Engagement

We help children realize their potential and build their futures. We nurture children and strengthen communities, and we couldn’t do any of it without you. Our Group Mentoring volunteers provide a non-traditional approach to mentoring. They are not matched with a specific child. Instead, they have the opportunity to interact with a variety of kids when they visit any of our site-based locations. During their visits, they have the opportunity to engage in several different activities that the sites offer, whether it be playing basketball or dodgeball in the gym, helping with homework, arts and crafts, foosball, ping pong, playing a video or board game, or just chatting with a kid. Basically, engaging with a kid(s) in a positive and fun manner.

Lafayette Mentors is for boy youth participants only. Male and female volunteers are welcome!

We are the nations foremost youth leadership and character development program. We deliver programs through in school and after school models. No scouting experience required!

Volunteers will have to complete a 75-minute Youth Protection Training and register to become a volunteer. This is done ahead of time.

Civic Theatre produces 5 Main Stage (adult) and 4 CYT (youth) shows each season. Our educational programming includes classes, camps, and workshops to ages 3-adult and varies in topics of performance, design, and technical aspects of theatre. Civic is a volunteer-based organization with a small staff of 3 full-time and 2 part-time employees. Purdue student volunteers have provided assistance to teaching artists by offering a collaborative approach to leading students. They have directed small group breakout sessions, assisted with costuming, provided one-on-one mentorship to students with diverse learning needs, and provided management support in larger class sizes. Purdue students may also volunteer in production roles such as tech crew, sound or light board operator, ushering for shows, or provide general support for events. Purdue student volunteers will work with the Director of Education and Outreach to be placed in the student’s area of interest and/or the organization’s area of highest need.

The Excel Center Lafayette is owned and operated by Goodwill Education Initiatives and is an adult, public, charter high school serving older youth (ages 16 and up) and adults with the opportunity and support to earn Indiana core 40 high school diplomas as well as post secondary readiness such as industry recognized certifications and/or college dual credits. We have about 340 enrolled students with about 35% minors, 23% special needs, 10% ELL, 50% minorities, and about 65% impoverished.

Food Finders Food Bank collaborates with other organizations to provide food for people in need and to educate, advocate, and address food insecurity in North Central Indiana.

The mission of the Hanna Community Center is to improve the well-being and quality of life of the community by providing quality programs, services and community interactions for the neighborhood, we serve young people and older adults. Continuing with our mission, we seek to celebrate traditions throughout the Greater Lafayette area while preserving the culture, heritage and history of African Americans and minority groups within Tippecanoe County.

The Hartford Hub serves school age children (K-12) in the Lincoln Neighborhood by having a free after school program. During free time, the kids can play outside on the playground, play games or do crafts inside. During homework time, the students do their school assignments or work on areas of school in which they are struggling. Building relationships and encouraging the kids is a very important part of both free time and homework time.

The LUM After School Program provides safe, fun and enriching childcare for children in Kindergarten to 8th grade. The program serves up to 60 children from elementary & middle schools in Tippecanoe County for three hours each school-day afternoon, enabling their parents to finish their workday. The children are transported from their schools to the LUM After School Program at the LUM Ray Ewry Youth Center — where they work on homework, have a nutritious snack, and participate in crafts, music, and other fun recreational and educational activities. The program is staffed by a professionally trained educator, teacher’s aides, interns and volunteers.

The Salvation Army is a faith-based organization whose mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Our Social Services and Pathway of Hope programs help meet the needs of those facing financial hardship. We also work to strengthen families and offer a variety of programs to engage and equip youth. In addition, we offer Sunday worship services and pastoral care for those seeking spiritual guidance.

The origin of the organization can be traced to a core group of families with children who had special needs. Discouraged by the lack of resources and options available to them and others like them they placed an ad in the Journal and Courier in 1952 seeking other families dealing with the same challenges. It was an attempt to find strength in numbers and to create services where none existed before. Today, Wabash Center has grown into a comprehensive service provider for those with disabilities or special needs that is leading the way to supporting individuals in their pursuit of quality of life for them and their families. We have an established history of providing quality care for those with a disability or special needs. We love what we do. We’ve been doing this for a long time and we’re not going to stop any time soon. We offer dozens of programs and services. These services span numerous age groups and are designed to meet the needs of those we serve wherever they are in life. Our progressive approach leads to us continually pursuing new methods to better serve individuals. Programs and services may change, but their purpose and the level of care will always remain constant.

Host afterschool programs for children in grade school (some preschool kids may attend) Purdue students will help set up, host and clean up.