Volunteer with us and help make Thanksgiving brighter for families in need.

Many families are struggling to make ends meet during these difficult economic times. United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) is raising money to help 3,000 families in need have the fixings for a nutritious Thanksgiving meal.

What:
From October 29 through November 16, low-income individuals and families will call 2-1-1 Maryland at United Way of Central Maryland (2-1-1 MD at UWCM) to learn how and where they can pick up donated Thanksgiving meal boxes.

Volunteers will help screen callers for eligibility and refer eligible individuals to pick-up sites, where they will receive a box of healthy Thanksgiving fixings, including turkeys, roasting pans and sides. These sites are located in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties and Baltimore City. Simply by dialing 2-1-1, low-income families can learn where to go for help at Thanksgiving.

We are looking for volunteers with excellent customer service skills to help us sign up low-income households to receive Thanksgiving holiday boxes and turkeys.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Respond to callers seeking Thanksgiving assistance or contact eligible clients to register them for the program.
• Use the computer to locate the pick-up site closest to caller’s home.
• Inform callers about the site location, distribution date, time and documents they will need to take with them to pick up the food.
• Document caller information on excel spreadsheets.

Qualifications:
• Ability to communicate effectively over the telephone with persons from diverse backgrounds and treat all callers with respect, courtesy and patience.
• Computer literacy.

Training:
• Training Sessions are scheduled for Monday, October 22 from 2-4 p.m. and Tuesday, October 23 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at UWCM's main office: 100 S. Charles St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201. Volunteers must RSVP before attending a training to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Time Commitment:
• At least two hours a day, once a week, from October 29, 2012 through November 16, 2012, at UWCM's main office: 100 S. Charles St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Interested? Call 410-547-8000 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule your time. To learn about other volunteer opportunities with United Way of Central Maryland, visit www.uwcm.org/volunteer