I love this community. It’s where I work, play, worship, serve, and give. I’ve lived most of my life here, and with each passing year, I learn more and more about what Tippecanoe County offers its citizens. When it comes to giving, there is no shortage of opportunities. But “giving” doesn’t always mean money. There are so many local organizations that can benefit from the unique talents you have or even just your time. Here are some of the ones I love.
Time
Food Finders Food Bank: This organization is massive, serving MANY counties in North Central Indiana. And there are endless opportunities to plug in, both individually or with a group. Volunteers must be 13 or older. There are opportunities in the Food Resource and Education Center, Fresh Market, and the warehouse. You can also drive a route for homebound neighbors. Click here to learn more about the many opportunities to do something with Food Finders.
Volunteer at LTHC: There are tons of opportunities to volunteer at LTHC, from shopping for project birthday to data entry to serving meals to the guests. We have enjoyed going as a team and serving a lunch we prepared. Check out opportunities here.
Local Schools: I don’t know any of the local schools that wouldn’t be THRILLED to have someone come in and offer their time. Many will require you to attain a background check, but after that, I’m sure you’ll be kept busy!
NICHES Land Trust: This is such a neat organization. Since 1995, Niches has worked hard to protect natural areas from small green spaces to nature preserves. They bring private landowners, non-profits, and government agencies together. Volunteer opportunities range from trail maintenance to outreach to office organization. Check them out here.
Bravely Women’s Health (formerly Matrix Life Care Center): This organization offers women’s healthcare services completely free of charge. Volunteer opportunities stem from medical to advocacy to outreach. Click here for more on volunteering.
Talents
Tippecanoe County CASA 24-hour Cycling Challenge: This is SUCH a fun annual event, held at the Subaru of IN Automotive test track in Lafayette. Whether you’re an avid cyclist or ride a bike with a bell and a basket on the front, there’s room for everyone! Some ride alone, while others work together as a team to achieve 24 hours of cycling. This event is the organization’s largest annual fundraising event, which supports court-appointed volunteers and facilitates opportunities for abused and neglected children in Tippecanoe County. Stay tuned for the 2023 dates!
Bag meals for LUM: Lafayette Urban Ministries is an organization of more than 45 Christian churches that serves as a social safety net for our community’s children and families. They take an active role in trying to address social injustices and improve the quality of life for the poor of Indiana. There are SO MANY volunteer opportunities where you can utilize a host of talents! Check them all out here.
Help on a Habitat Build: Habitat for Humanity builds affordable housing for working families earning between 30 and 60% of the area’s median income. Volunteer labor is a key piece of this opportunity, as well as in-kind donations and community support. When you volunteer to help with construction, they provide the tools, training, and materials necessary while you do the work! Learn more here.
LUM Turkey Trot: This is a favorite of ours . . . a nice 5K on Thanksgiving morning, just before we stuff ourselves. We get a great workout and support a great cause. Year after year, this event has a great turnout! Learn more about the event here.
YWCA Power of the Purse: This is an online, community-led fundraising initiative that takes place throughout the entire month of October. I love the simplicity of raising money amongst friends and community members to raise awareness to combat domestic violence in our community. Learn more about the initiative here.
Financial
100+ Men/Women Who Give: This group is a blast! It’s a quarterly meeting where women around the county gather and select one local non-profit to earn the “pot” of every member’s $100 donation. It’s a straightforward and efficient gathering—two things I love.
Education Foundations: Many school districts have an education foundation, which supports the schools by improving educational programs and rewarding excellence in education, among other things. They’re always grateful for financial contributions, and I’d argue that with education at the center, these donations are very impactful to your local community.
Lafayette Symphony Orchestra: Living in a community with a local symphony is awesome! When you give to LSO, live performances, innovative programming, and educational outreach programs can happen throughout the region. Learn more about supporting the orchestra here.
Young Life: This organization had a profound impact on my life, which is probably why it’s so important to me to give back to them! They introduce middle and high school kids to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. It’s a truly life-changing organization, full of adventure and complete acceptance. I love the work they do, which you can learn more about here.
Camp Tecumseh: This is a YMCA camp and meeting center in Brookston, Indiana, where I spent a week or more every summer of my childhood. In fact, I loved it so much that I returned to be on staff. I love the idea of building future leaders and go-getters through the Camp T experience. This place made a significant impact on my life. Learn more about giving here.
What matters to you? Is it housing? Children? Advocacy? When deciding where to spend your time, talents, and resources, start by thinking about what’s most important to you, your family, and/or your business.
Next, consider how you have to give—hours? Daily? Monthly? Annually? I love having an established time to serve every other week. And we choose to give to various organizations every month so we’re not cramming in giving decisions into the end-of-the-year chaos.
What works for you might be totally different than what works for us, but the important thing is to get out there and make a difference in our community.
jenni says
I need volunteer hours asap for my college requirements of this semester, but everywhere I look it has background check needed. I need hours done as soon as possible and do not have spare time to wait for that process before I am able to volunteer.
Stacy says
Usually the background checks are an overnight process via a website. Shouldn’t take long at all. I’m sure you can understand that for the safety of their clients, many of these organizations have to have their volunteers go through this process. Best of luck to you!