Home Care In Volunteer, NC

Discover, learn, and connect with others at Raleigh Parks' Cultural Outreach and Enrichment (COE) Program! We invite you to join us for programs and events that foster connections and explore the ethnic and cultural richness of our community.

COE provides a range of valuable services. We offer free English classes both in-person across the City and online. We also work with community partners and other City of Raleigh departments to connect individuals to vital services to foster belonging and create a support network within the community.

COE includes Peach Road Cultural Center, a community gathering place in south Raleigh.

Free English Language Programs

In-Person English Language Classes

Learn English and connect with other community members through Raleigh Parks’ English language program! We welcome all English levels and backgrounds.

Most classes are beginner to intermediate levels. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have questions on the best class for you.

Barwell Road Community Center (beginner/intermediate levels)Mondays, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Green Road Community Center (beginner/intermediate levels)Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Method Community Center Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (beginner/intermediate levels)Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8 p.m. (intermediate/advanced)

Peach Road Cultural Center (beginner/intermediate levels)*Peach Road English Classes are being held at Carolina Pines through May 24Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

New LocationsJohn Chavis Memorial Park (beginner/intermediate levels)Tuesdays, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Starting March 12

Roberts Park (beginner/intermediate levels)Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Starting March 6

Five Points Center for Active Adults (beginner/intermediate levels)Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Starting March 7

To learn more about class dates and to participate, please register on RecLink.

In-person English Language Lounge

Join our in-person English Language Lounge and engage in conversations with other participants from around the world! Learn about American culture, try out new vocabulary, and explore fun themes in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. All adults 18 years and older of all levels are welcome.

Carolina Pines Community CenterWednesdays, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.

To participate, please register on RecLink.

Virtual English Language Lounge

Practice and improve your English from home! Join these virtual English conversation sessions and connect with other English learners. All adults 18 years and older are welcome in these free and fun events.

To join these sessions, you will need:

To participate, please register on RecLink.

Cultural Programs

COE offers a variety of educational and cultural opportunities to residents of Raleigh and the surrounding communities. Programs include our annual Lunar New Year event, Children’s Day, and World Refugee Day. We offer ongoing programs and special events throughout the year.

Are you a performer, artist, or musician who specializes in a particular culture? Are you part of a cultural organization? We’d love to work with you. Email us at [email protected]!

Volunteer with Us

Our programs and English classes would not be possible without the support and dedication of our volunteer instructors. The Program is always looking for enthusiastic individuals with passion, interest, and teaching experience. Certification and/or previous experience teaching English are ideal but not required.

N.C. State long snapper Joe Shimko was honored for his work with the nonprofit organization Gigi’s Playhouse at that organization’s annual gala Friday night in Raleigh.

Gigi’s playhouse, which serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, awarded Shimko a Generation G award, which is bestowed on community members for their work with the nonprofit.

Shimko, a fifth-year player, regularly volunteers with the organization and raises funds to support its programming. To date, Shimko has raised more than $55,000 for the Playhouse.

The organization kept Shimko’s award a secret, though he figured something was amiss after being asked to prepare a short speech for the event.

“I don’t really get recognized too much as a long snapper just by nature,” Shimko said after the event. “I knew that, signing up for it. That’s kind of why I love it so much. I kind of get to do my own thing and nobody really bothers me about it, but getting recognized for something like this is pretty awesome. Being able to help out the community is great.”

The real reason I’m here: Joe Shimko received the Generation G Award for his fundraising and individual volunteer work with Gigi’s Playhouse pic.twitter.com/N0ytwMZSaj

— Jadyn Adams (@jwatsonfisher) October 14, 2023

Shimko said the work he’s done with Gigi’s is meaningful for all parties involved. He gets to support a community that’s often overlooked and underestimated, while being on the receiving end of its joy and devotion.

“No matter what, there’s people out there that are gonna love you,” Shimko said. “I never really thought of things like that, but ever since I got involved with Gigi’s, that really got put into perspective for me.”

Gigi’s Playhouse President Michelle Pfeiffer said Shimko embodies everything the organization is about — compassion and a true belief in inclusivity.

“We’re so grateful,” Pfeiffer said. “We need the funds, obviously, to continue what we’re doing. But, to see it from a young person and an athlete is so inspirational to me and to the community that he would embrace us, that he would take the time and effort, and provide his talent to Gigi’s.”

Remarks from Gigi’s Playhouse president Michelle Pfeiffer pic.twitter.com/HfvExSyGFO

— Jadyn Adams (@jwatsonfisher) October 14, 2023

Gigi’s Playhouse began its relationship with the N.C. State football program about six years ago, Pfeiffer said. They held the first “Victory Day” — an event during which Gigi’s participants can try on uniforms, run drills and make new friends — five years ago.

Shimko doesn’t have any close relatives with Down syndrome. The inaugural Victory Day, however, left a meaningful impression. It was the first time he had a personal encounter with someone with Down syndrome, and he loved it.

“He’s just instilled upon his players the importance of giving back to the community,” Pfeiffer said of Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren. “He’s also just instilled with them not just giving back, but really being present and engaging with our friends with Down syndrome…Joe just took it to a new level.”

Pfeiffer said Shimko volunteers at the Playhouse on a regular basis. He works on crafts, works out with them, and provides friendship. The graduate student gathered up several other Pack players when the organization moved into its new facility and helped unload hundreds of boxes. He does that on top of the fundraising efforts.

The program regularly hosts Gigi’s Playhouse participants, too. Some kids attend Friday practices to hand out snacks and visit their Victory Day partners. Pfeiffer said the players are equally excited to see the kids as the kids are to see the players. Shimko is always thrilled.

“When we go to honor people in the community, we’re honoring those that believe in inclusion and have done something to step up for inclusion,” Pfeiffer said. “He’s just one of those people.”

This story was originally published October 14, 2023, 4:00 PM.

Being a sea turtle volunteer is not for the faint of heart – it’s hard work throughout much of the year, yet it is also rewarding work, particularly when you consider that the five species of sea turtles that are found along North Carolina’s coastline are all federally listed as threatened or endangered species. So, they need all the help they can get, which is where sea turtle volunteers really step up to the plate.

Nest Monitoring

Loggerhead, green, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles are known to nest on North Carolina’s beaches from mid-April to early September. Given the fact that North Carolina’s coastline stretches for approximately 300 miles, the Wildlife Commission’s two sea turtle biologists rely heavily on a cadre of volunteers who monitor many beaches daily searching for sea turtle nesting activity.

In addition to cooperators with state and federal parks, reserves and refuges, more than 1,000 volunteers spend their early morning hours each day, rain or shine, during the sea turtle nesting season, searching for tell-tale signs that a giant, lumbering reptile has crept out of the sea in the darkness of the night, excavated her way through about a foot or more of sand, laid 120 eggs on average in the nest cavity, and made her back to the ocean.

The first sign they look for is a “crawl,” which marks the location in the sand where a female sea turtle has come on to the beach. When they find one, volunteers then look to see if the crawl resulted in a nest. Sometimes, turtles may crawl on the beach without laying eggs. These non-nesting crawls are also called “false crawls,” “half-moons,” and “dry-runs.” In most cases, volunteers can tell a difference in a false crawl and one that resulted in a nest being dug out. Sometimes female sea turtles will have several false crawls in multiple nights before successfully digging out a nest and laying her eggs.

Volunteers will verify that a nesting crawl is indeed a true nest by carefully and gently digging into the sand until they reach the top egg in the clutch. Once verified, volunteers will carefully cover the eggs with moist sand and mark the location with stakes, flagging tape and a sign. In some places where predation from predators, such as foxes and raccoons, is likely, the volunteers will also install wire mesh below the surface of the sand, which deters predators but allows small hatchlings to escape the sand at the end of incubation. Marking off nest locations helps keep humans and pets off the nests.

It takes about two months for eggs to incubate in the sand. The incubation period varies throughout the nesting season and is largely dependent on weather conditions. Like nesting female turtles, sea turtle hatchlings wait for the cover of darkness to emerge from their sandy cocoon. As the time draws close for sea turtles to emerge, volunteers monitor the nest closely each night, looking for hatching activity. Volunteers hope for a turtle “boil,” which is the rapid emergence of hatchlings all at one time. Three days after the majority of hatchlings emerge from the nest, the volunteers will open up the egg cavity, to inventory the contents and liberate any live hatchlings that may be stuck in the nest cavity. The information from the inventory helps the Wildlife Commission’s biologists understand trends in reproductive success of sea turtles in North Carolina.

Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage

The work of a volunteers isn’t merely to document nesting success or lack thereof. Volunteers also comb beaches and respond to alerts regarding dead and injured sea turtles that are in the water or come ashore along North Carolina beaches. For sea turtles that are injured, North Carolina has two full-time rehabilitation centers in Manteo and Surf City that successfully treat and release dozens of sick or injured sea turtles each year. Additionally, the N.C. Aquariums in Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher will help provide care to injured or sick turtles when needed, and staff from the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine provide excellent support for the successful treatment of live stranded turtles. Volunteers must follow strict guidelines outlined by the Commission’s sea turtle biologists to ensure the rapid and safe transportation of sea turtles to an approved rehab facility. For turtles that are found dead on the coast, volunteers collect valuable data on the size, location, cause of death, etc., and report their findings to the Commission’s sea turtle biologists.

Want to help sea turtles in North Carolina?

Become a volunteer!

Report sea turtle activity that you see

Remove all beach furniture from beach at the end of the day

Fill in all holes in the sand at the end of the day

Turn out lights while on the beach at night.

Do not disturb nesting females

Pick up your trash

Respect No Wake Zones and keep a respectable speed while boating

Download our “Help Protect Sea Turtles” pamphlet.

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Craven County firefighters are supported by a cadre of volunteers.

"Traditionally New Bern Fire department was built around the volunteer firefighter community," according to James McConnell, division chief of training/safety with New Bern Fire-Rescue.

So, why are volunteer firefighters important?

"There's more volunteer firefighters in the United States than there are career firefighters," McConnell said.

According to McConnell, volunteer firefighters are the backbone of Craven County's fire departments.

"There's a big need for volunteers in our society, especially when you're working for your community," he said. "It's very important that we have them."

Not only are volunteers fighting fires, they may be there to support and provide rehab operations on a scene, he said.

Volunteer firefighters can respond to almost every emergency with the proper training, according to McConnell. Among the situations they respond to are house fires, motor vehicle accidents and medical issues.

According to the New Bern Fire Department's website, in order to become a volunteer firefighter candidates must possess the following qualifications:

There is also an annual requirement of volunteering a minimum of 36 hours in order to maintain certification or volunteer status within North Carolina, McConnell said. He said the fire department requires those interested in volunteering to have general knowledge of information to be a firefighter and to be able to enter a structure that's on fire.

"You'll see in the volunteer community that just about anybody can be a volunteer, depending on the level of service you want to provide," McConnell said. "That's what's great about volunteerism, especially in your local volunteer fire departments."

"A lot of your volunteer firefighters will have red lights on their vehicle, McConnell said. "And that's just asking for permission during emergency situations to be allowed to run those red lights."

According to McConnell, in the state of North Carolina volunteers only have red lights and no sirens.

Some volunteers who may not have time to go to the fire department and ride in a fire truck, use their own vehicles for emergency calls, he explained.

He said that New Bern Fire-Rescue is also offering a fire academy in January that runs until August 2022. The classes are focused on the volunteer community and are three nights a week and on weekends.

"It takes all of us in the community to come together to work as volunteers," McConnell said. "It's just basically supporting your own community and working together with others."

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Why does New Bern need volunteer firefighters? The reason behind the flashing red lights

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree David Yoon. During the third annual Global Volunteer Month, we celebrate the power of people who tackle society’s greatest challenges, and build stronger, more vibrant communities through volunteerism and everyday actions, like David. Read his story, and join the Global Volunteer Month celebration.

As a volunteer with Love A Sea Turtle (LAST), David Yoon engaged in environmental stewardship in his community and had the opportunity to impact many youth through his service, an effort that has since grown through his own initiative within LAST, Plastic Free NC.

Founding Plastic Free NC, a youth-led conservation and awareness initiative, David, a 16-year-old Greenville, North Carolina, student, is helping to reduce, remove and provide alternatives to single-use plastics and decrease the quantity of plastic waste by advocating alternatives such as metal straws, reusable water bottles and biodegradable or reusable bags. Beyond its environmental goals, David’s service is uniting his community and opening the doors to volunteerism for others.

What inspires you to volunteer?

My inspiration comes from my love for my community. Regardless of background, age or gender, everyone can inspire change. I want to be that example for people, so my peers know that anyone can do what I do.

Describe your volunteerism with Plastic Free NC.

As founder and executive director of Plastic Free NC, I mentor our volunteer student leaders from around the state and organize initiatives to make sure we’re meeting our goals and educating the public. We focus our efforts around Greenville, and then students extend that impact across the country with their own initiatives.

Share one personal story with me from your volunteerism.

Two years ago we held a camp for underserved youth, and I met a kid who didn’t know how to ride a bike. While I was teaching him how to ride, he started crying saying he didn’t have a father growing up, and he’d always wanted to learn. During the week he learned how to ride and his mother learned to ride with him. We formed a bond, and we talked about how when I was a child I’d ride my bike around mountains, so we dreamed that we’d ride bikes together around mountains someday. That showed me I made an impact and was changing lives for the better.

Why do you think it’s important for others to give back?

We have so much to give back to people who don’t have much or anything at all. That is one of the main ways we can create impact in our community. Volunteers or leaders who are giving back need to utilize their talents and resources to help others progress.

How have you continued to volunteer throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?

We were a very face-to-face organization. We’d visit businesses and discuss conservation methods, including switching from single-use plastic items. Because of the pandemic, people were afraid of using recyclable and renewable utensils. That was a big obstacle but we overcame it by writing letters to local newspapers and staying engaged with the community virtually. The pandemic slowed us down, but it did not stop us.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Don’t be afraid to be the change you want to see, or don’t be afraid to take the risk and fix a problem in your community, even if you don’t know how to solve it.

In one word, what does volunteering mean to you?

Leadership.

When you’re not busy with school or volunteering, what do you do for fun?

I love listening to music, and I love playing tennis.

How can readers help?

Please visit the Plastic Free NC website for more information about how you can help.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like David Yoon? Find local volunteer opportunities.

Points of Light

We are champions of civic engagement with a mission to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world.