Welcome House is always looking for individuals and groups who are willing to donate their time to help us in our mission of ending homelessness.
In 2022, Welcome House was supported by 1,036 volunteers. Of those individuals, 156 volunteered in direct client-based services and 880 in indirect-administrative services. A total of 3,720 hours of volunteer work came to Welcome House in 2022 and all efforts brought us closer in our ultimate mission.
How To Get Started
Listed below are short-term, reoccurring, and group opportunities that are open within our agency for volunteers. This is not an exclusive list and as always, we are willing to work with you if there is another volunteer opportunity you would be interested in fulfilling. Please check out the opportunities below to see what you’re interested in, then complete the volunteer application.
Volunteer Application
All volunteers must begin the process by completing the Volunteer Application Form. Once your application is received, someone will reach out to you to take the next steps.
Donation Drives & Fundraising
Donating items is a simple way to make a BIG impact for someone transitioning to permanent housing. Welcome House accepts a multitude of items, but we prioritize housing needs like bedding, kitchen items, bath items, etc. This is a great activity that can be done on your own time. Groups can also organize restaurant nights to benefit Welcome House.
Donate A Meal
Individuals and/or groups can supply meals for Welcome House clients staying in Welcome House housing facilities. You can cook a meal for the 35 women and children staying our Shelter, our VA shelter which houses up to 10 male veterans or our new medical respite center.
Sorting Donations
Donation sorters help carry donations up and down stairs, sorting the donations into their appropriate places, cleaning up and organizing the items in the shelves, consolidating shelves to make room for incoming donations, general tidying up. This activity only takes place during business hours Mon.-Fri. 9am-4:30pm.
Shelter Activities
Host an activity night at our shelter for women and children! This could be a fun activity or craft for the kids, a life-skills class for the women, a fun parent/child activity, a spa-night for painting nails and giving facials, the possibilities are endless! Volunteers are responsible for providing materials for any projects or classes they’d like to host. These activities work best Mon-Fri 7:00pm-8:30pm.
Child Care Provider
Our shelter residents are constantly working to find employment, attend trainings and meetings, and secure an education. By volunteering as a Child Care Provider, you are helping the women reach these goals by watching their children as they balance many priorities often times with no support model.
Beautification
We have several areas that could use a little bit of a cleanup. Landscaping projects include picking up trash, mulching, sanitizing playsets, and general tidying up. If your group has a bit of a budget or would like to get more involved in this project, you could even host a cookout after the pickup! Ideally this activity would take place during business hours Mon.-Fri. 9am-4:30pm.
Administrative Assistance
There is always paper work, computer work, and general behind-the-scenes support that needs to be completed. If you find that organization is your strong suit and you want to get involved with Welcome House, become an Admin Extraordinaire.
Event Volunteering
Welcome House event volunteers typically help monitor silent auction tables, coat-check, at-the-door ticket sales, or other event needs for Mardi Gras for Homeless Children (on Fat Tuesday each year), Household Shower (mid-April) or Summer Sunday (the first Sunday in August). This is a great way to help out while having a good time at some of our favorite events!