The Brown County Humane Society calls itself the little shelter with big results. Despite having resources that are more limited than nearby cities like Bloomington and Columbus, this shelter headquartered in Nashville, Indiana is able to offer help to the community that bigger shelters do not, like free pet food for local petowners struggling with poverty. Community Relations Manager Megan Gushwa says volunteers are what makes it all possible.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

Every day Elizabeth Capetillo helps Bloomington girls become strong, smart and bold. That’s the mantra over at Girls Inc., a local mentorship and learning program cultivating safe spaces for girls to take risks, learn from experiences, and grow. Elizabeth started off as a student volunteer and now she’s the program coordinator.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

The Black y Brown Arts Festival is happening Saturday September 14 in Switchyard Park, showcasing arts and culture of Bloomington’s Black Hispanic, and Asian communities. Fiesta del Otoño, our local celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, is the following Saturday (September 21) in the same park, The brains behind both events is Ximena Martinez, Latino Outreach Coordinator for the City of Bloomington. Get all the details on this new episode of Activate!

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

Working from home can get a little lonely. Eric Weigold has found a way to connect with others and make a difference in our community. His employer, Bloom Insurance, has a volunteer engagement program that helps their staff do good things in service to others. One of their biggest partnerships is with Habitat for Humanity. Monroe County Habitat is currently working on building an entire neighborhood of affordable homes – the Osage Place project on the southwest side of Bloomington.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

The annual City of Bloomington Volunteer Fair on August 24, 2024 features more than 40 local nonprofits that need your help! Bloomington Volunteer Network coordinator Michelle Moss is here with the details.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

Katie Hopkins knows firsthand the power of allyship in building bridges out of poverty. Back when it was called “Circles,” Katie was a participant in a local program that puts people struggling with poverty into supportive relationships. Now it is called “Thriving Connections,” and Katie is a coordinating volunteer paying it forward by helping others going through the program find their allies. Will you join the crew?

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

Chris Herring has been around horses her whole life. She understands the special bond that can happen between a horse and a person, and now she puts that bond to therapeutic use through People and Animal Learning Services (PALS). This innovative “equine-assisted learning center” harnesses the connection between people and horses to help individuals overcome their challenges. It started out focused on people with disabilities, but now People and Animal Learning Services helps a much wider spectrum.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

 The PALS Community Barn Sale is happening on August 24 from 7am to 2pm!

When Maria Douglas heard about an Asian IU student being stabbed while riding the bus in Bloomington in January 2023, she got mad. Really mad. This hate crime ignited a drive in her to fight racism in Indiana through Hoosier Asian American Power, an organization recently reinvented to focus on civic engagement among Indiana’s Asian-American community. 

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

For Lesley Davis the Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility is more than volunteer work – it also ties into her own lived experience.  As a wheelchair user she sees every day where Bloomington is accessible and where it is not, and she’s on a mission to make our town user-friendly for all. The CCA’s latest project is a new ordinance requiring TVs in local businesses to have the closed captioning turned on.

The City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility will commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on Saturday, August 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will take place on the Fernandez Plaza by City Hall (401 N. Morton Street).

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].

On June 25 Bloomington was battered by storms that left thousands without power for days. As chair of Monroe County Community Organizations Active in Disaster, Vinal Lee coordinated the efforts of local agencies to help those affected.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org or by emailing [email protected].