Volunteer
Please complete our Volunteer Interest Form and a member of our staff will be in touch with you. We welcome all skill sets and value passion and hard work. If you have any questions, please contact Cristen Gregory at cgregory@wedibuffalo.org. Thank you!
Education
Volunteers ages 15 and older are needed for the following programs:
ENERGY: Help elementary school students in grades 1-5 achieve English language literacy. Volunteers help with homework, practice reading with kids, facilitate games and activities, prepare meals and snacks, and assist with clerical tasks.
FLY: Help middle school students in grades 6-8 achieve English language literacy. Volunteers help with homework, practice reading with kids, facilitate games and activities, prepare meals and snacks, and assist with clerical tasks.
Launch: Help high school students achieve academic success and financial literacy and develop their college/career path.
Launch’s school year program runs Monday - Thursday from 4 - 6 pm.
Peer Support Groups: Help students in grades 1-12 gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make healthy choices, live healthy lives, and thrive.
ENERGY and FLY Peer Support Groups meet on Fridays from 4 - 6 PM during the school year only.
Launch Peer Support Groups meet on Saturdays from 9 - 11 AM during the school year only.
Please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form.
Economic Development
Volunteers are needed to act as Business Mentors: Professionals who leverage their experience to provide a higher quality of individualized, relationship-based services for the emerging entrepreneurs served by WEDI. Mentors offer these entrepreneurs the support and guidance they need to grow their skills as business owners and ensure their business can succeed. They also strengthen Buffalo’s economic and social fabric by creating meaningful relationships that lead to greater economic agency for its most underserved populations.
WEDI requires business mentors to have some professional experience in business and/or working with diverse populations but takes into consideration a broad range of life experience when approving volunteer applicants. The most important quality in a mentor is their skill at relating to WEDI’s business owners respectfully and productively, followed by their conscientiousness in responding to WEDI staff and logging the time they donate. A brief bio, photo, and description of expertise must be uploaded to Fiveonomics before working directly with clients.
Please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form.