Not only does volunteering benefit communities but it also serves you in the following ways:

• Helps you grow as an individual, builds your confidence, and gives you a sense of purpose
• Provides an opportunity to develop new professional skills and hone others
• Introduces you to new careers and a new network of people
• Helps you develop a sense of belonging and foster social cohesion
• Gets you off campus, learning about and contributing to your new home town.

Need transportation?

If you are volunteering in Beloit, Janesville, Rockton, or Rockford during the fall, spring, or summer and need transportation, we have a Community Connections car available for use. Learn more about College Vehicles.

Public transportation is also a choice. See the Riders’ Guide and visit the Beloit Transit website for more information.

Local opportunities

Below is a short list of volunteer opportunities in the Stateline area. To know who to contact or for more information, either visit the organization’s website or email Sylvia López (lopezs@beloit.edu), Director of Community Connections, or Suzanne Goebel (goebels@beloit.edu), Community Partner & Employer Relations Manager.

Unique

• Beloit Memorial High School: Sort and catalog items in the Athletics department. (November 2024, ongoing)

Working with youth

• Bluestem Robotics: Mentor youth in engineering/physics skills applied to robotics, help with grant writing, fundraising, graphic design, website creation/maintenance, accounting, and/or project management.
• Even Start Family Literacy: Care for and help develop early literacy skills in children ages zero to four years of age.
• Literacy for Life: Support parents who are working on literacy skills with children ages zero to three. Help during events and distribute resources.
• Merrill Elementary School: Be a Reading Buddy to K-1st graders in the early morning.
• Todd Elementary School: Be a Reading Buddy after school or be a mentor during lunchtime.
• Winter Crafters’ and Farmers’ Market (Downtown Beloit Association): Play with and entertain children while parents work in the market. Clubs, teams and Greek houses are encouraged to volunteer as a group.

Working with families

• Family Services of Southern Wisconsin Work with one of three programs: support crisis calls - Defy Domestic Abuse Beloit, advocate for anti-rape culture (Sexual Assault Recovery Program), or help create a drug-free communities (Youth2 Youth 4 Change).
• The Marigold Foundation Help with social media, grant writing, event planning, and/or outreach.

Working in a healthcare setting

• Beloit Health System: Enhance the patient and visitor experience at Beloit Health System. Volunteer opportunities available with the hospital, emergency room, hospice, cancer care center, surgical waiting room, and NorthPointe and Riverside Terrace.

Working with homeless shelters

• Family Promise of Greater Beloit: Help families facing homelessness by serving meals, provide financial literacy training, and assist with fundraising events.
• Stateline Works of Mercy: Help in the day shelter by preparing and serving food, cleaning the facilities, and assisting with social media.

Working with adult learners

• Stateline Literacy Council: Use your academic skills to tutor adult students in ESL, GED prep (in Spanish), and/or citizenship classes.

Working with food and clothing

• Caritas Community Resource Center: Help provide food and clothing to members in need.
• Choszen Donations: Sort clothes, enter data, help with website, sweep, mop, etc.
• Meals on Wheels: Delivers nutritious meals and compassionate support to homebound seniors in the Greater Beloit area, honoring their dignity, independence, and belonging.

Working with historical objects

• Beloit Historical Society: Catalog items, do clerical work, write for the BHS newsletter, and more.

Working at an art center

• Beloit Art Center: Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. Contact them with areas of interest (marketing, fundraising, event planning, help at events, etc.)

Working with a theater group

• The Foundry Theater Group: The Foundry Theater Group offers acting opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. 

Working with animals

• Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin (Janesville): Care for cats and/or dogs.

Working with environmental organizations

• Merrill Community Sharing Garden: Planting, weeding, shoveling, painting, etc. Open to volunteers looking to do research.
• Nature at the Confluence: Plant gardens, pull weeds, trim trails, and/or help with events.
• Natural Land Institute: Offers a variety of volunteer services all year long.
• Severson Dells: Offers five types of opportunities - Conservation Crew, Community Science, Science Saturday Host, Front Desk Host, Field Trip Leader
• Welty Environmental Center: Hiking trail improvement, animal ambassador maintenance, graphic design, social media, and more.

Annual opportunities

• Maple Sugar Fest: Welty Environmental Center (February)
• Nikolas Ritschel Foundation: Nik’s Home Run Race (October)
• Salvation Army: Thanksgiving Dinner (November)
• Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville: Holiday Light Show (November-January)
• Community Action: Gingerbread Extravaganza (December)

Other Opportunities

• VolunteerMatch.Org Find volunteer opportunities in Beloit and beyond.

Non-profits seeking volunteers may contact Sylvia López at lopezs@beloit.edu.