Local Volunteer Orange! Unites With UNC Campus Y

Volunteer Orange!, a service of the Triangle United Way located on N. Columbia Street, began holding office hours in the Campus Y this semester to advise on volunteer options.

After hearing the potential volunteer's areas of interest, Volunteer Orange! staff members recommend and refer students to nonprofit organizations in the Triangle that need volunteers.

They also collaborate with the Campus Y and other area organizations on mentoring programs and events such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, said Leslie Holmes Gydos, volunteer coordinator at Volunteer Orange!

Gydos said the partnership with the Campus Y will open new doors for collaboration between the community volunteer center and the University.

The collaboration starts at the front door of the Campus Y, and Gydos said Volunteer Orange! staffers will make an active effort to match potential volunteers with their skills, whether it be with kids or power tools.

Senior Janelle Barnette, an intern at Volunteer Orange! and chairwoman of the Advocates for the Empowerment of Women of Color committee at the Campus Y, will hold office hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday in the lobby of the Campus Y to point interested students in the right direction.

"Anyone can just walk in and get information about volunteer opportunities," Barnette said.

"It's like bringing Volunteer Orange! to the students."

Gydos said she feels the collaboration will be valuable because it will allow Volunteer Orange! to tap into the resources at Campus Y.

She said holding office hours on campus also will be beneficial for students.

"A lot of people are looking for opportunities (to volunteer) and aren't sure where to turn," Gydos said.

Barnette said that as chairwoman of a committee at the Campus Y, she often speaks to students who are looking to volunteer.

"There are more opportunities out there than just what the Campus Y has to offer," she said.

Barnette said she feels volunteering is important for everyone, not just students who are required to do so for a scholarship or club.

"It makes me feel good to know that I've helped someone and given something back," she said.

"There are so many of us. We can really make a difference if everyone volunteers."

Gydos said volunteering is a very fulfilling experience, and it benefits everyone involved.

"It's a good way to build up our community."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.