Best Volunteer Organization Bridgeport Near Me

4worldlovers: We aim to improve the overall well-being for residents of communities in Connecticut that have been neglected, denied resources, or otherwise ignored over the years, through activities that promote improvement in the environmental, economic, and social conditions of their cities while at the same time providing opportunities for youth to learn and engage with their community.

“No child can escape his community...The life of the community flows about him, foul or pure; he swims in it, goes to sleep in it, and wakes to the new day to find it still about him. He belongs to it; it nourishes him, or starves him, or poisons him; it gives him the substance of his life.” - J.K. Hart

We believe that increasing and providing opportunities for youth civic engagement is key to achieving our mission. We thus engage youth as influencers and changemakers to address the conditions we seek to improve. We offer a range of programs throughout the year for youth to develop leadership skills, build social capital, and engage in a variety of activities towards place-based community revitalization and achieving our vision.

Our weekday + weekend service-learning program takes place year-round during four (4) different sessions meeting with groups meeting either on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday with additional Saturday stewardship days. Youth can participate in sessions starting in January (Winter), April (Spring), July (Summer), or October (Fall). The program combines classroom instruction and stewardship projects over the course of eight weeks. The program develops youth skills in leadership, community engagement, and placemaking with a focus on physical and social interventions that can revitalize a community.

Our summer travel experience program takes high-school youth on overnight trips to National Park sites throughout the country where they gain work experience and are given the time to enjoy recreational activities and to get to know each other and form new connections. Whether helping to renovate a building, improve a trail, or set up for a centennial celebration, participants work with National Park staff on a variety of projects where they learn practical skills that they can take back to implement projects in their home communities.

Through the Youth Advisory Council, Groundwork provides experiences and opportunities for former and current program participants to develop social capital by forming new connections with each other, to develop leadership skills that will support them in advocating for issues that matter to them, to prepare them to serve as effective leaders and board members for other organizations, and to help shape and advise on the development of our programs to increase impact.

Our year-round weekend-only stewardship program promotes stewardship of the city’s physical spaces and of social connections through community events. This program is especially suited for those youth would like to be involved with Groundwork’s mission but who are unable to participate in the service-learning program due to space limitations or other time commitments such as work, sports, or other activities that take place during the week. Similar to the service-learning program, youth participate in meaningful community projects that aim to improve the physical landscape and engage residents in activities the build a sense of social connection.

The landscape design and placemaking studio is Groundwork's newest program. The program operates as a social enterprise that provides small-scale landscape and placemaking design services to local residents and businesses with the goal of working beyond interventions in public spaces but also on private spaces that most often dominate a community’s overall landscape.

Our youth at the the core of our work. Learn about some of them here.

Help us help our communities. We have the know-how and the passion to do our work but it is only accomplished through support from those that believe in our mission, our staff, and the impact we have on the youth we serve.

Please consider sponsoring one of our programs, volunteering with us at one of our events, or making an individual donation to support the work we do with youth and for our neighborhoods.

We welcome volunteers regardless of skill level. Financial donations are also vital to our growth - we use them to pay for project materials, classroom supplies, youth stipends, community outreach and more.

Sponsorships provide opportunities for businesses and individuals to give back to the community while supporting the work that Groundwork does to support local youth and the community overall.

Do you want to help Groundwork Bridgeport achieve its mission? We look forward to partnering with you! If you’re not able to match up with our volunteer options, please consider making a donation to support our work.

4worldlovers:
The Thomas Merton Center is committed to providing a loving, safe and hope-filled community atmosphere that responds to the needs of its guests. Respecting the dignity of each person, we reflect to the individual and the community our shared responsibility to love and support one another. We believe the sharing of a hot meal is an invitation to come in and share in a place where one can belong; respect and love are mutually given and received; each person is valued and not to be judged; and healing life’s hurts is possible with people who care. Collaboration with other agencies and people is essential to meeting the needs of those we serve.

Meal Program: We serve about 350 meals every day for breakfast and lunch.

Shower Program: Our showers are open to guests twice a week.

Mail Program: This program provides an address for guests to receive Social Security, Medical Cards, and EBT Cards.

Eat Smart Marketplace: The Eat Smart Marketplace is our Food Pantry that provides 5 days of nutritious meals every week!

Case Management: Case managers provide individual assistance and partner with other agencies based on guests’ needs.

With our partners, the Catholic Charities Thomas Merton Family Center will provide wraparound services to our guests, helping them along their path to self-sufficiency in a newly renovated 13,000 square foot building at 1406 State Street in the heart of Bridgeport.

Registration for Eat Smart Food Pantry requires ID for each household member, age and proof of address.

4worldlovers: The American Red Cross in Connecticut is comprised of 6 local offices and 2 blood donation centers. We serve more than 3.5 million people throughout Connecticut and on Fishers Island, N.Y. Services are provided around the clock, 365 days a year by a small paid staff and a corps of more than 3,000 volunteers.

The need for blood is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. You will feel good knowing you've helped change a life. Schedule an appointment at one of our locations.

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