Volunteer Opportunities
Reading and Recording Services - Read to an adult who is visually impaired to support his/her employment, educational and personal reading needs. Clients provide their own reading materials. Volunteers must be able to read at a college level.
Reading Service
- In addition to reading, our volunteers assist clients in filling out forms, conducting Internet searches, etc.
- We match clients with volunteers best suited to meet their needs - and try to ensure that the same volunteer is available on an ongoing basis. Reading services are provided weekly for two-hour sessions; additional sessions and volunteers are available to provide up to 30 hours of reading per week.
- Volunteers can provide tutoring in some subjects.
- Volunteers also assist clients offsite who can't travel to the Lighthouse headquarters in Manhattan.
Recording Service
- Our volunteers record printed material on audiocassette tapes if no other recording is available to the public.
- Individuals and institutions provide all materials to be recorded.
Apply for Reading and Recording Services volunteer opportunities.
Youth Programs Assist instructors in a recreational, educational and social program for youth who are visually impaired. Work with youth between the ages of 7-18 years, and utilize your artistic, athletic, computer and writing abilities. To participate, you must provide two references.Some experience with youth is preferred.
Our Youth programs include:
- Summer Youth Transition Program
- Saturday Youth Skills Program
- Saturday Youth Transition Program
Apply for Youth Programs volunteer opportunities.
The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School Help facilitate the Comprehensive Music Program (on Saturdays) by assisting students with the day's activities and classes (recruitment for the Music Program occurs in August), or assist students as they travel to scheduled performances around the city (on an as-needed basis).
Apply for Music School volunteer opportunities.
The Lighthouse Store Help support our store, located at Lighthouse headquarters at 111 East 59th Street in Manhattan. Assist as a cashier, by restocking shelves and assisting customers with purchases.
Apply for Lighthouse Store volunteer opportunities.
POSH® Events These fundraising sales provide multiple opportunities for volunteers to serve. Before the events, solicit and sort merchandise and help with marketing. During the events, assist with sales, packing merchandise and arranging the sales floor.
- POSH Clothing sale takes place in the spring.
- POSH Interiors sale takes place in the fall.
Apply for POSH® volunteer opportunities.
Special Events Services - Assist at music events, seminars, movie screenings and other Lighthouse-sponsored events. Volunteers will serve in some or all of the following capacities:
- Sighted guide - be trained to offer assistance to guests with a visual impairment.
- Usher - provide general assistance with seating.
- Greeter - assist by welcoming guests.
- Tour guide - after intensive training, educate visitors about Lighthouse International's mission, programs and building design features.
Apply for Special Events volunteer opportunities.
General Support - Help Lighthouse offices function smoothly by providing administrative assistance. Work may include telephone projects, filing, data entry, proofreading and organizing mailings. Strong customer service skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office is a plus.
Apply for General Support volunteer opportunities.
Program Support - Volunteers with a well-defined skill set lead specific initiatives that support programs at Lighthouse. Work may include business cultivation, special event planning or coordinating research projects.
Apply for Program Support volunteer opportunities.
Professional Services - These volunteer opportunities are provided by professionals who work under the auspices of a specific company or as an individual in a "pro bono" capacity to benefit Lighthouse.
- Management Consultant -- These are professionals who help us improve performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems and the development of plans for improvement.
- Graphic Design - Provide graphic design services or counsel on a freelance basis for special projects.
- Legal Services -- These are services involving legal or law-related matters provided by an attorney.
- Photography - Skilled photographers with their own equipment help to document Lighthouse events.
Apply for Professional Services volunteer opportunities.
Internship Opportunities - College students can provide necessary support to Lighthouse and gain technical skills by applying for an internship. Lighthouse internships are unpaid, but are offered in multiple divisions and provide for multi-disciplinary learning. Areas of opportunity include office management, research and accounting.
Apply for Internship opportunities.
High School Community Service - High School seniors can meet their community service requirements by volunteering at Lighthouse for our large scale special events or by providing administrative support for special projects in our offices.
Apply for High School Community Service opportunities.
Young Leadership Committee - Lighthouse International's Young Leadership Committee (YLC) is a volunteer leadership group committed to supporting Lighthouse International's mission-related services for the vision impaired. Consisting of professionals under the age of 40, the YLC recruits motivated candidates from diverse backgrounds and industries who are eager to take on a leadership role in fundraising activities associated with Lighthouse, and are interested in volunteer leadership opportunities within the organization.
Apply to be a member of the Young Leadership Committee.
Client Services Representative - Volunteers assist the administrative staff in The Low Vision Center by working directly with clients. The volunteer will meet, greet and escort clients to The Low Vision Center; assist clients with completing any relevant intake forms; escort clients to the Lighthouse optical center and store; and, access transportation at curbside when the client departs, as the occasion may require.
Apply to be a Client Services Representative.