Volunteer Open Forums Planned

Following the response from last month’s volunteer open forums, Starbucks Coffee will host two such events next week. The idea, Starbucks Newtown general manager Peter Johnson told The Bee in February, is to help residents of Newtown and surrounding communities connect with nonprofit organizations who use volunteers to continue their missions.

The next volunteer open forum will be Monday, March 23, from 3 to 5 pm, at Newtown Starbucks, 34 Church Hill Road. Representatives from FISH (Friends In Service Here), Newtown Ambulance, Relay For Life and Golden Opportunities will be at the coffee shop to meet the public, answer questions about their groups, and even sign up new volunteers if attendees are ready to commit. Information about each group will be available.

Then on Friday, March 27, from 9 am until noon, representatives from Newtown Youth & Family Services, Newtown Parks & Recreation, Hook & Ladder Fire Company and Women Involved in Newtown (WIN) will be on hand.

Mr Johnson is already planning forums for April and beyond. Members of 501(3)(c) companies or organizations that help Newtown residents, need volunteers, and want to participate are invited to contact Mr Johnson by calling 364-1423 for more information. The forums will be hosted by Starbucks during the last week of each month. Mr Johnson hopes to present them on varying days and at different times in order to reach the largest number of potential volunteers for the participating groups.

Details are also available at v2v.net/actions/volunteer-open-house-newtown.