April is National Volunteer Month, and SCORE Cleveland, part of the national organization of more than 10,000 volunteers who provide free mentoring, workshops, and educational services to 1,500-plus communities across the country, needs additional volunteers to help entrepreneurs and startups in Northeast Ohio realize their lifelong dreams of starting and owning a successful small business.

The Cleveland chapter needs volunteers in all seven of the Northeast Ohio counties it serves, including Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Geauga, Ashtabula, Huron, Erie, and Trumbull counties.

“SCORE volunteers provide free mentoring to a diverse range of American small businesses and entrepreneurs,’’ says Curtis Scruggs, co-chair of the Cleveland chapter of SCORE. “Small businesses need mentoring and educational support to be successful and SCORE is the most effective source of small business mentoring in the U.S.”

Last year, more than 100 SCORE Cleveland volunteers helped start 501 new businesses and create 808 total jobs. SCORE Cleveland volunteers also provided more than 7,500 chapter services, which include mentoring sessions and workshops.

“We desperately need more mentors—especially women and minorities—to keep pace with the growing demand from our vibrant small business community,’’ says Scruggs, adding that the chapter is looking for people with significant business experience in all industries and all fields—including accounting and finance, sales and marketing, operations, product development, manufacturing, human resources, and IT.

SCORE Cleveland mentors say volunteering provides networking opportunities, is intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying, and a way to keep skill sets fresh and learn continuously.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to help someone realize a lifelong dream of starting and owning a business,” says Scruggs.