Volunteering at the Network: New & Improved
August 18, 2025 | Uncategorized
By Alli Berger
Volunteering is a core piece of our work at the Jewish Connection Network, helping people make new friends, connect to local organizations and live their Jewish values, all while benefiting greater Baltimore. We’ve been thoughtfully evaluating our many ways to engage in service with the goal of offering a more meaningful, individualized and efficient experience for all of you. Here’s a summary of our new and improved ways to volunteer with the Network
Volunteer with a Nonprofit or School
No more filtering through dozens of opportunities searching for the right fit—that’s our job, not yours!
If you want to volunteer hands-on with one of our nonprofit or school partners, simply fill out our interest form to tell us about you, your interests and your availability. Our team will follow up for a quick conversation where we can share a just a handful of the best options for you and connect you to your favorites.
Volunteer from Home
Kindness kits, mugs of love, pencil cases and more—we’re still excited to provide easy ways to make a difference from your space and on your schedule. But we are no longer expecting volunteers to order and pick up our supplies. We’ve adapted for today’s online shopping era!
Now, our website offers several at-home project options and provides supplies sourcing, instructions and learning resources. When you pick a project and fill out an interest form, we’ll reach out to make sure you feel confident about the project and provide you with an organization where you can deliver your completed donations.
And don’t worry, Bunches of Lunches is continuing as-is!
Community Volunteering Events
Our large-scale volunteering events have only gotten larger! Mitzvah Day has evolved into Mitzvah Month: a series of winter care package “packing parties” in different neighborhoods throughout December. That model will continue, so we can meet you where you are! For Mitzvah Month 2025, we’re planning for Baltimore City, Carroll County, Owings Mills, Pikesville and Towson! Plus, we’ll continue to offer hands-on opportunities on Christmas Eve and Day.
No surprise here—Good Deeds Day became Good Deeds Month in April 2025! Good Deeds Day began in Israel and has expanded to over 115 countries. In an effort to accommodate busy spring schedules, we shifted away from one big day of service to a series of volunteer opportunities throughout April. We’re excited to continue this model so that everyone can find a way to participate.
For the last several years, our annual Casserole Challenge has made a huge impact. Now, we’re making it even easier to help—and we’re responding to the ongoing needs shared by our nonprofit and school partners. Instead of just one big day, we’re inviting households, friends and groups to bake and donate casseroles any time of year! The need is constant, and this way, your kindness can reach people whenever it’s needed most. We’re excited to keep the spirit of the Challenge alive, all year long.
But wait, there’s more! Keep your eyes out for even more volunteering experiences all year long. Young adults, families and members of the “Next Chapter” community (independent adults 46+): check out our experiences calendar to see what’s coming up.
Join a VolunTeam
A VolunTeam is a group that volunteers together on an ongoing basis—and ours have grown! We’ve got parent VolunTeams in three neighborhoods gathering (with and without their kids) to serve their community. We have VolunTeams reading to students in schools, socializing with adults with disabilities and knitting & crocheting items to donate. Lastly, thanks to the support of Repair the World, we’ve got new young adult VolunTeams. Knit & Nosh is a group creating cozy items for individuals experiencing housing insecurity and transition, and Snack-tivists is a team focused on addressing food insecurity through a variety of projects. Find your people and join a VolunTeam!
Thank you for embracing these changes and joining us in this meaningful work! Whether you volunteer once a year or once a week, there are so many ways to get involved with the Jewish Connection Network. Together, we can create meaningful connections, live our values and make a lasting impact in greater Baltimore.
Stay up to date on our volunteering experiences.
