Volunteer Opportunities for Bengals

Andrea Diaz Reporter

Volunteering on and off-campus is a great way to gain experience and further your knowledge of the ISU campus and Pocatello as a whole. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer on and off-campus, here are a few.

Aid For Friends Homeless Shelter

The Aid For Friends homeless shelter is located at 653 S. Fourth St. in Pocatello. Some responsibilities that come with volunteering at the shelter include organizing donations, brief paperwork, helping the community by providing essentials to the homeless, working directly with the homeless and aiding the shelter supervisor. Volunteering at the shelter helps the volunteer gain experience in working with a vulnerable population and gaining basic office skills. This is a great opportunity for anyone majoring in social work, sociology, criminology and anyone interested in working with the homeless. To volunteer at this location call (208) 2325669 to set up a date and time.

Pocatello Animal Shelter

Pocatello Animal Shelter is a local shelter located on 3100 Avenue of the Chiefs, in the Upper Ross Park area. The shelter works with animals in need of a home. Volunteers must be 16 years or older to volunteer. According to the Pocatello Animal Shelter website through the city of Pocatello, responsibilities include bathing and grooming animals, cleaning kennels and performing general kennel duties, greeting and guiding patrons through the animal shelter, helping with tasks in the front office, assisting with fundraising and outreach events, working on projects from home and collecting or donating needed supplies to the shelter. The shelter would be a great place to gain experience with animals, the public and cleaning experience. To apply for a volunteer position follow the link provided below and located in the middle of the page is a link to fill out an online application. The website to learn more about the animal shelter is: https:// www.pocatello.us/161/Volunteering-Community-Service and the phone number is: (208) 234-6156.

6th Judicial District CASA Program

The 6th Judicial District CASA Program is a way to help abused, neglected, and abandoned children. The CASA program volunteers take court cases and do independent investigations and act as an advocate for the child. When in court the advocate ensures the child’s needs are being met and that the children are being properly represented. According to the program’s website, to be a CASA volunteer requires, “S/he must possess sound decision-making skills and be able to remain objective and nonjudgmental. S/he must have a good rapport with children, have good communication skills, and have a sincere interest in the welfare of children.” In addition, the volunteer must pass an FBI, local and state background check. Volunteers are also required to be at least 21 years of age. This volunteer opportunity is a great way to gain court

and legal experience. The volunteer also gains knowledge about children that have been in bad situations and how to further help them. To apply to be a volunteer follow the link provided below and located at the bottom of the page is the appropriate documents. The CASA program’s website is: https:// casa6id.org/volunteer.

Benny’s Pantry

Another volunteer opportunity that is more accessible for ISU students is Benny’s Pantry. The pantry is located on campus in the basement of the Pond Student Union building (Room 120A) in Pocatello, the Bennion Student Union building (Room 218) in Idaho Falls, and Skaggs Health Center (Room 508A) in Meridian. Benny’s Pantry is a place where students can go and get free non-perishable food twice a month to help ensure students do not have to deal with food insecurity. Volunteering responsibilities include: working 1-2hour shifts assisting participants, accepting donations and maintaining inventory. Volunteers must also complete a training session and sign a confidentiality form. Students can volunteer in groups or individually. If volunteering as a group, one individual from the group must be present for each shift. To volunteer go to Benny’s Pantry website: https:// www.isu.edu/pantry/volunteer/ and follow the “Contact Us” link to apply. The phone number is: (208) 282-2794.

Idaho Food Bank

Benny’s Pantry works with the Idaho Foodbank which is another place that offers volunteering opportunities. The Idaho Foodbank provides resources to food pantries around the area, as well as helping to feed children from families struggling with food insecurity. According to their website, “In fiscal year 2020, The Foodbank provided food for more than 18.6 million meals to Idahoans.” Volunteering at the Idaho Foodbank, would include sorting and packing food, repackaging bulk food and labeling food. To volunteer go to the Idaho Foodbank website: https://idahofoodbank.org/ give/volunteer/ and click either the group or individual volunteers tab and follow directions accordingly.

Any organization or establishment has something different to offer as far as experience and opportunities. The places listed above are only a few of the many opportunities that are in Pocatello. A volunteer at any establishment will gain knowledge and skills to help them further in their careers and other life skills. According to the Idaho Food Bank, volunteers report having better health physically, mentally, and emotionally, volunteering lowers stress levels, volunteers feel a deeper connection to the community and others, and volunteers are more informed and involved in their health. Many establishments and organizations suit different people. It is just a matter of finding one that you are interested in.

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