20 Ways to Serve memphis this month
Guest post by Beth Petschonek, volunteer odyssey
Volunteer Germantown
Blue Trees Environmental Art Installation
Wednesday, November 7 – Friday, November 9
Monday, November 13 – Wednesday, November 15
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The Blue Tree Environmental Art installation is a community engagement artwork, where volunteers help artist Konstantin Dimopoulos color trees using a blue, biologically safe, water-based pigment. The purpose of this art installation is to raise awareness of the global issue of deforestation and the importance of trees to people and their environment.
Whether you’ve never had anything to do with art before or if you’re a regular gallery-goer, we invite you to become a part of this immersive artwork.
Volunteer Germantown, Family Fun Day
Saturday, November 4
8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Family Fun Day is a publicly announced event for people who are unable to participate in the coloring of the large Blue Tree Installation, such as residents with limited mobility, special needs, and/or young children.
Participants will color 50 to 70 tree saplings at this event, which will remain onsite as a short-term art installation before the Wolf River Conservancy relocates them to their new homes.
Clean Memphis, Orange Mound MEMFix Clean-Up Event
Thursday, November 2
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
This is a clean-up to prepare for the MEMfix event in Orange Mound.
MEMFix was started in 2010 by merchants and residents in the Broad Avenue commercial corridor. They partnered with BLDG Memphis to form a neighborhood revitalization plan. Since then, citizens, community organizations, and city administrators have recreated similar events in other Memphis neighborhoods.
The mission of MEMFix is to have a community-lead revitalization plan to temporarily show what a dynamic, walkable neighborhood could look like by embracing principles of tactical urbanism, creative placemaking, and urban prototyping. The goal is to demonstrate a new vision for the Orange Mound neighborhood through unique community programming.
MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies, Virtual New Mentor Training
Wednesday, November 1
4:00 – 6:00 pm
MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies’ Training Institute provides best-in-class training to mentors and mentor programs so that they are equipped to improve student outcomes.
This new mentor training starts the process to prepare mentors with the needed tools and skills to mentor and work with the youth within our youth mentoring network.
This training is open to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer youth mentor. After completing training, MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies will connect you to a quality youth mentoring program.
Latino Memphis, Bilingual Flu Vaccine Drive
Wednesday, November 1
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Latino Memphis has joined the Shelby County Health Department to provide FREE flu vaccines to the community! Latino Memphis staff and volunteers will provide interpretation and translation services and create a welcoming environment for non-native English speakers.
Germantown Performing Arts Center, Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers
Friday, November 3
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Together The Wooten Brothers bring an uncanny level of experience, originality, and musical expertise to the stage. Their shows will be a high-energy, super-funky, artistic blend of styles including original songs and classics. In short: these brothers are the real deal and their shows are not to be missed. We need volunteers to help greet, usher, and direct guests.
Memphis Botanic Garden, Monthly Weed Wrangle
Friday, November 3
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join us at the Memphis Botanic Garden to help remove invasive and exotic plants in our wildflower woodland! This area of the garden boasts over 50 different species of native trees and dozens of other species of native shrubs, vines, and perennials all collected within a 4-acre plot. The presence of exotic and invasive plants limits the growth potential of native plants, who compete for the same resources. Our goal is to begin removing invasive plants to revert the area back to a native woodland.
Protect Our Aquifer, Grind City Coffee Xpo
Saturday, November 11
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Come be part of the annual Grind City Coffee Xpo. This event is centered around coffee culture and everything that goes with it. From roasters to shops, the Xpo highlights the amazing people and passion that exists in the coffee community. Our mission remains the same, but we will offer even more exciting ways to learn about and enjoy your favorite cup of joe. Proceeds benefit Protect Our Aquifer.
Youth Villages, YV5K 2023
Saturday, November 11
8:30 am – 11:30 am
Come volunteer with us on RACE DAY for the 41st YV5K! Volunteers are essential to every aspect of the race and help us cross the finish line of a successful race day!
Clean Memphis & Project Green Fork, Reharvest 2023
Thursday, November 16
Multiple shifts available throughout the day
Clean Memphis & Project Green Fork are looking for volunteers for our annual Reharvest fundraiser! All volunteers receive free admission to the event, which includes hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and specialty cocktails.
Reharvest is an event that celebrates our local chefs, breweries, bartenders, and community. Attendees will learn more about the PGF initiatives and efforts while enjoying small bites from our lineup of chefs.
Catholic Charities of West Tennessee, Mobile Food Pantry
Multiple opportunities throughout November (most weekdays except for Friday)
8:30 am – 11:00 am
Join us in this fun direct service event that helps those in need in our community! Volunteer roles include collecting data, loading food boxes into cars, and directing traffic. This entire shift takes place out of doors! We ask volunteers to dress comfortably and for the weather.
Germantown Performing Arts Center, Cyrille Amiée
Saturday, November 18
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Improvisation is not just a technique for Grammy-nominated artist Cyrille Aimée. It’s a way of life that allows her to share her engaging voice and sparkling creativity with the world. We need volunteers to help greet, usher, and direct guests.
Shelby Farms Park, BuffaGLO Fun Run
Tuesday, November 21
Multiple shifts available throughout the day
This family-friendly 2.25-mile fun run is the kick-off to Starry Nights!
Volunteers are needed to help at the BuffaGLO Run with tasks including greeting and interacting with visitors, directing traffic, assisting in the ticket booth, and spreading holiday cheer. This is a great opportunity for schools, corporate, church, or community groups to volunteer and serve together!
Memphis Animal Services, Foster Field Trips
Saturdays in November
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Help a shelter dog have the best day ever with a foster field trip! We match you with a pup who is ready for a fun-filled adventure. You collect photos, videos, and information from your day to share with the world and help your field trip dog find a home!
Memphis Botanic Garden, Holiday Wonders at the Garden
Thursdays – Sundays in November
4:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Holiday Wonders at the Garden is designed to give everyone in the family a chance to enjoy the winter weather and celebrate the holiday season with light displays and seasonal activities. There’s always “snow” in My Big Backyard – even if Mother Nature didn’t supply it – as well as interactive winter fun and games for families to enjoy.
Volunteers will help create a fun holiday environment! They will assist with scanning tickets, running activities, directing guests to where they need to go, and other tasks as needed. Volunteers will be fully trained prior to guests arriving! This will be a great way to spread some holiday cheer while also helping out!
Out of the Woods Wildlife Rescue & Rehab
Reading to D’White & DJ
Mondays & Wednesdays in November
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
D’White is a blind albino raccoon, and DJ is his developmentally stunted best friend. They’re both educational ambassadors for Out of the Woods! This means they get treated a little differently from all of their other critters. They need lots of socialization and interaction with other people. That’s where you come in. Grab your favorite book, cozy up outside their condo, and spend an hour reading to them. They don’t care what type of book you read. They’re just interested in your voice.
Memphis Animal Services, MAS Volunteer Orientation (Online)
Daily throughout November
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
The first step to becoming a volunteer at Memphis Animal Services is attending our Level 1 Volunteer Orientation, which is available in the Conference Link section below as well as on our website. After completing the steps in this 31-minute video orientation, you’ll be ready to join us as a Level 1 Volunteer, meaning you help in a number of ways that don’t involve direct animal handling.
Catholic Charities of West Tennessee, Clothing Closet Volunteer
Multiple opportunities throughout November
9:00 am – 11:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
This volunteer role will help take in donations, check in shopping clients, assist in shopping for items as needed, assist in sanitizing areas of service, check-out clients including bagging clothing selections and assist with sorting, straightening and restocking the closet.
This is a great opportunity to help your neighbors in need! Our clothing closet is 100% donation based and could not be open without the help of volunteers and donors.
Mid South Toys for Tots, Warehouse Volunteers
Wednesday, November 29 – Thursday, November 30
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Come join the Mid South Toys for Tots volunteers! We are opening our warehouse for volunteers to assist in setting up toys stations, sorting toys, bundling toys and picking toys for the families.
Shelby Farms Park, Starry Nights
Daily (beginning November 24)
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Starry Nights at Shelby Farms Park is a bright and fun experience, full of lights and holiday magic! This holiday event has been shining brightly for more than a decade, and cruising through the lights is a long-standing holiday tradition for thousands of families. It’s also the Park’s largest annual fundraiser. This year’s show promises to be brighter than ever!
Volunteers are needed to help at Starry Nights with tasks including greeting and interacting with visitors, directing traffic, assisting in the event check in areas, and spreading holiday cheer.
