Greylock High School

Contact: Melissa Barton (09mab) Students can volunteer each week during the school day at their convenience to work one-on-one with high school students with various learning disabilities. A van leaves from Chapin at 2:30 and returns by 4:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

P.A.W. Pals at Pownal Elementary School

Contact: Anastashia Magee (09anm) PAW Pals is a big brother/big sister program in Pownal, VT. Williams students spend one hour a week (or more) one-on-one with elementary school students, either at lunch or after school. Volunteers provide a dependable support and mentor for the children, and together they do fun stuff like playing basketball and board games or doing art projects.

Pen Pals

Contact: Claire Zentgraf (09cmz), Andrea Currie (10acc_2) Write monthly letters to students from Pownal Elementary School in Pownal, VT. The program is usually done with fifth- and sixth-grade students. Reading and writing the letters is both fun and rewarding.

Pownal Elementary After-School Program

Contact: Kaatje White (kwhite) This program is a great opportunity to begin teaching elementary school students. Volunteers design and teach their own class to a group of K-3 or 4-6 grade students. The program begins in January, when volunteers can teach one or two days a week. Past courses have included cooking, Native American culture, Around the World, the Homework Club, and Structure.

Rural Literacy Project

Contact: Allison Seyferth (08ars_3)

Williamstown Youth Center

Contact: William Bruce (08wbb) Founded by Williams students almost 100 years ago, the WYC now relies largely on Williams volunteers as sports coaches, tutors, summer camp leaders, and art, dance, yoga and acting teachers for boys and girls aged 4-16

OTHER OPPORTUNITES

Images Cinema

Contact: Ruth Giordano (458-1039) The only year-round, non-profit, independent film house in the Berkshires. Last year we organized the Canned Film Festival and other collection drives with Images, and SSJ has begun work with Images for their Social Justice Film Series. Working with the theatre can take many forms, from cleaning and maintenance to taking and organizing canned food drives.

Angel Project

Contact: Captain Mary Eager, North Adams Salvation Army, (413) 663-7987 Collecting toys for area children for the holidays - get houses, teams, departments, offices, etc. to 'sponsor' a child. Contact Mary in October or so and get in touch with Barb Agostini in the Campus Life Office [(413) 597-2546] - she will be very helpful with the collection of the gifts. Generally around $40-$60 should be spent per child, so groups can use this to decide how many children they want to take. Try to put out an initial ad blitz to the Williams community (including faculty and staff) before Thanksgiving to get it on everyone's radar. Most people will sign up the week after Thanksgiving, giving them about two or so weeks, as gifts are usually due on the Friday of finals (it's best to set a soft deadline of Thursday, since almost everyone will get the presents in late).