6 Ways To Get Involved And Volunteer In Tuscaloosa

By Elana Goodwin on November 20, 2015

This article is brought to you by Lofts at City Center, a dynamic community steps away from the University of Alabama campus in beautiful Tuscaloosa. To learn more about Lofts at City Center, please call us at 205-469-2020 and visit us here.

Located in west central Alabama along the Black Warrior River, Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama. As the fifth largest city in the state, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and get involved if you have time and want to give back to the community.

Here are some great ways to volunteer in Tuscaloosa.

1. Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa.

The Habitat for Humanity organization relies heavily on their volunteers — both local and visiting. While many alternative break trips volunteer at Habitat for Humanity sites, you can help out at the Tuscaloosa one as a University of Alabama student whenever you’ve got time to get involved and volunteer.

By volunteering, you save Habitat millions of dollars they’d otherwise spend in labor costs. No matter what kind of volunteering you want to do — whether it’s construction work, office work, or some other type of volunteering — the Tuscaloosa Habitat for Humanity office and their sites are eager to have you come and dedicate some time and skills.

http://waukeearrowhead.com

2. The Humane Society of West Alabama or the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter.

If you love animals and want to volunteer with them, there are two great shelters in Tuscaloosa you should look into getting involved with. The Humane Society of West Alabama is a no-kill, all-volunteer nonprofit that relies completely on donations and fundraisers, the funds of which go almost completely to directly spending on the animals in their care. As a Humane Society volunteer, you’re trained so you can work with dogs and/or cats as needed, or you can donate some of your skills to helping the shelter rather than interacting with the animals.

The Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter is a 501c3 nonprofit that’s funded by the Cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport as well as the Tuscaloosa County Commission and donations and fees. The animals they take in come from both owner surrenders and animal control and they work to find loving and lasting homes for the animals in their care. You must also go through a volunteer orientation if you want to volunteer at the Metro Animal Shelter and can attend one of their weekly orientations.

Once trained, you can walk dogs, socialize cats, help with adoption and other events, lend a hand with the upkeep and cleaning of the facility and animals, and more. Why wouldn’t you want to volunteer at one of these animal shelters? They’re cuteness and snuggles overloads!

3. Tuscaloosa’s One Place.

Tuscaloosa’s One Place is a family resource center that works to help people reach their full potential by providing resources to encourage self-sufficiency, empower families, and prevent child abuse and neglect. You can get involved with One Place by volunteering or organizing a drive that collects school supplies, baby stuff, toiletries, cleaning products, or household items. If you want to volunteer, you can become a mentor for an after-school or summer program, do office work to help out, help with maintenance and upkeep work, do an internship, and more.

4. United Way of West Alabama.

United Way of West Alabama tries to meet the needs of the West Alabama community and does this through donors and volunteers who help to solve those needs and make positive changes in the community. There are many ways you can get involved, including joining the Volunteer Allocations Team or some other type of volunteering. United Way can help you find the right volunteer opportunity for you and what you want to do.

5. Lofts at City Center. 

Tuscaloosa’s Lofts at City Center, a collection of three beautiful buildings, has re-established itself as the place to see and be seen in the hot University of Alabama scene. With philanthropic outreach via a partnership with the innovative app Stand4 to the bustling Campus DJ battle in early November, Lofts at City Center has become a vibrant destination for the Crimson Tide. Come visit the Lofts at City Center to see what the buzz is about!

6. Hospice of West Alabama.

The Hospice of West Alabama is a nonprofit community-based hospice provider that’s one of the oldest hospices in the state. Volunteers at the Hospice are trained and can choose what kind of volunteering they want to do, from patient care, grief support, community outreach, administrative duties, and more. As a volunteer, you can make a profound difference in the lives of those in hospice care and or their family members.

These are just a few organizations that are worth getting involved with in Tuscaloosa — so find a volunteer opportunity that fits your schedule and that’s something you’re passionate about, and give back to your community — you’ll get just as much if not more out of it than you’ll give.

Looking for a great place to live off-campus within a stone’s throw of campus? Please visit Lofts at City Center to see our dynamic community in action. To visit our website, please click here or call us at 205-469-2020 to get more information and schedule a tour.

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