Looking for a way to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season and beyond?  Or maybe you are in need of some meaningful activities for your children while they are out of school on their holiday break.

There are many opportunities right within the city of Batavia at agencies and organizations that are in need of volunteers to donate their time and talents in aiding others, or just helping in their day to day operations.

The list of organizations is not in order of importance, but just a sampling of the volunteer opportunities within Batavia. There are also other organizations in the Tri-City area, including Lazarus House, Tri-City Family Services, Mutual Ground, The Northern Illinois Food Bank, Batavia Area Jaycees, Delnor Hospital, and Feed My Starving Children that are all in need of extra hands during these times of so much economic hardship.

Your Local Schools

The multiple public and parochial schools in Batavia are always in need of extra hands to help with fundraising, office work, and other needs throughout the entire school year. For more information go to the Batavia Patch Directory.

Your Local Churches

Batavia's many churches and houses of worship are always looking for volunteers especially during the holiday season, when many are holding food and/or clothing drives for the community's needy residents. Extra hands are needed for fundraising and office work as well. See the Batavia Patch Directory for more information on your local churches.

Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry

Volunteers are always needed at the food pantry, which is part of the Northern Illinois Food Bank Cooperative. The organization provides food to neighbors with diabilities, seniors, low income families, and families who have lost their jobs.  Call (630)879-3784, or visit http://bataviafoodpantry.org.

Elderday Center

Donating your time to Elderday Center could mean brightening the day of one of Batavia's seniors, by spending one on one time with them doing crafts, playing games, or even reading the newspaper to them.

The center offers a supervised adult daycare program for seniors to enhance socialization, increases activity and wellness, as well as provides respite services to caregivers in Kane County.

Volunteers to help make daily snacks are also needed in the kitchen. 

Anyone interested in volunteering at Elderday Center is required to fill out paperwork to find out what their interests are, and volunteers must go through a brief period of training before working directly with clients.

More information can be found at www.elderdaycenter.org

Batavia RSVP

Yet another way to make the difference in the life of Batavia's Seniors is through Batavia RSVP.  This organization encourages retirees to participate in volunteer activities that serve their community.

Among the services provided are the Medication Assistance Program, meal delivery through the Salvation Army, transportation of seniors to businesses near the community for doctor or dental appointments, grocery shopping, or to receive dialysis, the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, lock box installation for emergency access, and information and referral services.

Visit www.bataviarsvp.org for more information.

Batavia Park District

Coach a children's soccer team, help out with a family's childcare needs, or help beautiful Batavia's 36 parks. The park district has no shortage of opportunities, and volunteers should have no problem finding an area that interests them.

Since the park district provides programs for the entire Batavia Community, volunteers could work with anyone from infants to seniors.

A volunteer manual for the Batavia Park District is available online at http://www.bataviaparks.org/pdfs/VolunteerManual2007.pdf

Batavia MainStreet

With the improvement of Main Street on the minds of so many Batavians, Batavia MainStreet is an ideal organization for those looking to help beautify their downtown area.

Batavia MainStreet works to enhance downtown Batavia through design, economic restructuring, organization and promotion, according to its website

Volunteer opportunities exist for economic development, the Batavia Gala on the Fox, Batavia Community Garden, the farmer's market, Art in Your Eye in August, the Downtown Batavia Block Party and Mainstreet Housewalk in the fall, and the Design and Downtown Beautification Team which meets monthly.

Visit www.downtownbatavia.com for more information.

Batavia Cares

At a time when so many of our local military service men and women are oversees, and unable to be home with their families for the holiday season, Batavia Cares provides a unique opportunity for Batavia residents to give back to those who have given up so much for them.

Among the services Batavia Cares provides are: unit and individual support by linking deployed units with individuals and community organizations, acting as a clearing house names of the troops especially from Batavia will be provided to individuals and organizations to send comfort packages and connect Pen Pals, working with other troop support organizations to share information and resources by publishing a network newsletter, providing information about the activities of troops to be published in local news papers, on web sites and other public forums, recoginizing the needs of the military families of the deployed miltiary members and help returning military with transition to civilian life to include discharged military, and giving recoginition to returning deployed troops.

More information can be found at www.bataviacares.org.

Suicide Prevention Services

Since Suicide Prevention Services supports seven different area codes in and around the Chicago area the Batavia based organization's primary needs are with their call center staff.

Volunteering for the call center is a significant commitment, and those who chose to do it must go through an extensive training period before actually working in the call center. Their next training period starts in February.

Other less available opportunities with the organization exist in fundraising, help with registration, and basic office work.

Those interested in volunteering please visit www.spsfv.org.

Batavia Public Library

Two different volunteer opportunities exist at the Batavia Public Library.

Keepers of the Shelves is a special program for adult volunteers who keep the library in great condition. The program gives individuals responsibility for specific section(s) of the library to keep it neat and in call number order.  It works with any schedule because it allows the volunteer to visit his / her chosen area at least once a month when he / she is available. Keepers of the Shelves is a great way to get involved by taking pride in your Batavia Public Library and keeping it orderly.

The Friends of the Batavia Public Library is an entirely volunteer group. The annual book sales are one of their largest volunteer efforts. Additional volunteer opportunities are also available. To help with the book sale or for more information, call (630) 879-8220.