here is what I pulled up when I typed battered womens volunteers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Volunteers

ADULT PROTECTIVE SRVCS 670-4500. 2220 Gloria Drive. Orange, Texas 77630

I'll bet they can help you find somewhere to volunteer.

Call your local hospital, and ask about volunteering.
The Red Cross, would be another place, looking for volunteers.

Here's a link to Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital,Volunteer Services

Here is a link that might be useful: Volunteer Services

The police know where those shelters are, but may not give the info out to someone who isn't a victim of abuse.

If you want to rock babies, IMO, the greatest need is at the AIDS baby hospices. Why not contact your local one? They always need people willing to help those poor little ones, who have such a short life expectancy.

I think it is great to volunteer for this, but be aware that some hospitals, and other places should do background checks and finger prints and run them thru a data base. Why? Because there is always that one person who does this and then takes the baby.. or decide that they can do better than the mom. Sorry, that is just the way it is. The babies must be protected.

I am going to look into both of these tomorrow. I don't mind a back ground check at all. I have nothign to hind at all kinda boring actually LOL....but if I could do something one day a week I think I would enjoy it.....Not sure if I can handle the battered woman might make me think of Kasey to much but the poor babies with aides or going thru drug withdrawals I could do that.....Love those babies.....Stacy

It depends which state you are in. I know in my state (New York) there's a private children's home run by the Catholic Church, that's where you go if you want to rock babies, etc. For battered women, there are two National phone lines 1-800-656-4673 (National Sexual Assault Hotline) and 1 800 879- 6682 (National Organization for Victim Assistance). I contacted the second at a time when my husband was being very verbally and emotionally abusive to me. They immediately told me where to go for counselling and group meetings. They told me to get a bag ready, a suitcase of documents I'd need, as well as advising me to open some bank and charge accounts separate from him. They told me there were many emergency shelters I could go to, they did not reveal the actual addresses to me. Luckily things improved between me and my DH, we got help from a Marriage Counselor, and we're still together and much happier. Good luck to you, dear. I know it's such a good feeling to help others. I worked at a Catholic Foster Home in Corpus Christi Texas many years ago.

Regular hospitals also need volunteers to help with new born's. My friend was a nurse there and she said she had 5 to care for and she didn't have time to do it.

Check in the "blue pages" of the local phone book. Or call the police station, they will give you the phone number for shelters but the shelter will probably put you on a waiting list until their next training session so be patient. They have to be SOOOOO careful about accepting volunteers.

How about volunteering to read to kids at school or work with nursing home residents.

Going to the Chamber of Commerce and getting a phone book and ask if they happen to know! I after really thinkin I would really stuggle with abused women...i think it would killl me to hear what they go trhoug and then I would be imangein is that what kasey is going through....Anyways.....I can rock babies....so going to get a phone book look up hospitals in our area and start dialing! I have thought about being a voulunteer gramma at school also.....Nursing homes....are tough on me...but if nothing else works out I won't not try there....Thanks Stacy

when i was "bonded" to work at the school dist in san diego it was as simple as going to the local sheriff's office and showing my drivers lic and getting finger-printed...took all of 10 minutes...

thank you for wanting to help!

Around here it's not easy to volunteer at the battered spouse places. First of course is security issues but just as important, for some of the activities you need to have psych evals to see if you can handle some of the potential scenarios. They don't want the liability for someone wigging out from the stress that can happen. But there's ways to work in and find out if you thing you could be interested in related areas too.

Sounds like you're finding what you're looking for but if you want to get more involved in some other areas, check with your local police department. You might even be interested in some crime prevention activities rather than the after the fact items. You obviously love kids. Would something like dressing as McGruff at community events be of interest? There's also the fire department comparable (the dalmation) and it's heartwarming to see kids literally run up to hug these critters. The more you work with them the easier it would be to work in the homes with troubles, whether it be foster homes, battered spouses (it's not just women y'know) and the like. Even with trying to get toy donations that cops give to kids when they've had something traumatic happen. House fire, burglary or worse, they can give the kid a stuffed animal or something to cuddle with and it helps a lot. Crime prevention needs all kinds of volunteers, even with babysitting while others are doing fundraisers or something. It's a cliche, but think outside the box a bit. There's lots of ways to volunteer.

Don't forget the libraries. Like schools, they're under belt tightening over the past years too. Any community recreation programs to help with volunteer needs? City hall and police/fire departments can help with this too. There's needs of all kinds so it doesn't matter if you may be under time constraints, there's a little time here and there that's still appreciated. Handicapped? Still tons of things to be done that can be adapted to a persons' needs. Blind? Deaf? Don't let anything stop you folks. I harp a lot about getting involved and I'll take the chastizing. I truly belive in its importance and necessity. Everyone has their pet projects and that's great. Just get involved.

I applaud you for wanting to get involved. It's SO important. And I can say from experience there's not a lot that truly is more satisfying.