Each week, United Way of Southwest Michigan releases a list of volunteer opportunities in the southwest Michigan area. To learn more about these opportunities, visit uwsm.org.

Volunteers sought for Back to School Bash

Help get children ready to head back to school at this one-stop-shop event. The Berrien County Health Department is looking for volunteers for its annual Back to School Bash. The volunteers will read to children and run the forms table. This event will also feature immunization info for families, hearing and vision screenings, healthy snack inspiration, parenting resources, connection to programs and more. For more information, or to sign up, go to uwsm.org/volunteer.

Half Note Half Marathon seeking volunteers

The Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra is looking for volunteers for the Half Note Half Marathon and 5K Race. Volunteers are needed to support race logistics such as distributing registration packets, water and aid station support, course monitors, and award assistance. The Half Note Half Marathon and 5K Race will be hosted Sunday, Sept. 15. The race is a fundraiser that benefits programming at the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. For more information or to sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Alleviate weekend hunger for children

Feeding his Sheep is a weekend food assistance program for school age children in south Berrien County. The program helps eliminate weekend hunger by providing backpacks filled with weekend food for children to take home on Friday after school so they will not go hungry. The children return the backpacks Monday morning to be filled again for the next weekend. The Salvation Army of Niles could use volunteer help picking up the empty backpacks on Mondays, delivering bags to the schools and helping keep track of the numbers of backpacks needed for each school. To sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Fernwood seeking volunteers

Fernwood Botanical Garden is seeking volunteers to assist visitors in their Railway Garden. For more information or to sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.

Run for Hope and Recovery 5K seeking volunteers

SWMI Racers are looking for volunteers for the third annual Run for Hope and Recovery 5K to support suicide prevention awareness and addiction recovery on Sept. 7. Volunteer roles include packet pickup, course monitor, and water station. Registration is open until Aug. 30. For more information, or to sign up, visit uwsm.org/volunteer.