Amid the threat of federal funding cuts, 11 Marin nonprofits are forming a collective database to allow easy access to volunteer opportunities.

The endeavor, called the Marin Volunteer Tutor and Mentor Recruitment Initiative, is being spearheaded by Bob Rosenberg of Kentfield. Rosenberg, 79, has been a volunteer tutor for 15 years at Davidson Middle School in San Rafael, and is on the board of the nonprofit 10,000 Degrees, which offers low-income students college assistance.

“The needs for volunteer tutor and mentor support are huge and not diminishing,” Rosenberg said.

The participating nonprofits completed surveys that were used to create an online spreadsheet of local volunteering opportunities. Previously, volunteer recruitment has been handled separately by the nonprofits and school districts.

“Our goal is to create an outreach plan to cast a wide net to all of those who might be interested in volunteering,” Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg, who said he is apolitical, got the idea for the initiative after attending a “No Kings” rally in Marin featuring U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman. Rosenberg said many people at the rally appeared to have “a lot of frustration” over actions by the Trump administration. He thought some might want to be a volunteer to counter all the negativity and find a positive outlet.

“The need for tutoring and mentoring is enormous, and has been made worse by politicians,” he said. “The need is especially great post-COVID since a lot of kids lost a year of school and are still struggling.”

Rosenberg said the “presence in their lives of an unrelated caring adult who continues to show up makes a difference.”

Laura Trahan, an assistant superintendent at the Marin County Office of Education, said there are at least 40 foster youths who need assistance and are being monitored by the agency. Trahan said she is aware other students are in need, but the county office does not keep official records on them.

Richard Bernstein, a longtime volunteer mentor and board chair of Marin CASA, the court-appointed special advocates, said the new initiative will be “a powerful organizing effort to inform potential volunteers in the county of the many ways that they can help and support kids in need.”

He said Marin CASA has already had cuts in federal funding, causing its social workers to amass large caseloads because of staff shortages.

Bernstein was a CASA mentor for Mickey Sobel, a foster youth during his years at two Marin high schools. Berner continued to support Sobel even after he aged out of foster care and went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Sobel, 34, said the support he received from Bernstein allowed him to evolve from a 1.0 grade point average in his junior year in high school to getting the college degrees. Then Sobel, with Bernstein’s support, was able to work for the Peace Corps and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“He was always there for me,” said Sobel, now a Marin CASA board member. “He’s the only one who was there for my graduation and for my first baby shower.”

“I wouldn’t be where I am if it was not for Richard,” said Sobel, who lives in San Francisco. “The CASAs provide consistency and stability that is otherwise not found in the foster system.”

In addition to Marin CASA, the other nonprofits involved are 10,000 Degrees; Bridge the Gap; Empowering Children Bay Area; Enriching Lives Through Music; Karma Club; Rise Scholars; Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area; Canal Alliance University Prep; Next Generation Scholars; and Parent Services Project.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to obtain an education that was unavailable to my first-generation American parents,” said Rosenberg, who practiced for 30 years as an endodontist. “As I look across the desk at an immigrant kid, I see my parents and know that these children can succeed, if given the opportunity.”

The website, marinvtmi.org, is expected to be unveiled at a meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at the Marin County Office of Education at 1111 Las Gallinas Ave. in San Rafael.