Boca Helping Hands provides bags of groceries from its food pantry and hot meals on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. In addition it provides more than 1000 sandwiches and snacks a week for the children in low-income, after-school, child-care facilities in the area. Shut-in meals are also provided. We welcome teen (16+) volunteers. The center is a wonderful place for students to volunteer because of its friendly and caring atmosphere.

Mission: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Make-a-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida serves Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands, Monroe, Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee. OUr biggest cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Key West, Naples, and Fort Myers counties. The average cost of a wish is $5,000.

The Kids for Wish Kids® (elementary, middle school ages) and Wishmakers® (high school and college ages) programs are fundraising programs implemented int he schools, religious organizations, and community/civic organizations to raise funds and community awareness on behalf of Make-A-Wish. For more information, fundraising ideas and forms, log onto: www.sfla.wish.org/spev-kidsforwishkids.htm or call 954-967-9474.

Our mission is to enable young people to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, and form attitudes that help them become productive and contributing members of society. We need volunteer teens to assist clubs and leaders, and to work as summer day camp assistants. Minimum age: 16 years old

Volunteer opportunities for teenagers are available throughout the year in the Main Courthouse and Government Center in West Palm Beach. Volunteers work in one of several offices including County Criminal, Juvenile, Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, Family, Administration and Recording. Every effort is made to guarantee the volunteer and his/her assignment are well suited for each other. Volunteers assist with the many clerical needs of each department: filing, photocopying, creating and updating case files, researching microfilm documents and other tasks as necessary. Volunteers gain knowledge of the Palm Beach County judicial system while assisting Clerk employees and saving taxpayers money. Hours are flexible. Please call for more information.

* This may be a good summer activity, as the court hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Boca Raton students would need to allow time to commute.

South Florida Summerbridge at Saint Andrew's School is a tuition-free, year-round academic enrichment program for economically challenged middle scool students in the School District of Palm Beach County. The program seeks high school and college students with an interest in the teaching profession as teachers/mentors. Summerbridge has two program components: a Summer Institute (June-July of each year; stipends given) and a School Year Institute (October - May of each year; internship and community service credit given).