Opportunities From: Heart of Illinois Volunteers

Help our Meals on Wheels team by packaging bulk fruit or bread items into individual portions for our home-delivered clients and congregate site participants. *Our Most Needed days are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Volunteers usually begin anywhere between 8:30am and 10:00am and help package for about an hour or two.*

Just a reminder, when handling food, volunteers are kindly requested to wear shirts with sleeves, closed-toed shoes, and either a hat or a hairnet. Our facility provides gloves and hairnets. 

Please reach out to Aleena Wessel at aleenaw@nhpeoria.org to personally confirm a date and time for your visit. Kindly wait for a confirmation response directly from Aleena to finalize your time slot.

Join Us in Supporting Local Seniors by Distributing Farmers Market Coupons!

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), which is funded by the USDA, aims to support low-income seniors by providing vouchers for the purchase of fresh, locally sourced fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs at farmers' markets and roadside stands. Our organization is vital in facilitating the distribution of these vouchers.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are seeking volunteers to assist with the following tasks:

Conducting sign-ups

Gathering necessary eligibility information

Entering data into our software system

Distributing coupons to eligible participants

Handing out program materials and informational brochures

We have volunteer openings for the following dates:

June 29th, full day from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

June 30th from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

July 1st from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM

July 2nd from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM

July 6th and 7th are reserved for large group appointments with apartment complexes,

July 6th available all day

July 7th afternoon only

July 8th is planned as an extra distribution day from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

The key skills required for this role include adhering to established program guidelines, proficiency with technological tools, comfort and ease in interactions with seniors, and a willingness to address and clarify any questions or concerns.

Your assistance is crucial! To confirm your visit, reach out to Aleena Wessel at aleenaw@nhpeoria.org or call 309-674-1131 ext 300. Be sure to wait for Aleena's confirmation to finalize your time slot. We are excited to have you join us!

Support Our Food Pantry Operations
Join us in making a difference! Help with shopping or stocking shelves on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 10:00 AM to Noon.

We rely on community support, and we need you! Our shelves are labeled for easy navigation, and on distribution days, we follow a friendly, grocery-style format. After clients check in, volunteers guide them through the selection process. Items on the shelves and in the refrigerators have limits to keep things simple. Volunteers are there to answer questions and ensure guidelines are followed. You might also help restock shelves, break down boxes, and assist clients with loading their vehicles if needed.

Your help is essential! To confirm your visit, please contact Aleena Wessel at aleenaw@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131 ext 300. Wait for Aleena's confirmation to finalize your time slot. We look forward to having you with us!

If Thursdays aren't convenient, we would be delighted to have you join us on Tuesday mornings! Your assistance with unloading the van, stocking the shelves, and organizing our storage area would be immensely appreciated. Please note that hours may vary during weeks when we have our main afternoon pick-up from the Midwest Food Bank.

Our Building and Fleet Director needs assistance with building and vehicle upkeep. There are several projects throughout the building that could utilize volunteers, ranging from painting structures, landscaping, cleaning out Meals on Wheels Vehicles and more. This is an ongoing need, and the hours for this position are flexible and very group-friendly. Most of these projects will require being on your feet for extended periods of time and may require heavy lifting. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Aleena Wessel at either aleenaw@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131 for more information. 

The Building and Fleet Director has requested that anyone using lawncare machinery must be at least 16 years old.

Please reach out to Aleena Wessel at aleenaw@nhpeoria.org to personally confirm a date and time for your visit. Kindly wait for a confirmation response directly from Aleena to finalize your time slot.

Help make a Paws-itive Impact throughout the month of June! This initiative is launching to align with Pet Appreciation Week, celebrated during the first full week of June (June 7th-13th). We would be incredibly grateful for the help of community members in gathering essential pet food items. Attached is a graphic that outlines the most needed items, and you can also scan the QR codes to see some of the brands we regularly distribute.

Our Critter Meals on Wheels program delivers food twice a month to over 100 pets across Peoria and Tazewell Counties that provide companionship for our Meals on Wheels clients. You can allow us to continue serving these individuals and their pets by hosting a pet food drive. If you or your organization are interested in hosting a pet food drive, please contact Aleena Wessel at either aleenaw@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131 ext 300

This class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:15 am to 11:45 am. As a tutor, you’ll provide one-to-one attention, instruction, and encouragement to adult students as they work toward the GED® credential and empower them to reach their fullest potential.

There is no qualifications needed to volunteer for this opportunity. However, those who are not retired teachers will need to complete our online tutors training before starting.

If you may be interested or have any questions, please contact Ericka Ivory: erickai@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131ext 239.

This class meets on Mondays from 9:00 am to 10:15 am. As a tutor, you’ll provide one-to-one attention, instruction, and encouragement to adult students as they work toward the GED® credential and empower them to reach their fullest potential.

There is no qualifications needed to volunteer for this opportunity. However, those who are not retired teachers will need to complete our online tutors training before starting.

If you may be interested or have any questions, please contact Ericka Ivory: erickai@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131ext 239.

This class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. It is designed for beginners and focuses on teaching sight words, forming sentences,  using words correctly in a sentence, and putting words in alphabetical order.

There is no qualifications needed to volunteer for this opportunity. However, those who are not retired teachers will need to complete our online tutors training before starting. 

If you may be interested or have any questions, please contact Ericka Ivory: erickai@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131ext 239.

Twice a month, Neighborhood House hosts a food pantry that has assisted ~350 individuals within the Peoria community. The food pantry is in need of several shelf-stable items that will allow us to continue serving the community by providing nutritional food. If you or your organization is interested in hosting a food drive, please contact Aleena Wessel @aleenaw@nhpeoria.org or 309-674-1131 ext. 300.