Don't have time to become a tutor or a mentor? Seven Tepees offers many other ways that you can help. Some of the special opportunities for giving your time and talent at Seven Tepees include:
- Participating in fund drive
- Chauffeuring youth to special events
- Helping with community service projects
- Participating in workshops
- Assisting in office tasks
- Teaching special skills
- And many more...
For more information about volunteering in other ways, contact the Volunteer Coordinator by phone at 415-522-1550, or by e-mail at
Special Volunteer Story - Darren Pollard
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For Darren Pollard, it took one BART ride to figure out what had been missing in his life.
Darren met Diane Dodge, Executive Director of Seven Tepees, while traveling on BART to a job interview. He confessed to her that he was unsure about the potential job in Atlanta. His first love, he admitted, was photography and working with people.
Diane encouraged him to follow his passions and suggested he teach photography at Seven Tepees. The next year changed his life. He volunteered with six high school Seven Tepees youth, educating them about photojournalism. He taught them to use a camera to find beauty and meaning in things that are usually overlooked.
"In the past, my idea of being prosperous had a financial value. Now, through my experience with Seven Tepees, being prosperous has a different meaning - following your true passion in life," said Darren. He was so excited about his photography class that he started talking about it to anyone who would listen, including Joyce Gordon, a gallery owner in Oakland. Joyce was inspired to host a fundraiser for Seven Tepees. During the fundraiser, youth from Darrenâs class showcased their work alongside famous photographers from across the globe.
At Darrenâs job, co-workers responded to his enthusiasm by raising funds to purchase a camera for every youth participant. They also donated a laptop and sent 10 volunteers last summer to paint the Learning Center, an event that also helped to recruit new mentors.
Darrenâs story is a classic example of the magic that happens when we share Seven Tepees with others. In 2008, Seven Tepees honored Darren at our Awards Night by recognizing him as Volunteer of the Year.
"I began to realize who I was and what I was willing to give of myself. If you are knowledgeable about something, you have to give it away so it can grow," Darren said.