The Metropolitan Washington Ear is a non-profit organization that provides reading services for the blind, visually-impaired and print disabled of the Washington area. We are currently seeking volunteers.
Volunteer Opportunities
Readers for the Dial-In Newspaper and Magazine services
Volunteers are asked to take a brief audition and commit to a weekly shift of two hours, between 6:00 am – 11:00 am, to read The Washington Post, selections of The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time Magazine, People, and the Washingtonian Magazines into a computer, which will then be accessed by low vision or blind callers.
Readers for the Radio Broadcast
Volunteers are asked to take a brief audition and commit to 2 hours per week to read magazines, newspapers, and other national publications to be aired on our 24-hour closed circuit radio broadcast and our world wide webcast.
Look-up Service
We are looking for volunteers to help with the look-up service. Volunteers agree to be at home and available (via telephone call forwarding from the Dial-In number to your phone one night a week from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM). Call forwarding will keep your name and phone number anonymous. Volunteers will be responsible for looking up items in The Washington Post not covered in the daily reading — Classified Ads and the Yellow Pages.
Speakers Bureau
Volunteers are needed to speak on behalf of the Washington Ear at local organizations, schools, churches, and to man information booths at local health fairs. We only recruit speakers from our readers.
Office Help
Volunteers are needed to help answer phones, help with data entry, filing, mass mailings and other office duties.
Become a Volunteer!
If you are interested, or would like more information about becoming a volunteer or to schedule an audition, call (301) 681-6636 and ask for David Warren. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Our E-mail address is david@washear.org.