On-call Receptionist Volunteer

Staff the front desk.  Duties to include: answering a multi-line phone, accepting and organizing donations, sorting mail, attending to doorbell, handing out food baskets, and writing thank you notes.

Shelter Children’s Services Volunteer

Help us provide a safe, nurturing and fun environment for the children in the Shelter Children’s Services.  Read books, do arts and crafts, play games, prepare snacks, rock babies and assist the teachers with cleaning and organizing.

Study Buddies Volunteer

Do you want to help children succeed in school?  Provide academic assistance and homework help to youth in the Shelter Children’s Services. 

Maintenance Volunteer

Are you the “handyman” type?  Assist the YWCA staff in completing minimal repairs and maintenance throughout the shelter.

Donations Volunteer
If you love to organize, this is the opportunity for you!  Sort, organize and put away community donations that come in.  You will work in the household closet, hygiene closet, clothing room, blanket closet, gift closet, food pantry, and other storage rooms as needed.

Kitchen Volunteer
Do you have a background in food services or culinary arts?  Volunteers are needed for light kitchen cleaning (including washing dishes) and possible food preparation.  If studying culinary arts, more opportunities are available.

Transitional Housing Volunteer/Shelter Moving Volunteer
Stay busy by helping move residents, clean apartments, and pick up furniture and other donations.  This opportunity does require some heavy lifting.

Education and Employment Volunteer
The YWCA Education and Employment program is always looking for professionals and experts to give presentations on topics such as budgeting, credit, health, parenting, customer service, women’s history, etc.  These presentations should be 1 hour in length.  Have a knack for computers?  Volunteers are needed to provide one-on-one help to residents in the computer lab (help setting up e-mail, using word, excel, etc).  We also need help in our Steps to Success program by organizing and putting binders together for the participants.

Special Events

Volunteers are always needed at the YWCA’s special events.  Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator about upcoming events and how you can get involved.

Website Volunteer
Are you familiar with updating websites and want to use some creativity?  Then this is the volunteer opportunity for you.  We are looking for someone to update our website on a weekly basis.  Must have working knowledge of Dreamweaver. 

It’s Time to Talk: Forums on Race Facilitator
Make a difference and be a facilitator for small group discussions on race.  To become a facilitator, you must complete one, three hour training from the YWCA.  Once you are trained, you decide how many dialogues you’d like to facilitate.  The upcoming dialogues are sent out via e-mail and the first available facilitators participate.  All supplies are provided.  Facilitations are between 45 minutes and one hour long.  Please contact the Racial Justice Coordinator at 701-232-2547 for more information.

General/Rotating Volunteer
You’re not sure what area you would like to volunteer in?  Become a weekly volunteer and find your niche!  You will be asked to assist with anything that needs to be done in the Shelter.  This would include putting away donations, working in childcare, filing, answering phones, and anything else you would be comfortable with. 

Painting/Wallpapering Volunteer
Do you have an eye for detail and have experience painting?  Volunteers are needed to paint meeting rooms and hallways throughout the shelter.  Volunteers with experience in wallpapering are also needed.

Birthday Party Volunteer
One Tuesday a month, the YWCA Shelter holds a birthday party for the residents.  Volunteers are needed to decorate the room for the party, wrap presents, and call Bingo.  This is a fun opportunity!

Translation Volunteer
Know a foreign language?  Due to the diversity in our shelter, the YWCA is always in need of volunteers to translate.  Assist non-English speaking residents in asking questions, going over rules, and talking about goals and plans.

Other Ways to Volunteer?
The sky’s the limit!  From backpack drives to pizza parties for the kids, the options are endless.  Contact the Volunteer Coordinator if you have an idea of your own you’d like to explore.

Last updated 1/22/09