By james art 
A child enjoys toys in the talk and play center Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Louisiana Children’s Museum in City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Louisiana Inspired highlights volunteer opportunities in South Louisiana. If your organization has specific volunteer opportunities, please email us at [email protected] with details of the volunteer opportunities, the organization and the contact/registration information volunteers will need.
Acadiana: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, 123 E. Main St., Lafayette, is a one-on-one mentoring agency that connects children ages 6-13 from mostly single-parent homes with carefully screened adult volunteers. The volunteer meets with their “little one” regularly, either in the community or in the school program, for a minimum of four hours per month.
Match commitments are for one calendar year. Match engagements are renewable and all ‘matches’ are monitored and maintained by agency managers. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana currently serves a six-parish region of Acadiana, including the parishes of Iberia, Acadia, St. Landry, St. Martin, Lafayette and Evangeline.
Anyone age 18 or older who is genuinely interested in creating a friendship and spending time with a child in need can volunteer. Volunteers are carefully and professionally selected with children who will be interested in the same types of activities. To volunteer, visit mentoring.org.
Baton Rouge: Beacon Hospice, 3854 American Way, Baton Rouge, provides quality end-of-life care to local terminally ill patients. The organization is looking for caring and compassionate people to spend time with patients.
Volunteers can provide much-needed support to patients and their families in a number of ways, including regular patient visits; sitting vigils; knitting, crocheting, quilting; creating memory posters; provision of music therapy; reiki; pet therapy; veterans visiting veterans; and assisting with veteran pinning ceremonies.
Beacon Hospice offers a free, required training course on what hospice is and how to interact with hospice patients. Trainings are held on site. For more information or to volunteer, call (225) 612-0243 or email [email protected].
New Orleans: The Children’s Museum of Louisiana, 15 Henry Thomas Drive, New Orleans, contributes to the future prosperity of the area by engaging with the potential of children and making that potential visible.
Through play, shared exploration and dialogue with adults, the museum connects children with each other, adults and their environments and communities. Volunteers are needed to greet, staff the gift shop and the museum. To volunteer, visit lcm.org.
Shreveport/Bossier: The Shreveport Pregnancy Center, 2810 Summer Grove Drive, Shreveport, is a ministry founded in September 2021. The organization provides free pregnancy tests, limited obstetric ultrasounds, pregnancy information, virtual parenting classes, financial management classes, CPR classes, prenatal classes, breastfeeding counseling, car seat safety, baby items/needs, peer counseling, premarital counseling, anti-abortion pill medical care and grief support in Shreveport/Bossier, North Louisiana and East Texas.
Volunteers are needed to be customer advocates, nurses, receptionists and cleaners. To volunteer, visit spcfriends.org.
Want to spread the word about your volunteer opportunities in Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans? Email them at [email protected].