Opportunities From: Bergen Volunteers

Pony Power Therapies is looking for volunteers to assist with our therapeutic riding lessons. Volunteers with and without horse experience are welcome. 

***We are looking for lead walkers (handle horses during lessons; previous horse experience required) and side walkers (support rider's during lessons; no horse experience required) Sunday mornings and Monday through Thursday afternoons from January 4th - February 26th.   

What kinds of tasks will I be doing? 
Our lesson volunteers assist during therapeutic riding sessions for people with disabilities or life challenges.

Lead walker volunteers must have previous horse experience, but no horse experience is required for side walkers.

How long is a shift? 
1.5-2 hours, once a week (or more, if you'd like!)

Can my teenager volunteer? 
Yes! We welcome volunteers ages 14 years and up.
 

Apply & see available shifts

Visit ponypowernj.org/lessons

Have questions?
Call 201-934-1001

Our Forest Defenders are important volunteers who help us maintain our preserve. Training will be provided.

The TNC Preserve is under invasion and we need your help! Non-native plants have been encroaching into our forest, causing harm to native plants and reducing our biodiversity. Unchecked, these” invasive species” can toxify the soil and shade out native plants. Help remove these pesky plants twice a month with the Forest Defenders!

Learn to identify different invasive species and work with our Land Manager to implement various removal techniques. Forest Defenders is open to adults, teenagers and families. Kids 15 and under must be accompanied by a guardian.

We will reach out with additional information.

Professional and amateur photographers are needed to photograph TNC's events, grounds, flora, and fauna. Maintain the nature center photo collections and files so that we can highlight all that we do.

Program photographer volunteers are responsible for attending TNC programs and events and taking digital pictures of the staff, volunteers, and animal ambassadors providing programs and assisting customers. These images are needed so that TNC may highlight all we do to accomplish our mission. The images provided may be utilized by TNC soley in either digital and or print. Individuals are needed who can provide their own digital camera, have a cheerful, friendly attitude, professional and efficient, and great communication skills.

A volunteer is needed to assist with light physical labor. Nothing hard or taxing just able to do yard work, assist with simple maintenance tasks and cleanup chores. Their efforts would be directed/coordinated by our experienced staff.

Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.  

To register to volunteer please call Ralph directly at 201-288-6344.

Flat Rock Brook hosts several annual events. Our annual Recognition Dinner honors outstanding individuals and companies. The Great Fall Festival brings hundreds of families to the Nature Center for outdoor fun. We seek individuals to assist with a variety of efforts to help ensure our success at these events.

There are no specific requirements for becoming a special event volunteer; however, as events come closer, there will be specific jobs that need to be filled.

A way of giving back to the community

Helping raise money and ensure successful events

Bringing fun to the families of the area

Here are some examples of jobs from the Great Fall Festival:

Setting up tables and decorations

Food distribution

Facilitating Crafts and Games

Family Promise Youth Council - Teen Volunteer Opportunities

Family Promise of Bergen County's Youth Council for the Homeless provides teen volunteer opportunities designed for high school students in Bergen County who are looking to make a difference in the lives of families with children facing homelessness and hunger in our community. Throughout the school year, the Youth Council meets monthly and participates in various volunteer and service opportunities that support Family Promise.

The first Family Promise Youth Council meeting for the 2025-26 school year will be held in September.

For more information, questions, and to learn about getting involved, please email Youth Council Director Alina Albano at familypromiseyouthcouncil@gmail.com.

Teen Volunteering Opportunities include:

Attention TEENS! **PLEASE NOTE** Since the teens are the ones who will be volunteering with this program, I need to hear from them directly, not from the parents/guardians.  The teens are the ones who need to reach out to me to request an application. 

RISE is the spinoff of the Reflections school year program, which addresses a variety of issues through the use of improvisational theatre.

This is a FREE program, funded by the County of Bergen.

RISE uses improvisational techniques to address teen issues, and teens will be trained in a variety of games, activities and exercises and then will be able to share what they have learned with others.

Teens earn volunteer hours and acquire leadership skills and have fun, all at the same time.

This Summer,  RISE will be on Tuesday nights, starting  on July 8th and will run until August 26th.

*NEW TIME: *5:45pm-7:45pm

WHERE: 1 Bergen County Plaza – Hackensack, NJ

THIS IS A DROP IN PROGRAM – THIS MEANS THAT RISE CAST MEMBERS ATTEND WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND EACH WEEK.

We  will also have other opportunities for RISE participants to earn volunteer hours by attending workshops that we will be leading. This will be explained to them once they are part of the RISE program. Again, this is on a “drop in“ basis, in that cast members attend the events that meet their availability.

To be part of RISE 2025, one needs to have just finished 8th grade, all the way to just graduating high school.

They also must be Bergen County residents.

Assist the Recreational Therapy staff in engaging our long-term care residents with fun activities that enhance their quality of life and support their health and wellness.

Assist with the transportation of residents to and from the chapel for services.

Catholic Service: Sunday-1:45pm to 4:15pm

Assist residents with daily activities and light chores, engage them in conversation and support staff during recreation and patient rounding.

Assist Emergency Department staff with patient care rounding and the transporting of items to and from the Lab and Pharmacy.

Assist the Operating Room staff with room turnover, transporting items, stocking supplies and clerical duties.

Assist BHS staff with preventing falls of our high-risk clients and engaging those clients with conversation and companionship.

Assist Ambulatory Care staff with patient room turnover between appointments.

Assist with welcoming incoming patients and visitors and directing them to their desired locations in the Medical Center.

Volunteer musicians are needed to play any time during the day especially during meals on Christian Health's Wyckoff campus. Hours are typically between 10:00am to noon, 1:30 to 3:30pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm. 

Requirements: All Christian Health volunteers must complete an application, annual training, background screening. If volunteering in resident/patient areas, Christian Health requires at least a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service throughout the calendar year and to be fully vaccinated (boosted) against COVID-19 and influenza for the current flu season (November - April). 

You Can Make a Difference
Volunteers are an essential part of the Spectrum Family. Each individual who donates their time by volunteering helps improve and enrich the quality of life for all Spectrum clients.

Locations
Volunteer opportunities are available at our Closter Intermediate Care Facility, Residential Group Homes in Bergenfield, Edison, Elmwood Park, Glen Rock, Haworth, Hillsdale, Maywood, Northvale, Norwood, Paramus, Wayne and Westwood, Residential Apartments in Closter, Edison, Ringwood, River Vale, Rockleigh, and our Adult Training Centers in Edison, North Haledon, Ringwood, Teaneck, and Westwood.

Volunteer Requirements
Minimum Age:

Minimum Commitment:

Other Requirements:

There’s more than One Way to Help:

Friendly Visitor – Come as an individual or visit with your family to socialize with our residents. Bring a favorite game to play, small craft activity, or entertain with your musical talent. Feel free to use your skills to create a meaningful visit.

**We ask that Friendly Visitors please commit at least 25 hours per year. Your visits & friendship mean a lot to our consumers and we want them and you to get the most out of this program.

Adopt a Garden – Help plant and maintain flower and vegetable gardens located at all Spectrum residential and training facilities.

Recreation – Assist with planned Recreation Program activities including canteens, bowling, arts and crafts, cooking, woodworking, talent shows, and more.

Therapy Dog Program – Bring your certified therapy dog to visit our residential and training facilities.

Skill Based Volunteering – Provide instruction in music, art, computers, cooking and woodworking to our residents and/or assist with carpentry or painting services as needed.

Clerical volunteering is usually available at the River Vale Corporate Office.

Simply fill out an application and if you meet the requirements, we will contact you for a personal interview.

For more information on individual or group volunteering, contact Kathy Bentzen at:
Phone: (201) 358-8000 x3026
Email: kbentzen@spectrumforliving.org

For more information on corporate volunteering and/or days of service, contact Elizabeth Boyajian at:
Phone: (201) 358-8081
Email: eboyajian@spectrumforliving.org

Submit Volunteer Application

If you love crafts and would like to spend time with older adults sharing your talents, we promise you a rewarding experience.  Residents love to cut, paste, and color.  Come alone, or organize a group.

You have to be fully vaccinated in order to come to Bright Side Manor.