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SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the United Way of Southwest Michigan is seeking volunteers for various projects to continue to care for local residents.

Current volunteer opportunities include:

Caring Circle seeks volunteer

Caring Circle is seeking a detail-oriented volunteer who can attend inter-disciplinary team meetings with hospice staff and type real-time notes on the group’s discussions directly into an electronic medical record software. Good keyboarding skills are essential as well as the ability to succinctly summarize discussion notes in real time. This opportunity would be great for a student interested in gaining experience in the medical office field, or for someone retired from a similar field. Some training and orientation will be provided on specific procedures, and a brief test is required before beginning training. Transcription is needed in St Joseph, Hanson Hospice Center, Buchanan, and South Haven Caring Circle offices. For more information or to sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Facemasks needed for frontline workers

In partnership with the Emergency Operations Center, United Way of Southwest Michigan is collecting homemade facemasks to distribute to frontline workers and volunteers at area agencies and organizations. Agencies such as homeless shelters, Meals on Wheels, and many others are still working with their clients every day.  They need masks to help protect their staffs, volunteers and clients. To find donation locations and times, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Help ease worry

Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan is working with area seniors to fill many needs during COVID-19. Meals on Wheels is seeking donation of hygiene items that volunteers can include in their deliveries to seniors. Those items include full-size shampoo, full-size toothpaste, toothbrush and notes of encouragement and cheer. For more information, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Senior center needs helping hands

Greater Niles Senior Center is seeking volunteers to help beautify the senior center and to install a plexiglass barrier. Greater Niles Senior Center provides services and activities for area independent senior citizens and need help so they can be completely focused on helping seniors during this difficult time, officials said. For more information, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

PACE seeks medically trained volunteers

PACE of Southwest Michigan is looking for medically trained volunteers to help support their staff and clients during the current COVID crisis. PACE is looking for a volunteer nurse and a volunteer nursing assistant. The nurse has the responsibility for providing direct and indirect nursing care to participants in the PACE Center and in the community. The nursing assistant performs participant care activities and other tasks as assigned to assist the primary care, therapy and adult day health staff. PACE is looking for candidates who are interested in home care and has permanent openings for this position if someone is interested in staying with PACE permanently. For more information, or to sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.