The Volunteer Center of the East Bay has listings for more than 1,200 volunteer opportunities in the Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
The Walnut Creek Education Foundation raises money to support a range of programs at public schools in Walnut Creek, specifically at the five elementary and one middle school in the Walnut Creek School District and at Las Lomas High School in the Acalanes Union HIgh School District. Otherwise known as WCEF K-12, the foundation supplies funding for programs that the districts can no longer cover, especially in these times of declining state revenues. In relying on donations of $500 per family at these schools and other fundraising events, the foundation had a goal to pull in $724,000 for the 2009-10 academic year. For the five elementary schools, WCEF K-12 provided $284,000 in 2009-10 to help pay for art, music, and PE classes and for librarian hours. At Walnut Creek Intermediate, the foundation provided $130,000 to help pay for sixth-grade orientation, counselors and librarian hours. At Las Lomas High School, WCEF 12 supports the leadership class and the counseling program.
Save Mount Diablo is a charitable organization whose mission is to preserve Mount Diablo's peaks, foothills and watersheds through acquisition and preservation activities. The group's goal is to protect the mountain's natural beauty, biological diversity and historic and agricultural significance, as well as to enhance the region's quality of life and provide recreational opportunities. Visit the Save Mount Diablo Web site to find information about volunteer opportunities or to make a donation.
Assistance League of Diablo Valley is a non-profit organization offering philanthropic programs and scholarships such as the Buena Vista Tutorial Program, Operation School Bell, which provides new clothing for kids, Foresight, which provides eye and ear screenings for kids, and TeleCare, which provides friendly daily phone calls to homebound clients.
This foundation provides support, awareness, education, research and advocacy services for people affected by Fragile X Syndrome. Check the Web site for more information about the foundation's programs and services.
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation seeks to help communities and enrich lives by combining the collective strengths of the industry to provide grants, volunteer service and leadership. Through collaborative efforts of insurance companies, reinsurance companies, employees, agents & brokers and strategic partners of the industry, the Foundation primarily supports programs that focus on health, safety and education. Check the Foundation's website for specific volunteer activities and a schedule of events.
Community Health Charities of California is an affiliate of the Community Health Charities of America, which is a national, not-for-profit organization with a mission to "enhance the operations, programs, and services of health-related charities through access to workplace giving." The federation is comprised of several of America's most prominent and respected health organizations, which have come together to raise charitable donations in their workplaces. Employee donations to Community Health Charities of California go out to more than 150 leading health-related charities and over 40 regional and national health charities, covering an expansive range of diseases and disabilities. Community Health Charities of California is one of 39 affiliates nationwide with the San Francisco East Bay Branch Headquarters located in Walnut Creek. Krystie Collard currently serves as the Executive Director of this branch, which serves the Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, Solano, and Sonoma counties.
The Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) is a non-profit organization that supports programs at the Lesher Center for the Arts. DRAA draws its support from foundations, corporations and individual donors around the country, and in turn supports musical theatre, drama, dance, opera, music and visual arts programs. Visit the DRAA Web site to find out how to volunteer or to make a donation.
Since its establishment more than 14o years ago, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has grown to be a fraternal order with almost 1 million members meeting in more than 2,000 lodges across the nation. The order is a generous charitable foundation with a mission to serve the community. Elk members give millions of dollars each year in the form of youth scholarships, aid to veterans and other philanthropic endeavors. Members of the Walnut Creek Lodge #1811 range in age from 22 to 95 and are welcome to participate in the Lodge's bi-monthly meetings as well as a number of other sponsored activities, such as dinners, dances and RV travel events. Gerry Gouveia currently serves as the Exalted Ruler of Lodge 1811.
