Volunteerism

Ann Arbor residents looking for help with clearing snow from their sidewalk or are eager to help their neighbors can connect with each other through the city’s Snow Match Program. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more.

The City of Ann Arbor’s Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting "Love a Park Days" in November. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more.

Bicycle traffic is on the rise, and more people are using bikes as their primary mode of transportation. The Ypsi Bike Co-Op is available free of charge to help people in the city keep their bikes on the road. It helps with maintenance, repairs and advice. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale got the lowdown in a conversation with Co-Op volunteer, Yitah Wu.

There is a value in mentorship and the wisdom of our elders. Unfortunately, not every family has access to such relationships and it can have adverse educational impacts. That’s the reason the Washtenaw County Foster Grandparent Program exists. WEMU's David Fair met with the director of the program, Sandy Bowers, and foster grandparent Annie Young. They discussed the positive differences created for both children and the foster volunteers.

We often talk about the concept of giving back and paying it forward. That is precisely the idea behind the upcoming National Days of Action. Between June 12th and 16th, United Way branches across the country, including here in Washtenaw County, put hundreds of volunteers to work in their respective communities to improve local quality of life. United Way of Washtenaw County corporate giving manager, Ben Thompson, joined WEMU's David Fair with all you'll need to know.

'Tis the season, as they say—tax season, that is. For many, it’s a stressful time of year, particularly if you can’t afford assistance in getting those taxes filed accurately and on time. That’s why the Volunteer Tax Assistance Program was developed, and it has more than 80 volunteers to help those in need in Washtenaw County. This year, there are some tax changes as some of the pandemic programs end and new tax breaks are offered. WEMU's David Fair discusses the program and how to access it with the United Way of Washtenaw County's vice president of development, Susan Smith.

Helping build equity and opportunity through affordable housing: that is the mission of Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. There are a number of building and renovation projects the organization has underway right now, and, on an annual basis, the local chapter of Habitat leads the state and is among the best in the nation when it comes to number of people helped. The Huron Valley chapter CEO, Sarah Stanton, and senior director of home improvement, Martha Davis, joined WEMU's David Fair for a deeper look at its impact in Washtenaw County.

Homelessness and housing insecurity remain significant issues in Washtenaw County. There is a relatively new organization working to help those transition from homelessness into housing, and it's found an underserved niche in going about it. WEMU's David Fair caught up with the leader of "HouseN2Home," RuthAnn Logue, to find out more.

Nonprofits in Washtenaw County have been heavily reliant on volunteers as we manage our way through a global pandemic. The fact of the matter is, they've always been an important safety net and most are reliant on volunteers. Bridget Herrmann is Vice President for Impact and Advocacy at the United Way of Washtenaw County. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the need for greater participation and the ongoing efforts to better diversify the volunteer force.

The United Way's National Day of Action is right around the corner. Local volunteers in communities around the country work on a number of projects aimed…