Volunteer Opportunities
Lapsits for Early Literacy is a 501c3 charity. We need your help to continue our community support! Because we are continously distributing free books to the community, we are in constant need of books and materials for children - newborn to four. To reach at-risk parents and their caregivers, we need volunteers to help on board committees and with community projects. Volunteers--your efforts as a volunteer doing book drives, sorting books, distributing books, building shelves, reading to children, or assisting with parent workshops--will change small children's futures.
These are our immediate needs (other ongoing volunteer opportunities are listed below):
Lapsits Cat in the Hat Event Participant
March, 2009
Event Planners: Assist with planning and coordinating these
language based activities and fun.
Event Day Workers: Serve 2-3 hours as an activity facilitator,
reader, data collector, or book selection provider, etc.
***Gently
Used Book Chair: Coordinate the delivery, sorting and acknowledgement
of gently used books. Recruit and manage volunteers in sorting process.
Great job for former children's library staff.
Lapsits' Reach Out and Read Clinics
Waiting Room Literacy Enhancer: Serve as Bulletin
Board Designer by providing attention-drawing messages about the importance
of family reading for clinic waiting rooms. Stock and replenish waiting room
baskets with gently used books.
Lapsits Mentors
at the Anderson Street Teen Parent Program
Mentor A Teen Mom: Over lunch at the center, meet several
times, chat, and bond with a teen mother about to return to her middle
or high school. Keep in touch afterwards, serve as a role model, and
attend quarterly children's book and speaker parties together.
Lapsits
Readers
Read to infants, toddlers, or preschoolers in Head Start
and low income centers in downtown Greenville, Greer and Simpsonville/
Ft. Inn and to families at the Center for Developmental Services: need
2 readers in FT. Inn for 2 Early Head Starts we are partnering with on
Raising a Reader if possible in next 2 months and 1 at PVEHS
Lapsits Program Assistants
Data Entry Assistant: Help enter and manage survey data.
Work with fun people in a casual environment.
Curriculum Writer: Have a background in reading, speech, or early childhood? Work with the program director to develop parent handouts to go with children's books.
For upcoming volunteer training and volunteer opportunity dates, please see our CALENDAR page.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Please contact Lashaun Scott, Lapsits Volunteer Manager, at 430-5493 about any opportunities below that interest you.
Lapsits’ Center Readers:
Become a Lapsits reader for 2, 3 and 4 year olds at low-income childcare
centers with at least 25% ABC Voucher children, Head Start centers,
and other sites. Attend the initial 2-hour training session and semi-annual
hourly enrichment training sessions thereafter.
Spanish Speaking Readers, Translators, or Workshop
Volunteers:
Read bilingual books in the Center for Developmental Services waiting
room. Translate parent materials written in English to Spanish. Serve
as a Parent Workshop Aide or Program Events Assistant for events
involving Hispanic families. Training provided.
Lapsits’ Nursery Volunteers:
Interact with babies, creepers, and young toddlers to stimulate brain
growth and language development. Placement at teen parent and Early
Head Start centers. Discuss literacy with on-site mothers. Attend the
initial 2-hour training session and semi-annual hourly enrichment training
sessions thereafter.
Gently Used Book Drive Site Coordinators:
Contact personnel at potential book drive locations, put up posters,
and place collection containers strategically. Bring books to storage
and help sort by age categories. Training provided.
Special Projects Volunteers:
Work on special short-term projects, events, or initiatives under the
guidance of the Program Director. Examples might include building a
power point presentation, designing a fingerplay booklet, or formatting
an e-newsletter.
Office Administrative Assistants:
Answer questions and take messages in the office, keep files organized,
enter data into spread sheets, help with presentation and workshop materials,
assist with record keeping, work with Program Director, Administrative
Manager, and Volunteer Manager on program logistics.
Workshop Team Members:
Participate with a workshop training team to serve refreshments, read
to and play with infants through children age 7, or co-train with
a workshop facilitator during parent workshops in the daytime or evening.
Training needed.
Book and Publications Delivery Volunteers:
Deliver new books to Lapsits centers serving low income children quarterly.
Help deliver newsletters, brochures, and other public relations materials.
Help put out posters and fliers for events.
Special Events Volunteers:
Partner with other volunteers for a portion of the time to carry out
2-5 hour events by working at a table or booth to read to children or
provide helpful information to parents about our programs.
Book Warehouse Assistants:
Sort books used for workshop sessions, circulating book bags, and special
event giveaway books. Get book crates ready for delivery to Lapsits
Reader locations. Must be weekday, day time hours. Training required.
Mailing Address:
Lapsits for Early Literacy
PO BOX 9847
Greenville, SC 29604