Needs From: United Way Volunteer Connect

We need you! 

Join United Way of Southwest Alabama and Feeding the Gulf Coast for their largest food distribution ever right here in Mobile, AL. We're rallying the community to help make this a success. The event will provide 2,000 families with food boxes full of fresh, nutritious food during a time when support is needed more than ever. 

To pull off an event of this scale, we need all hands on deck. There are multiple opportunities and multiple shift options available. Whether you're an individual, group, or organization looking to make a difference, your time will be impactful. 

All volunteers must sign up in advance to be approved for entry. Please register here: https://www.cervistech.com/acts/console.php?console_id=0048&console_type=event

Help us to show the Mobile community what we can do when we come together! Thank you for helping us fight hunger and support our neighbors. 

United Way of Southwest Alabama's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is growing, and we need volunteers! We're looking for people who want to learn to prepare free tax returns and to serve in our various tax centers throughout the Mobile area. This is important work, and it only happens with the dedication of our volunteer team.

You don't have to have tax preparation experience. It helps of course, but we offer training supported by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Please note: This is not training to start your own tax preparation business for pay. Volunteers are not allowed to accept payment for the tax returns they prepare for our taxpayers.

Although people think you have to be a math wiz to do taxes, the fact is the computer does most of the math. The most important skills have to do with working with other people as a team, listening to your clients, and applying the tax rules fairly, accurately, and consistently. And every return you prepare gets reviewed by a second volunteer, so there's always someone to double-check your work for you; you're never alone.

We'll hold orientation (come and learn more) sessions before training. Classes begin in November and are typically offered on weekdays and Saturdays. Sign up now and we'll notify you once the dates are set for training.

If you're looking to give back to your community in a way that challenges your mind and gives you the chance to see your real-world impact on the people we serve together, this could be for you. Join us to learn more!

Do you enjoy quiet, focused tasks that make a big impact behind the scenes? We're looking for a detail-oriented volunteer to help us enter registrations for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program that delivers free books to children from birth to age five, right here in our community.

What You’ll Do: Twice a month, you'll spend a few hours entering new child registrations into our online system. It may not be glamorous, but your work ensures local children receive a brand-new, age-appropriate book in the mail each month—often the very first books they’ll ever own.

Why It Matters: Early exposure to books is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future academic success. By volunteering your time, you’ll help foster a lifelong love of reading and learning for hundreds of children across Southwest Alabama.

Time Commitment and Skills Needed: Approximately 2 times per month, with flexible scheduling during business hours. You'll need basic computer skills, attention to detail, and a passion for giving kids a strong start in life.

We know that natural disasters happen, and it's not a matter of if they'll happen, but when they'll happen. And when they do happen, volunteers are needed in a hurry.

Sign up here to volunteer, not for a specific disaster, but to be the first to know when your assistance is needed following a disaster. You may also be notified from time to time of trainings that are available for disaster volunteers. Think of this as your opportunity to say that you're ready to help should action be necessary.

We have partnered with Goodwill Gulf Coast to share gently used books with students and community members. we ask volunteers to place labels inside of books prior to community events. Volunteers will be expected to peel labels and place labels inside of books. Each opportunity will provide volunteers with 100-400 books to prep. This opportunity is great for a small group 3-5, during business hours Monday-Thursday 8a.m.-4 p.m. This opportunity is available at the Clarke County and Mobile locations.

United Way needs assistance weeding, cutting patch of grass, and picking up trash at parking lot located in downtown Mobile. This opportunity would ideally occur after business hours or on the weekend.

Because of timing of work, volunteer would need to bring tools(weed eater, lawn mower, gloves, rake, garbage bags, hedge trimmers, wheelbarrow, etc)

United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) is forming teams of volunteers to help us on an ongoing basis with a number of tasks related to our various programs. We want to develop a group of volunteers whom we can call when different needs arise. We'll get to know you, learn your strengths and preferences, and invite you to come into the office during the work week as we need help with things you're good at and like doing. You wouldn't have to do all of the following, but the types of things for which we're seeking volunteers include:

* Depending on the activities in which you are involved, a background check may be required.

If you're interested in being a program volunteer team member, please respond to this need, and we'll be in touch to schedule a time to meet!