A large non profit helping Chicago and Chicagoans with a number of projects and volunteer opportunities. Some of the op's are too far to get to without a car, but it's still a great organization that helps Chicagoans. read more

I've heard so much praise for Chicago Cares over the past few years and yesterday finally got the chance to see what this wonderful organization is all about during the annual serve-a-thon. I, along with many other yelpers, helped paint the classrooms of a school on the south side. When I first arrived at the serve-a-thon with 7500 volunteers (yes, they got 7500 volunteers to help fix up schools around Chicago on a beautiful Saturday in June) my first thought is that I would never want to organize an event like this. There were so many organizational details involved in this day and I couldn't have been more impressed with the way Chicago Cares handled them...the check- in process was about 2 seconds (I was expecting about a 1/2 hour due to the size of the event), they had plenty of well trained volunteers on hand who actually knew what was going on, and everything ran right on schedule. Hats off to the Chicago Cares staff- they sure do know how to organize an event! It was absolutely heartbreaking to see the conditions of the school that we visited. I'm not exactly fond of painting and it was an exhausting day, but it made me feel good that we were able to help these kids by making the conditions of their school livable! This is the only Chicago Cares event I've experienced so far, but I'm interested in checking out other ways to help out! read more

Chicago Cares - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I am a huge fan of Chicago Cares...and this was my third large-scale event in which I headed up a team and participated. Having said that, I feel it is important to note a few things about these "larger" project days... 1. Even though you will show up for registration at 8am, you will honestly not begin working at the site until at least 1015 or so. It seems like a lot of wasted manpower. I understand the logistical need to meet at a central location...but a VERY long opening ceremony could easily be condensed with the same effect. 2. The projects are great, but often under utilize the volunteers. A mosaic is great, but this is a group of strong bodies to do some serious, serious work! Work 'em! One of the most important goals of any volunteer organization is to ensure that the experiences for both volunteers and the sites being served are beneficial. I just think a bit more thought and energy could be put into the event execution at this level. Don't get me wrong, some of the stuff is very fun and artsy...I'm just saying. 3. Site managers; On more than one occasion I've had site managers/project managers that are just plain BORED looking. Like, would much rather be doing something else. It really takes away from the experience entirely. I feel that if you are going to be a site manager for a large scale event...put a damn smile on your face and keep the goal in mind. Honestly, I think Chicago Cares is a FABULOUS organization...and I would refer people to them any day of the week for their smaller projects (great for those that work, as they have really great schedules and offerings), but the large scale events have really lost their luster for me. With all the logistical stuff, lack of activity, attitude of site managers...it's just not something I prefer to do for an entire day, which I find sad. I think it offers a great opportunity, but there are some wrinkles that need to be ironed out to make it a 5-star. I gave it another shot this year, and for sure had a really fun time with my group...but, it could be done better. Plain and simple. Kudos for all the great work they do though...I know it isn't easy, I just know it's possible to improve. read more

Chicago Cares - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hold up! You're telling me that 2800 South is at 28th Street? Yes, somehow our bus driver seemed to be totally thrown by this while getting us to our site - Little Village Boys and Girls Club. But, after touring the southside and consulting with the other buses who had successfully dropped their volunteers at the site we arrived, albeit late, but ready to work. I'm glad I was apart of the MLK Service Day, but there are a few things I would like to note: 1) The check-in/welcome ceremony could be shorter (or start later). Even after the long welcoming ceremony, our Bus Ambassador told us, while sitting in the UC parking lot, we had almost an hour to kill before we were expected at the site. 2) Some of the projects weren't well planned. The project I was assigned to for the day was completed before lunch. The site manager didn't really have a backup plan, so we went around to see where we were most needed. By the time lunch was over several groups had finished their projects too and were looking for more to do. too I helped out on another project after lunch and it wasn't well planned out. There weren't enough people assigned to the project at the outset, which meant they were working feverishly while everyone else broke for lunch. Also, it seemed like the critical supplies for the project were at a premium. Everyone did their best to make do with what they had; but getting extra materials *just in case* is always a safe bet - leftovers can always be returned later. 3) Site/project managers. A few of the site/project managers were rude. Since our projects had different time lines it was hard for our group to plan for lunch, trying to rush us, was not appreciated. Especially, since we were volunteering our time and not by any stretch of the imagination having a long, leisurely lunch. Despite some of the disorganization I experienced, I had a really good time and felt like I was helping make a difference, even if it's a small one. The director of the club thanked all of us for knocking out a number of projects that had been on their to-do list for quite some time. Without an organization like Chicago Cares who knows when they would have found the time or resources to get these projects done. Was my day perfect? No. However, the good achieved far outweighed the hiccups along the way. The only reason I mention the hiccups is because they are things that can be improved to make an event like this even better! Would I recommend Chicago Cares to a friend looking to get involved in the community? You betcha! read more

What a great organization. A group of Yelpers set out to participate in the Chicago Cares MLK Day of Service and it was an amazing experience. In the spirit of Dr. King's message to serve the communities in which we live, about 4,000 people got together to volunteer their Saturday to dozens of service projects around the city. We were sent to the Little Village Boys and Girls Club and had a blast. Some people helped to repaint rooms, construct mosaic sculptures, paint murals or work with kids to have a fun day. I was lucky enough to spend my morning and afternoon having fun with the kids at this location and I had a blast. We learned about MLK and took a journey through several different countries - a lot of learning took place! The murals were completed and were lovely; the mosaic took longer than expected but looked beautiful; and the kids had a blast! I was definitely impressed with the mission and spirit of this organization. They were totally prepared to send all of the groups all over the city today to participate in a bunch of really great, community-based activities and they really captured the spirit of MLK's volunteer mission. Chicago Cares boasts over 200 community service activities around the city every month! There is literally a volunteer opportunity for everyone with this great organization. There is nothing you can't do and there is something to fit everyone's lifestyle and schedule. I highly, highly recommend setting aside some of your time to participate in one of the hundreds of community-based volunteer activities they will have this year alone. You'll make a difference in your community and there is nothing more important than that. read more

Rob R should definitely never be confused with Mother Teresa, or with all the selflessness and nobility that the word "volunteer" often implies. But there's nothing selfless or noble about having a good time. Teaching a Russian senior citizen who doesn't speak English how to stand up and yell "Bingo!" so he can claim his prize. Helping out at a grade school plastered with child-made posters with messages such as: "Silly soup. Ingredients: Lima beans, rice, chocolate, stars, socks." Teaching ex-inmates that making eye contact at a job interview doesn't mean that you "look to the left a bit, look to the right a bit, but don't look them straight in the eye because that might scare them." Getting to visit a cool neighborhood I never would've thought of visiting otherwise. These things aren't selfless or noble. They're fun. I've been volunteering with Chicago Cares for years and (unlike Gandhi) have never had to participate in a hunger strike, or (unlike Mother Teresa) expose myself to tuberculosis. The best thing is, if I get bored of a project or want to try something new, I can just pick a new project the next time. It's perfect for someone who's busy or not ready to commit to a long-term volunteer project, though it seems many volunteers come back to the same events month after month. Chicago Cares is a gateway to about 200 local organizations that need low-skill volunteer help. Though being an effective volunteer in many settings requires a commitment of six months or more, their projects just require a few hours at a time. Volunteering's generally about people, but the genius of Chicago Cares is its web database. Upcoming events are searchable by keyword, date, or address, so it's easy to find something interesting, and then you just need to click on a link to sign up. So if we're talking about selflessness and nobility, yeah, you can say the automated Chicago Cares database is, like all robots and computers, indeed selfless and noble. read more

If you're looking for an opportunity to volunteer around Chicago, this is a great place. And that's it. I volunteered with Chicago Cares 2 times and it wasn't the volunteering itself that turned me away, it was the people from Chicago Cares. The first volunteer event was to watch kids while their parents are in a class. The coordinator said hello to me and didn't introduce me to the other volunteers that were there. We sat in the a little room coloring with children in absolute silence. I guess I could have asked some questions but by then I was so uncomfortable I didn't want to break the silence. All I was looking for, honestly, was just a little information on the organization itself and what they do. I mean she knew I was a first time volunteer. The coordinator mentioned that we can leave early since there were few kids so I took that opportunity and left as fast as I can. The kids were wonderful and adorable. It was just sitting there in absolute silence that killed me. The second time I volunteered was at a Southside school. It was for an after-school program and this time it was fun. I was too busy interacting with the kids to talk to the coordinators. This time the coordinators (different from the first event) were a bit more talkative but it was only on ask and answer basis. I really like the idea of Chicago Cares but I really think they need to talk to their coordinators about communications with the volunteers that sign up. Ask them questions, give them some information on what Chicago Cares is all about, tell them why they volunteer at these certain events and why. read more

It seems wrong to give an organization like Chicago Cares anything less than 5 stars. But unfortunatley they did not meet expectations of myself and several other Yelpers who volunteered on the MLK service day. First off, why did I wake up at 6:30AM on a Saturday, taking a cab in order to not deal with Sat. morning buses and then check in and sit in the United Center "listening" to people make speeches? I say "listen" because I couldn't hear a word anyone said. And we were ready to GO! I'd been up and had my share of bad Chicago Cares coffee. Let's go help out not sit here and listen to a preacher go on for over 30 minutes (literally). Luckily on a bathroom break I found Colleen and crew and was saved! Then we piled in our school buses to head to our locations. Ours was the Boys and Girls Club in Little Village. It was a dilapidated area that needed some Yelper luv. I looked around at the walls, cracks and filthiness wondering what lesbian-like project I was going to get myself into. Well this power tool carrying lesbian got no hardware love on this trick. No spackle, no hammers...nada. We mosaic-ed. Yep. We spent allll day (well 3 hours by this point) making a mosaic. This place needed some serious love *before* you break out the arts and crafts! We were ready to go! I think they should have prioritized their needs better. Our project leader was obnoxious. I don't know why she bothers to volunteer. She was not a 'leader' and seemed to either be stressed or uncaring. And then the head (?) project leader, John, was worse. He started out the day talking about how we *had* to finish the projects in order to no disappoint others. Then while we're plugging away on the mosaic that needed more time than was allotted, he mentioned this again, asking if we were going to be finished! it's not my fault your materials and timing suck! Don't guilt trip me that I'm going to disappoint all the kiddos coming in and out of here. To be honest, are they even going to notice this darn thing? Probably not... I think the most annoying part was that we were not allowed to break for lunch until we were done gluing. Um, I'm not in grade school and I'm volunteering. I'll eat when I damn well please. Everyone else thankfully came in to give us a hand after they had already eaten. At the end you get to fill out an evaluation. I was honest and hopefully Chicago Cares will take some of these issues into account because I'm not the only one who thought ill of this volunteer day. I didn't leave inspired or happy about what I did. Not that that's the point in volunteering, but still it's nice to know you did something helpful and/or useful. I doubt our mosaic did either...if in the end it even made it up on the wall! read more

I really enjoyed being part of Chicago Cares' MLK Day of service today. With 4,000 people volunteering on one day and all of them leaving the United Center at one time... I have to say that things were orchestrated very smoothly. My group went to the Lydia House. I felt like I made a connection with the kids we worked with, and it seemed as though the leaders thought we really made a difference. Chicago Cares is a great outlet for finding volunteer opportunities in Chicago that fit your schedule and the type of group you'd like to serve. I will definitely volunteer with Chicago Cares in the future. I only deducted a star because I felt that our group needed more activities to do with the kids. You can only do arts and crafts with teenage boys and girls for so long. They have energy and want to move around! read more

I'm so thankful that there is such a wonderful program here in Chicago. Chicago Cares has over 120 projects each month for me to choose from on their handy calendar. I meet a lot of amazing and wonderful people when I volunteer with them. Here is there awesome monthly service calendar: http://www.chicagocares.org/calendar.asp Even if you spend a day working out and learning about your passions, it's only about helpin yourself. Self-improvement can only take you so far. The best highs one can get only come from volunteering and helping others. Chicago cares makes it so easy! The coordination and efficiency of the team coordinators is fantastic. There is a short online training orientation for everyone and then you can start signing up for fantastic well-run projects! This program also has an annual Serve-a-Thon which is fantastic. More project site managers are needed so if you are interested you can find out more here: http://www.chicagocares.org/SpEvents_satpsmdescript.html Events like these are great and bring the community together. I hope to see you all one day at some event randomly. Maybe you'll be a co-site manager with me? Huzzah! read more

When I moved to Chicago straight from college, I was a broke youngin'. Due to my entry level income and my tendency to booze more than I should, I didn't have much money to spare...but what I did have was time. Obviously in a city like Chicago there are a ton of non-profits that need volunteers, but I found it difficult to find one central location to hunt them down, and when I did they seemed to all need a serious time commitment or permanent schedule. I was looking for a little more freedom and flexibility...and then I found Chicago Cares. I heard they got started because busy professionals were looking for an easy way to get more involved in the community and didn't know where to start (achem...just like me, so it was fate). It's so easy to get started, you just have to go to an orientation, then you can immediately start signing up for any project (lead by fellow volunteers) that strike your fancy! Over the last few years I have volunteered for all sorts of projects and I always feel like each place really appreciated the volunteers' time. The Serve-a-Thon is always fun and worth giving up a Saturday in the summertime to paint a school or plant some trees. Chicago Cares is a very easy way to give back and I think they are doing a great job making it is as simple as possible for anyone who wants to get involved. Check 'em out! read more

I'll start off by admitting that I was a little hesitant about getting involved with the Serve-a-thon this year. I have been so busy during the week and weekends for the past couple months that I wasn't sure I wanted to give up a full Saturday for volunteering. Fortunately, Ellie B's persistence and persuasiveness was enough to get me to jump on the wagon and help out this past Saturday. I have not done any major volunteering since college, and was excited to get back in the swing of things. And I'm so glad I did. Our team of 7 was assigned to the Williams School on the South Side. The day began at 8:00AM and ran until 2:30PM. The mission was to brighten up the hallway walls, paint the stairwell railings, create a mural in the cafeteria, and build some benches for the playground. 7 Project Site Managers + 120 Volunteers + 2 Staff Members of the school (who were EXCELLENT and very SUPPORTIVE, I must add) = a day full of fun, adventure, and team-building I was excited to see the masses of people who came out that day to help out. People who came with their companies, their families, their college service group, and people who came with their friends all piled out of the buses and into the school. Whether they were there because they wanted to be, or there cause their boss or significant other made them go, everyone pitched in and did their part. I met a great bunch of amazing people there - the young teacher who was a first-timer to the project, the group of kids who all knew each other since childhood, etc. Although I did not get to do as much of the painting and cleaning that I had hoped for, I was able to brush up on my skills and get covered in oil paint in the process! Ultimately, the day flew by and we fell short of completing our goal. In the spirit of the cause, the PSM's vowed to come back at another time this summer and finish what we started. The project ultimately was a success. Afterwards, we all went to a gathering at Grant Park to celebrate our achievements. Chicago Cares has lots of projects going on at all times, and can be found at www.chicagocares.org. I am told that if you have an idea about a project that you would like to see realized, you can go to them and they will assist you. The staff members are amazing, and I would like to give a special shout out to Anne for all of her persistence and motivational skills for getting me to enjoy the project as much as I did. I am excited to check out the other opportunities and hopefully jump start the volunteering kick and help out Chicago! read more

So, after a quick analysis of my current life schedule, I had come to realize that between work, getting my nails done, baking bannana bread and picking my nose, I had some spare time to help out in bettering the lives of others. Prior to working through Chicago cares, I was a little intimidated, scared and just had no idea how to go about helping out in my community. I attended the GOOD Magazine and Chicago Cares event at Salvage One on Hubbard and came to learn that you didn't need to be Mother Theresa to volunteer and that there were so many different ways that you could help your community and others around the world. Since joining Chicago Cares, I have worked with the Night Ministry, Uptown Cafe and the Inspiration Corporation. The website makes it so easy to find out about numerous organizations and events in the area and makes it easy for you to sign up. The team coordinators are so nice and help you out with any information that you need. So, whether you have a soft spot for children with needs, homeless, the environment or the elderly, Chicago Cares will have a program for you. What a great organization!!!! read more

I am a long time supporter of Chicago Cares and was involved in many of their events at their inception. I had the pleasure of volunteering for the MLK Day Serva-a-thon with Team Yelp and was truly grateful for the opportunity to work with some wonderful kids at The Little Village Boys & Girls Club. The kids were fantastic, the staff at the site were wonderful and obviously kind and compassionate people. The director of the site was truly dedicated and an inspiration. So why only three stars? The Chicago Cares volunteer "PM" John was downright caustic. While he may call the shots at his highly paid corporate position (I'm just guessing here) his people skills dealing with equally busy volunteers taking a day to make a difference were clearly absent. Kind of put a damper on the enthusiasm. I can't really discuss the Mosaic Monster PM because I didn't deal with her but to deny volunteers the opportunity to eat lunch because, well, she kind of poorly managed the project is weak. The requirement to be there at 8:00 am for what amounted to be a 45 minute "Target Cares"commercial and an inaudible song or two from the choir was time I could have spent resting a little bit longer. But to make us sit on the bus for almost an hour and not tell us where we would be working and then the bus driver getting lost despite handing her a highlighted map kind of set the tone for what was about to come. Our group got to interact with kids one on one and as a flight attendant, I took my kids to various ports of call. While discussing the the Philippines with the kids one boy raised his hand and told me his mom told him " there are no gangs in there and kids can play in their yards". That pretty much drove home the need for what we were doing. Twelve hours later there was a gang related shooting less than two blocks from the site. read more

Chicago Cares makes it easy to volunteer. just go to their website and complete the short (5 minute or so) volunteer orientation and you're all set to take part in any project. they also have an online calendar so you can pick a project from the vast array of options. and here's my plug... i'm a team coordinator for the Discovery at Fulton program on Saturdays. it's like an after-school program, except on saturdays, with the main goals being self-esteem building and improving academic skills. i've been involved in this program for 4 years and it is truly wonderful. you really impact the lives of the students you work with, and they have given a lot back to me, too. no special skills needed. i'm certainly not a teacher. just willingness to come, meet some great kids, and listen. message me if you'd like more details. read more

I'm currently a Team Coordinator (since January 2007) for the DINNER AT REST project for Chicago Cares and I LOVE IT. I decided to become a team leader and I realized that I could invite others to join me to make a difference. I look foward to every third Monday of the month to bring in a crew of 4 others to cook for 45-50 women. Like Ray L. said, its a great way to discover your passions and do something good for the community. I personally LOVE to cook and find that it is a GREAT challenge for me and my crew to cook up a meal for this many people, in 1.5 hours, on a $60 budget. But we manage to do it every time! The organization itself is SO caring and SO open to new ideas. they aren't funded by the government at all so they relyl solely on donations and people helping out. (if the government was involved, they would have to listen to their ideas) so they opted out of that. So, if you know of a community in Chicago that needs help, I highly encourage you to submit your ideas to them and they might be able to develop a plan to implement it! read more

I did a one-off volunteer project for Chicago Cares. I like them because they are organized, had a project leader, they email you before with details, they thank you in person, and then sent me a thank you note. Not that I NEED to be thanked over and over again, but it's nice. Plus the people you volunteer with are great too. I was on a digging crew with five women. Men, if you want to meet women, enjoy a very favorable ratio of men to women, (and have the women admire you for your excellent planning-ahead skills) you should sign up too. read more

I've volunteered with Chicago Cares twice now and am impressed with the organization. I was painting a room with my fellow Yelpers and had a great time while volunteering for a great cause. I'm looking forward to volunteering in the future. read more

Commitment phobes rejoice! Chicago Cares offers a full smattering of volunteer opportunities, all around the city, and all you have to do is commit to one day. Sometimes just an hour! It's (generally) well-organized and a nice way to get involved with something worthwhile and meet some new people. Although, some projects are more conducive to making new friends than others - Chicago Cares doesn't have the same social component that One Brick has. (And men, take note: almost every Chicago Cares event I've worked has a majority of women, this is a golden opportunity you are passing up!) SERV-A-THON: The annual event that takes place in the summer. Thousands of volunteers are bussed around the city to tackle projects at public schools (painting, gardening, bench building, etc.). It's FUN to be a part of such a huge project - and there's always a fun party in Grant Park afterwards. What's not fun is that they often seem to have more volunteers at each site than needed, so you finish your project quickly and then end up sitting around. Wah wah. Still worth it though, it's a fun thing to be a part of. ESL IN LOGAN SQUARE: This is a nice after-work volunteer project as it is short (only an hour or so). Basically all the volunteers are brought into a classroom where you are paired off with one (or more) students who want to practice English. Your task is to simply have an individual conversation with the students. The pros are that it's a short project, the cons are that it doesn't offer you much opportunity to meet the other volunteers. COMMUNITY GARDENS: If you're apartment-trapped and miss the dirt, these projects are you! The spring/summer/fall offer lots of opportunities to get out into nature and into the soil. You'll do weeding, digging, moving rock borders, pruning, mulching, trash-pick-up, etc. The pros are that the gardening projects offer a great opportunity to chit-chat with other volunteers, making new friends. The cons are how your back may feel the next day! LAKEVIEW FOOD PANTRY: Help out here on the weekends, sorting food, stocking the shelves, and then passing out the food to pantry clients. The pros: inside work, direct interaction with clients. The cons: having a set amount of food you're supposed to give each person is hard when you have to tell people you can't give them more, even when you want to. read more

I participated with Chicago Cares last year on an absolutely miserable day - pouring rain and cold - and I came way underdressed. The organizers had warm coffee and food ready and waiting and one person even found me a parka to keep from getting even more soaked than I already was. The organization of the entire event was top notch. Even though it was my first time I never really worried about where I needed to be or what I should be doing because everything was so well put together. I can honestly say I'm not huge on volunteering. I do it every once in awhile for something to do. But this event really made me feel good about donating my time. The school looked great when we were done, everyone worked hard and the after-party felt well deserved. read more

I'm a bit old school as far as Chicago Cares goes - I joined back in 1999, and was very active until about 2003 which was around the time other time commitments started coming in. Anyways, even though the organization seems to have changed over the years in how they do things, the basic mission has stayed the same, which is to make volunteering easy for people with busy lives - the time commitment is what YOU want to make - if you can do a project once a week, great! Once a month, great! Once a year, great! The majority of their projects are on weekends or after 5 to accommodate those of us who work a 9-to-5, or may travel a bit for work, and can't make a weekly commitment. What has changed since I was really active is there are so many more volunteers, which means it makes it harder for me to become a more active member - it's hard to sign up for a project - before I had the pick of projects, but now when I want to sign up for a project, 75% of the time it's already full. Yay for Chicago Cares, but boo hoo for me. I've heard that they are working on increasing the number of projects. They are also starting to have social events once every few months - which are always fun! read more

Chicago Cares is an excellent, professional organization to get involved with. I knew I wanted to volunteer in my community (West Town/Ukrainian Village) but I wasn't sure how to get involved or even what opportunities existed in my area. A quick google search later and I was connected to Chicago Cares. It is a primarily web based listing of volunteer programs that have been vetted to provide volunteers with the best experience possible. They provide a monthly calendar of opportunities, and you just e-mail the project coordinator to sign up. They provide directions, guidelines and everything needed to complete the project. The monthly calendar can be organized by type of service so if you have a specific issue that you want to work on, such as homelessness, you can see only those opportunities. My only complaint is that I wish I could organize by area instead of just by the issue. They also operate serve-a-thons which are day long projects intended for large groups of volunteers as well as a corporate volunteering program. Basically, Chicago Cares makes it very easy to give back to our city, so what's stopping you? read more

Today marked the first day that I have ever volunteered. Thanks to the way Chicago Cares organized today's event, it will not be the last. I, too, went to the Lydia House & had a wonderful time. If I wasn't so impressed with my overall experience, I may deduct a star based on the opening ceremony - it was very hard to hear and seemed to drag on a little longer than it needed to. Go on, help someone out. read more

This has got to be one of the easiest, most organized and most varied volunteer programs in Chicago, if not the world! :-) I really enjoy the fact that you are never locked into one particular program or day of the week. You can do lots of different things on any day of the week. The activities range from manual labor, cooking, reading to kids, hanging out, pet therapy with nursing home residents...I mean you can do it all. I highly recommend this organization. It's super easy to join and the rewards are plentiful! read more

What a wonderful thing Chicago Cares does for the city. Now, I've only volunteered twice but it seems like a well run, very organized organization. I love that it sends me a weekly calendar with all the volunteer opportunities. I love that I can be a snobby volunteer and do whatever I want! I can chose anything! Things close by, things far away. I can work with the old or the young. I can do easy work or manual labor. In the two times I've volunteered, I've met really great people - volunteers with similar interests as me, and those who I've served who've had amazing life experience. read more

For the past three years, I've helped coordinate teams to participate in Chicago Cares' Annual Celebration of Service. While this is certainly a great volunteer event for large groups (you have your usual school and company groups), I am in absolute agreement with Colleen C on some of the negative aspects: - The ceremony is a little bit over the top and long (yes, I realize that it is in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and I have no qualms about that), but volunteers essentially sit at the meeting location for several hours before the volunteering actually begins. During this time, you see a rush of people trying to find their groups, register, get their lunches, find seats, etc. It becomes a bit of a hot mess in the morning as people are shouting on their phones trying to find each other. - Volunteers are almost always underutilized. In my opinion, the site leaders should try to have more projects to do. Often times, some parts of teams are sitting waiting for others to finish their projects. Also, teams often leave early as they run out of work to do. Even though these are my negative thoughts of the program, the large get together really does give you a good feeling inside. I love that often times the leader/president/principal of the site you're working at comes to give you an introduction of what their organization is about. You really have a fun time with your friends at these junctures and you know that you're doing a great thing. My favorite project was one where children and their parents came to be a part of an international fair to learn about different countries and spend a free, fun, and crafty educational day at their school. Those not part of the fair were doing all sorts of improvement projects around to ensure that everything would be ready when the students came back that Monday. Other than the large scale events though, Chicago Cares is really flexible about volunteering at smaller gigs. Being extremely busy with work and school among other things, my New Year's resolution this year was to volunteer at least once a month. Chicago Cares absolutely helped me do that. Looking at the calendar every month, there are a TON of things you can do as long as you sign up! I love that they divide it by interest and location so you can really figure out where you want to be. Most of all though, I love that this is all in Chicago in areas that have identified need. There's really nothing better than that. read more

By far the best way to get involved in Chicago community service. It's truly volunteering for dummies. You can do as much or as little as you want. Sadly I have fallen off the past several months, but I used to volunteer weekly or more often. The programs are fantastic. I did weekly Bingo (it's tough to get a spot - very popular program!) for a long time, but it became too hard for me when my dad passed away, but I need to get back in it. No more pity party for me, the folks there are so appreciative of the attention. I've never participated in the Serve-a-thon but I hope to this year provided the date doesn't fall on or too too close to my wedding. I've never done anything that wasn't fulfilling. I think the program is no more, but I did a Saturday morning thing at New Moms where we'd watch the kids while the moms learned how to cook nutritious moms. I think the families lived there. They were mostly single moms in their teens. I'm motivated now, I think I'll see if they've started up something else similar! read more

Chicago Cares is a great organization. I wanted to become an urban gardener, which is difficult since I don't have a garden, and I went on my first event this weekend. If was great and so fun. Everyone is like minded, and I'm looking forward to doing so much more with the organization. The website is great, and super easy to read, along with their event calendar. I wish I knew about it sooner, but I'm happy to know about it now! read more

I've volunteered with Chicago Cares several times and I've always been impressed that they are able to mobilize so much STUFF and get everything organized with such a HUGE crew and make it look easy. It's unreal. Even when I'm a part of the effort to set up/take down I still don't understand how they do it. Somehow, they do it all with a smile and BIG words of encouragement. The most impresive thing was in 2006, the Serve-a-thon began on a SOAKING wet morning and I reported to the check in area right on time and stood in a downpour with everyone else. I was not only surprised to see that the CC crew had everything set up, but also pretty well rain proofed. I enjoyed a nice hot coffee and banana under my umbrella in the middle of a field and then got on a bus to stay dry. If a huge organization can do all of that in a downpour, they can pretty much do anything. Besides making a huge impact on Chicago schools, I've worked with them in combination with other charities for a variety of activites and it actually got me hooked up with The Christopher House, where I volunteered for over 2 years. So there's all sorts of possibilities with this crowd. read more

If you're looking for a volunteer opportunity in the city or near the city this is your first place to look. They have a wide variety of events to volunteer for. If you're looking to volunteer or have a new experience, or even if you're bored and have nothing to do. I suggest you get up, look online at chicagocares.com and you're sure to make use of your time. The coordinators are all frendly. I volunteered with Chicago Cares and went to the Chicago Botanical Gardens. It was a different experience and it made me feel like I was actually giving back to the community. So give it a try, you may or may not like it, but what have you got to lose? read more

Today was the first day that I ever volunteered with Chicago Cares. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was very excited and ready to do anything. I was impressed by the number of people who came out today to continue the legacy of Martin Luther King through community service and volunteerism. Half of the United Center was filled with people of all colors, ages and races coming together to improve the many Chicago communities. Upon arriving to the project site I was assigned to, I was greeted with very friendly and welcoming Chicago Cares staff. Everyone there seemed to share the same passion for community service and there was a strong sense of unity between everybody. I was so impressed by the experience and how organized it was and how motivated the staff was, that I plan on becoming a frequent volunteer with their organization. They all did a good job, even if you had never volunteered before, they didn't make you feel stupid or anything. They were very patient. Their projects are very demanding and they expect you to put 100 percent into whatever you're assigned to. And though my assignment was challenging, it was worth it seeing the impact I had made. I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to help and is interested in improving the lives of others:) read more

On Saturday I participated in my first Chicago Cares event- their anual serv-a-thon. 7500 Chicagoans piled into Grant Park at 8am for this day of painting schools, and as soon as I arrived I was incredibly impressed with the organization of this event. 7500 people is a lot and I was prepared for a lot of waiting around, but that was definitely not the case. Check in literally took 3 minutes and I cannot believe how organized they were with check in and getting people on the buses. At 9 we then piled onto our buses and were taken around to different Chicago schools to paint the classrooms and hallways. The entire day ran very smoothly and I will be participating with them again in the future! read more

I have a friend who works for Chicago Cares. They are an amazing not for profit organization who brings a lot of good to the city!!

This is truly a great organization. I am very happy I got in contact with them and was able to help in someway. I wish I could do more much more, but I have very limited time due to my crazy and hectic schedule, but being able to do something that is selfless and for a great cause is a reward in itself. I def. recommend Chicago cares to anyone who wants to make a difference; we all have different reason as to why we volunteer, but as long as the the final result is to help people in some way and make a difference in our community then go for it you won't regret it. If anything you'll be inspired to do more!! read more

I have been involved with Chicago Cares for a number of years now. It is truly a wonderful organization for anyone looking to give back to the community. They offer a wide variety of volunteering options every day of the year. Whether you enjoy working with children, adults, seniors, animals or even plants....they can offer you a way to give back to Chicago. One of my favorite Chicago Cares activities is the Serve-a-thon. In the past I have had my own volunteer team or worked as a roadie for Chicago Cares. No matter how you volunteer, you always feel good about the way you spent your time. I've done everything from painting schools and nursing homes to helping out at the Chicago Food Depository. No matter what your schedule is like, Chicago Cares can help you find a way to give back! read more

I volunteered with Chicago Cares as part of a volunteer day arranged by my employer. While they don't normally work with kids, we helped landscape a park in Pilsen and helped the kids make garden stones and wind chimes and paint bird houses. The kids had a blast, and I really enjoyed working with them. It was clear that the need was there, and it was appreciated to have some extra hands there to help out. read more

I love this organization and in fact, met my husband doing a Habitat for Humanity Project here 12 years ago. This organization makes it easy for you to volunteer in your community in a wide variety of projects with amazing service organizations. Not into one project; try a different one. And ohhh, the people you will meet. There are so many amazing volunteers. The best of the best! My hubbie and I have met some fantastic and inspiring people through the years. The day I joined this organization was a pivotal day in my life. Look at me, I'm gettting teary eyed! read more

Three years have passed since writing my review. After just arriving home from my ninth service project, I can honestly say this organization just keeps getting better at everything they do. Hats off. read more

Chicago Cares is something I got involved with at the suggestion of a co-worker. I wanted to do *something*, and I've been afforded the opportunity to do something nearly every week since I started volunteering with them this fall. I'm a regular at two projects, an incidental at another, and am looking forward to my first Serve-A-Thon this weekend. read more

I love this organization. I try to participate as often as possible and their website has made it easy for me to plan my service. I go to help Breakthrough ministries at the Joshua center when I can. The lady who runs it, Mrs. Jackson is very devoted and caring towards what she does. I hope that I get the time to help out again in the near future. I have been going on and off in the last few years but school and work has taken so much time from me lately but I will return to them soon. read more