Needs From: United Way of Northeast Florida

PET FOOD DRIVE

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kits Project waiver, and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Download instructions here.

You or your team will host a drive and drop off the items to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. 

Some helpful tips for hosting a drive can be found here HERE.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE.

For anyone collecting service hours, one hour for every 10 items collected will be given.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:

Pet Food Drive is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more.

Pet food drives help our animal serving organizations provide food to those pet care-givers who may otherwise struggle to afford the expenses associated with pet ownership.

PET FOOD DRIVE HOST DESCRIPTION
Our Pet Food Pantry plays an important role in ensuring that pet owners who are experiencing financial hardships are able to keep their pets instead of relinquishing them to shelters. This is a temporary, need-based program, and participants must show proof of financial hardship in order to enroll. Each recipient will receive a half-month supply of food per visit, for two visits each month. Assistance is limited to six months. The Pet Food Pantry is open every Friday during our normal business hours.

The Pet Food Drive Host will ensure that the Pet Food Pantry has enough pet food to support our community by hosting pet food drives. These can be door-to-door solicitations, or larger pet food drives held in the community. Because we distribute over 1,600 pounds of pet food each month, this is a very important position to ensure the success of this program.

DUTIES

Host Pet Food Drive in the community Ensure that all donated bags are unopened and sealed Educate community about the St. Augustine Humane Society's mission Help bring in pet food donations

REQUIREMENTS

Ability to work alone Ability to lift large bags of pet food Good communication and listening skills Background check and signed waiver

TRAINING

All volunteers are provided with on-the-job training. Volunteers are paired with an experienced volunteer until they are comfortable enough to perform the required tasks on their own. There is always staff on hand volunteers can contact if they have any questions.

ABOUT US

The St. Augustine Humane Society promotes healthy, responsible, lifelong pet ownership in our community. We offer many important services to help pet parents keep their pets, rather than relinquishing them to animal shelters. Some of the services we offer include our high-volume Spay/Neuter Program, our low-cost Wellness Clinic, positive Dog Training classes, and a Pet Food Pantry. We rely on talented and dedicated volunteers to assist with these programs, and to ensure that all pets and pet parents receive the care and services they need. By offering low-cost veterinary services and serving as a resource center for our community, we are able to provide affordable assistance to all, making our clinic the only one of its kind in St. Johns County.

The Community Events Coordinator will recruit volunteers to man the TAC booth at local community events with the goal of recruiting therapy animal teams. They will work with the Board of Directors to determine which events to attend during the fall and spring. The coordinator will handle all communication with the event directors and handle registration and payment for the TAC booth. They will also be responsible for scheduling the volunteers for each event and making sure they are trained and have all the materials available to them for the event.

Example list of events:

DOGS DAYS OF SUMMER ADOPT A BARK IN THE PARK St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals Barks & Brews: Kanine Social Fall Festival & Dog Walk Barks & Brews: ENGINE 15 Downtown Barks & Brews: Hyperion STRUT YOUR MUTT HALLOWEEN PET PHOTOS Barks & Brews: ENGINE 15 downtown FAMILY PET FAIR & BLESSING OF PETS Barks & Brews: Hyperion Barks & Brews: Engine 15 downtown Barks & Brews: HYPERION Barks & Brews: Engine 15 downtown Barks & Brews: Engine 15 downtown Nemours Pediatric Nursing Education Conference

Some events require that we bring our own tent and table, so this volunteer will be responsible for bringing all the items and setting them up with help from the recruited event volunteers.

 

THE COORDINATOR MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ON WEEKENDS.

This position can be shared with a co-coordinator. We have had success with 2 volunteer leads where the tasks are split.

TERM: 1 year

Do you want to help create a more humane society for all animals? Check out our Humane Policy Volunteer Leader opportunity!

Humane Policy Volunteer Leaders are at the forefront of our work to advance priority federal, state and local animal protection policies. These efforts serve to advance humane priorities across all 435 congressional districts and thousands of state legislative districts across the nation. Please join our team! To learn more, review our Humane Policy Volunteer Leader ad here: www.humanesociety.org/policyvolunteer

Humane Policy Volunteer Leader responsibilities:

Establish and maintain effective, professional relationships with government officials and encourage their support of the HSUS’s priority animal protection positions. Actively engage in federal, state and local policy advocacy, including submitting comments to federal and state agencies on proposed animal-related regulations, as well as letters to the editor in coordination with HSUS staff. Work closely with your state director to serve as an ambassador for the HSUS by communicating our mission, approach and policies in order to foster a stronger and more visible animal protection presence in your community. Participate in HSUS-facilitated webinars or meetings. If possible, participate in and assist with your state’s Humane Lobby Day and/or local grassroots events. Develop and implement a local animal protection project, preferably working with your city council or county board of supervisors to advance an HSUS priority ordinance or resolution in your community. Encourage your networks to take action on HSUS alerts and priority policies. Recruit HSUS allies to continue expanding the diversity of our audiences, volunteers and the organization, and make the animal protection movement more inclusive for all. Humane Policy Volunteer Leaders commit to taking actions as directed by HSUS program staff and their state director, averaging one to three hours per week for one year (weekly time may vary). Ongoing participation after the first year is preferred.

Benefits of becoming a Humane Policy Volunteer Leader

The Humane Policy Volunteer Leader program is the first, largest and most effective animal protection policy volunteer program of its kind in the nation. HSUS volunteers are essential partners in our lifesaving work for all animals and are an integral part of this community of compassionate individuals, all of whom are deeply committed to advancing humane public policies for all animals.

Humane Policy Volunteer Leaders will become highly skilled in the rapidly growing animal protection movement, receiving advanced training and ongoing support. You will receive an orientation on our policies and programs as well as access to support and resources not provided to the public, including:

Volunteer toolkit and other resources on effective policy advocacy. Regular virtual meetings conducted by your HSUS state director. Monthly webinars on timely animal protection issues.

As a Humane Policy Volunteer Leader, you will develop skills in public policy advocacy, networking, leadership and strategic thinking, and have the opportunity to share your expertise and experiences with community members. You will gain a deeper understanding of how to be an effective animal advocate, gain in-depth knowledge about the HSUS’s priority issues and deepen your understanding of the policy process and political landscape at the federal level, as well as in your specific state.

Apply Today!

If you've read the Humane Policy Volunteer Leader ad and feel the position would be a good fit for your skills and commitment level, here’s how to take the next steps:

Please complete and submit your Humane Policy Volunteer Leader application. After clicking on the application link, click the red "Apply Now"' button in the top right corner. After reviewing your application, a staff member will invite you to complete a user-friendly, digital interview. If we mutually determine that this opportunity is a good fit, you will be offered the volunteer position and asked to sign a volunteer agreement and waiver/release of liability.

If you would like to learn more or have questions about this volunteer program, please email us or call 301-721-6405.