June 2026
Boys & Girls Club
of Janesville
This month, we’re proud to spotlight the Boys & Girls Club of Janesville—a vital resource for local youth and families that provides a safe, supportive environment for children and teens ages 6–18 after school and throughout the summer.
Their Mission
The Boys & Girls Club of Janesville exists to enable and inspire all youth, especially those who need them most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible community members.
Through evidence-based programming, the Club actively nurtures the next generation with a focus on three key pillars:
📚 Academic Achievement
🥗 Healthy Lifestyles
🌟 Character Development
Programs & Services Include:
• Academic enrichment and homework help
• STEM and arts programming
• Physical activity and recreation
• Social-emotional wellness support
• Workforce development opportunities for teens
Making a Difference
The Club serves hundreds of community members and provides affordable access to high-quality youth programming for local families. Their impact is evident through strong educational outcomes, including improved math and language arts performance, and helping teens stay on track for graduation.
Looking Ahead
With a waitlist of more than 100 youth each year, the need for services continues to grow. To meet that need, the Boys & Girls Club of Janesville is expanding into a new facility at 925 S. Jackson Street, scheduled to open in Fall 2026. The new space will allow even more young people to benefit from caring mentors, educational opportunities, and a safe place to learn, grow, and thrive.
Get Involved – Volunteer Opportunities
Youth Programming Volunteer
Support youth during summer camp by helping with art projects, STEM activities, gym time, outdoor play, reading, and more. Volunteers can work with elementary youth or mentor teens in the teen lounge.
• Flexible scheduling – no minimum time commitment
• Summer camp hours: 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday–Friday
Front Desk Volunteer
Help create a welcoming environment by greeting families, checking youth in and out, and answering phones.
• 7:15 – 10:15 a.m., Monday–Friday
• Commit to at least one day per week during summer camp (June 15 – August 18)
Interested in volunteering?
Contact Carly Courtney, Director of Operations
📞 608-755-0575
📧 ccourtney@bgcjanesville.org
Learn more at www.bgcjanesville.org
May 2026
Stateline Literacy Council
Stateline Literacy Council (SLC) has served non-English speaking adults in Rock County, WI and northern Winnebago County, IL for 54 years. Founded by volunteers from the Beloit Federated Women’s Club, SLC’s mission is simple: improve lives through adult literacy and education.
SLC helps adults build essential skills in reading, writing, and speaking English, while also supporting GED completion and U.S. citizenship preparation. Beyond academics, the program is focused on building community and connection across cultures.
During the 2025–2026 school year, 126 students from 14 countries participated in English, GED, and citizenship classes. Teachers, staff, and volunteers from the U.S., Italy, Venezuela, and the Philippines help create a truly multicultural learning environment.
This Year’s Highlights
- 4 students became U.S. citizens
- 1 student earned a GED through Blackhawk Tech
- 17 students passed GED exams
- 12+ students advanced 1–2 grade levels
- 6 new volunteers joined
Volunteer Experience
SLC is currently looking for 10 additional volunteers to support summer learning, especially conversation practice and family reading time at the Beloit Public Library.
One current RSVP volunteer, Josy, shared her experience tutoring a student:
“We are really enjoying reading one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books” and benefitting from the sharing time after the stories.
She also reflected that her “need to get out of the house, be with others, and be of service” fits well with her student’s need to learn English, and that both are learning about each other’s cultures through their time together.
Volunteer Details
- Meet your student once a week for 60–90 minutes
- Sessions held at the Beloit Public Library
- Flexible scheduling based on your availability
- No teaching experience required
- Free online training through Wisconsin Literacy and ProLiteracy
- Careful matching with ongoing support provided
Students are asking for more conversation practice and more opportunities to read with their children, making this a meaningful time to get involved.
Join Us
If you’re looking for a simple, flexible way to make a real local impact, this is a great place to start.
👉 Volunteer with Stateline Literacy Council and help someone take their next step forward—one conversation at a time. Email Ann Ward at exec.director@slcbeloit.org to volunteer and help someone take their next step forward.
April 2026
Welty Environmental Center
The Welty Environmental Center offers year-round programs for all ages. Notices of activities are published on their website and Facebook page, as well as their periodic newsletter, The Warbler, (available via email or regular mail.)
The center is a place where both children and adults can gain hands-on encounters with biological, physical, and chemical elements of nature. It provides a challenge to its users to relate concepts of the natural and social sciences and humanities to environmental, ecological, and related social concerns. Their programs stimulate interest in local, regional, and global environmental issues.
Welty Environmental Center is always seeking individuals who are passionate about hands-on, inquiry-based environmental experiences for our diverse community.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Field Trip Volunteer
- Weekday field trips when school is in session
- Assist with science-standard based activities grades 4k-8th
- TIME: minimum of 12 hours
- *Background check and training required
- Media Volunteer
- Blogging, photography, and social media
- *Training required
- Want to get involved? Have questions about volunteering? Have a group? Email them at info@weltycenter.org
- Students looking for internship opportunities can email Maddie@weltycenter.org
March 2026
Triple H Ranch and Therapeutic Horsemanship
“I love to see the children grow; I really enjoy working with the volunteers; and it is so nice to be able to provide parents, grandparents, and other primary care givers a place for a break. I love sharing these 11 acres of beautiful land with others and bringing community members out to enjoy the space.”
Sheila Martin, founder and owner of Triple H Ranch
If you enjoy being in the country and giving back to the community, Triple H Ranch is the place for you.
Our volunteer team is a group of like-minded men and women of all ages. Horse experience is NOT necessary. We do a great job training and mentoring new volunteers.
Currently, we have several areas of need:
- Horse Leading (horse experience required)
- Side Walking (horse experience preferred, but will train)
- Special Events (community events, fundraising, open house, field trips, scouts, etc)
- Fix-it projects around the ranch
- Gardening & ranch beautification
- Office support
Time Commitment: Attend a New Volunteer Information Session (1 hour) to learn about the ranch and the various volunteer opportunities. There are no time commitments. Our Ranch Hands events are popular and held twice a month.
February 2026
Caritas Community Resource Center
“The [picture on the left] is of some of our volunteers who we proudly celebrate, because without them, we couldn’t serve the thousands of people that we do.”
Caritas Executive Director, Larisa Chmielewski
Caritas has been serving the community since 1974.
Caritas offers a walk-in pantry and drive-through.
Caritas pantry hours are:
- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 10 AM – 2:15 PM
- Thursday 10 AM – 12 PM
Caritas Volunteer Roles
- Walk in Pantry – Assist and guide neighbors through the walk-in/grocery style pantry
- Drive-Thru Pantry Vehicle Greeter – Greet neighbors in vehicles and lift premade boxes of food into the vehicle
- Drive-Thru Pantry Stocker – Stock boxes of food for disbursing in the drive-through
- Stocker – Assist with stocking shelves and organizing the warehouse, coolers, freezers
- Greeter – Greet neighbors of the walk-in pantry, hand out numbers, and assist with pet food disbursements
- Baby Room – Greet neighbors while shopping for baby clothes and document and dispense diapers/wipes to neighbors
- Special Events – Assist with fundraisers, Santa Toy Shoppe, and other fun events as they come up
January 2026
Beloit Historical Society (BHS)
| The Beloit Historical Society (BHS), founded in 1910, is the oldest historical society in Rock County, Wisconsin. Headquartered on the west side of town at the Lincoln Center, located in the heart of the Beloit Community. Its location sits upon space once occupied by Lincoln Junior High School from 1921 to 1985. Programs and events of community interest are held throughout the year. See below volunteer opportunities available: Cataloging Collections Are you a hands-on type of person? Do you love antiques, old documents and historic photographs? Volunteers who work with the BHS collections catalog new artifact donations, improve current artifact records, organize collections storage, and research more information on the artifacts. This volunteer opportunity is a great way to have fun working directly with artifacts and see visible results. Clerical & Office Do you have good communication skills and a friendly smile? Office volunteers help cover office between Tuesday to Thursday. BHS office volunteers answer the phone and greet visitors, provide information about BHS, and help with other duties such as filing, mailings, and more. If you have or wish to gain office experience, are organized, and want to help BHS in day-to-day operations, this volunteer role is for you. Gardening & Maintenance Do you have a green thumb? Do you like working outside, keeping a yard neat and tidy? BHS needs volunteers to help with light housekeeping, carpentry, landscaping, gardening, and other tasks to keep the Lincoln Center and office grounds looking good. Newsletter Do you love to write? Like to see your name in print? Volunteers are needed to create the stories about Beloit’s history that you see featured in the Society’s bi-monthly newsletter, Confluence. Volunteers can choose a topic of interest and learn more about it before creating your story. Volunteers are also needed to assist in preparing the newsletter for bulk mailing. Research & Archives The Society maintains a library to help patrons research local history. If you want to learn more about Beloit’s history, and like to organize information, there are countless opportunities for you in the archives. Volunteers are always needed to help research and answer information requests or help develop an exhibit in the Society’s galleries. Photography Volunteers with photography skills are needed to photograph artifact collection items and event activities. Special Events The Society hosts several events throughout the year. Volunteers are needed to greet visitors, take admission, set up or clean up, help plan events, and more. If you are outgoing, and like the action of an event, or if you have a couple of hours to give monthly, this is the volunteer opportunity for you! |
December 2025
Rotary Botanical Gardens
Welcome to a botanical gem!
Rotary Botanical Gardens (RBG) is a 20-acre, award-winning nonprofit botanical showcase in the heart of Janesville, Wisconsin, dedicated to enriching lives through natural beauty, education, and the arts.
Rotary Botanical Gardens serves as a prime destination for adult and family education programs, weddings, corporate meetings, community gatherings, and quiet afternoon strolls. RBG’s dedicated volunteers, horticulturists, enthusiastic members, generous donors, and small but mighty staff continue to cultivate a renowned retreat that blends science and art, education and relaxation, and tranquility and entertainment.
Interested in volunteering with Rotary Gardens? They have multiple volunteer roles year-round including ambassadors, crafters/carpenters, teachers (this is a high need!), gardeners, watering, tour guides, and special events support. Go to www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/volunteer to learn more.