As the days grow longer and the warmth of summer sets in, June offers a unique opportunity to reconnect with our community through service. It’s a time when schools wind down, local events pick up, and many organizations are in need of extra hands and helping hearts. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just getting started, this month is the perfect moment to step up, give back, and make a meaningful impact. It’s a time to highlight the importance of volunteering, explore new opportunities, and celebrate the difference individuals can make when they choose to serve.

Make History Happen

On Saturday, June 21, the Judy Garland Children’s Museum and Mobility Mania are teaming up to attempt a Guinness World Record for the most people dancing in wheelchairs in one place at one time! Volunteers are needed to help in a variety of ways — from carnival helpers to stage and registration setup. Whether you’re dancing or working behind the scenes, your support is essential. Come be part of history, celebrate inclusion, and help them show the world what community looks like–in motion! Sign up.

Pitch in for Paws

Great Tails Animal Rescue hosts monthly adoption events every second Saturday at Central Square Mall. Volunteer support is needed from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Tasks include assisting and greeting visitors, cleaning kennels and litterboxes, feeding animals, and helping with adoption applications. Join them and be part of the team that helps their furry friends find their forever homes! Get involved.

Deliver a Difference

Looking for a simple way to make a big impact? Join the movement that’s nourishing more than just bodies — it’s nourishing hearts and our community. AEOA’s Meals on Wheels program is seeking caring, dependable volunteers to help deliver hot, nutritious meals to homebound seniors in Itasca County. By giving just a few hours of your time, you can help ensure that older adults receive the nourishment, companionship, and safety checks they need to stay healthy and independent at home. Register.

Support the Mission

Passionate about creating meaningful change? Join United Way’s Community Impact Committee, which helps shape the future of our region. United Way is seeking dedicated volunteers to help develop strategies, guide funding decisions, and ensure their work addresses the most urgent human and social issues. Step into a leadership role that drives lasting, responsive change in the community we call home. Sign up.

Sign up for these roles and more on United Way’s online volunteer portal, at volunteer.uwlakes.org. The platform is free to use and serves to facilitate connections between the Itasca area’s volunteer base and local nonprofit and community organizations.

United Way also leads the Volunteer Coordinator Network (VCN), which brings volunteer professionals together quarterly to share ideas, discuss challenges, and work together to ignite regional volunteer action. The network will meet on July 10, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Grand Rapids Tech Hub (601 SW 7th St, Grand Rapids). Membership is free. To learn more and to register, visit uwlakes.org/volunteer-network or call 218-999-7570