Volunteer Opportunities Of The Week: Counseling; School Supplies

Each week Patch will be highlighting a volunteer opportunity — or two — in the Hudson Valley. This will be a chance to help your community and be an opportunity to give back — in perhaps a way you didn't consider before.

And if you have some need for volunteers, be sure to let us know by emailing michael.woyton@patch.com.

This week we are putting the spotlight on a couple of opportunities in the Hudson Valley.

To start off, VCS Inc., which is formally known as Volunteer Counseling Services and is located in New City, is looking for adult applicants of all ethnicities, sexual orientation and gender identities, as well as those who are bilingual and bicultural, to participate in its volunteer counselor training program.

Those who are interested should be open, willing and motivated to learn. The curriculum is taught by professionals and includes the VCS Counseling Model, relationship issues and domestic violence, as well as issues such as sexism, racism and other types of oppression that impact people's lives. There is a fee for the training.

Volunteers who become counselors should be able to commit to four to five hours per week for a minimum of 18 months.

To express interest or for more information, go here.

Next up, the Sharing Shelf in Port Chester is looking for people to help prepare for its upcoming backpack packing day.

Volunteers should be at least 15 years old (10 with an adult) and will be organizing and arranging donated school supplies that will be distributed to local low-income children. Groups and corporate teams are welcome to volunteer.

Express interest here or get more information.

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