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Volunteers
Abilities First serves over 1,200 children and adults with special needs each year. There are numerous opportunities and needs for volunteers to assist in the daily programs of the agency. Listed below are a variety of possibilities of service for each program.
Volunteer Solutions - United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Early Childhood Learning Center
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Abilities First, Early Childhood Learning Center provides a daycare/preschool for typically developing children as well as children with special needs from 6 weeks to 6 years. Areas of needed assistance are: |
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Assisting with Toddler classes (ages 1-3) Monday through Friday, mornings and afternoons. Read, play games, art activities, gym, outdoor activities. |
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Assisting with Preschool classes (ages 3-6) Monday through Friday, mornings and afternoons. |
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Sewing projects. |
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Woodworking projects. |
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Assisting with preparation of materials. Cutting, pasting, coloring for classrooms.
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Pediatric Therapies
Pediatric Therapies provides speech, occupational, and physical therapy to over 100 clients a week in a variety of settings. Areas of needed assistance are:
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General office duties. |
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Preparing learning aids covering items with contact paper, cutting, pasting, laminating. |
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Filing books and pictures - toy and equipment washing and sanitizing. |
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Making games for speech and other therapy service - organizing cabinets and materials. |
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Assisting with researching information. |
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Assisting with a pre-school group therapy program coordinated by a speech therapist that concentrates on children with speech/communication delays.
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Discovering Abilities
Discovering Abilities is a disability awareness program for children in kindergarten through 8th grade. The program consists of age-appropriate education, interactive activities, and exposure to people with disabilities and follows the Everybody Counts! curriculum. The goals of the program are to help children develop compassion, understanding, and encourage attitudes of acceptance and respect. Areas of needed assistance are:
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Guest speakers. |
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Advisory committee members. |
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Curriculum presenters. |
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Clerical support.
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Doty House and Hopewell Residential
Doty House is home to 20 individuals with varying degrees of physical handicaps and metal retardation. Hopewell, located in Franklin, Ohio, Warren County, serves 10 individuals with less severe disabilities. The greatest need for volunteers to help with the residents is during the weekday evening hours and Saturday and Sunday for planned outings. The range of activities/services volunteers can provide for the residential area are:
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Friendly visitor for reading, talking, etc. |
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Assistance with outings. |
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Mealtime monitoring. Sittings and interacting with those residents who have finished eating. |
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Assisting residents and therapists in therapeutic pool activities. Nature walks, pushing wheelchairs, playing games. |
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Taking residents for walks, pushing wheelchairs, mending and sewing clothing.
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Support Services
Support service personnel are a vital part of our operations. At times volunteers are needed to assist staff with special projects.
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General cleaning. |
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Gardening, weeding, grounds work. |
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Construction, renovation projects. |
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Small maintenance projects.
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Agency Wide Needs
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Typing & filing |
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Mass mailings |
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Special Events |
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Answering phones |
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Making calls to arrange meetings |
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Grant research |
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Working on the quarterly newsletter |
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Committee participation
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