|
VOLUNTEER WITH FAMILY PROMISE OF METRO EASTVolunteers of all ages are welcomed at Family Promise. Around the United States, local Family Promise organizations help hundreds of families a year, and it would not be possible without each and every one of our valuable volunteers. You are our secret sauce!
Our primary need at Family Promise of Metro East is always direct, in-person evening and overnight support of our guest families: socializing, hosting dinner, and just generally being present. A family's local community showing up in person to support them when they are experiencing homelessness communicates belonging during a time that often feels very isolating. We also have other ways for individuals, families, congregations, businesses, and other groups to get involved -- some occasional and some ongoing: tutoring, driving the Ride Connection mini-bus to transport families who don't have a vehicle, building-care and repair, data entry, craft projects, community outreach, helping to organize fundraising events ... and an occasional sorting of all the toys and games at the Day Center to reconnect cards and playing pieces with their boxes and the toddler-toys with the Nursery! Like any family living situation, our kids move stuff from room to room and naturally forget items when they get distracted ;). Scroll down to read about some our most-regular volunteer opportunities. Please send an email to our Volunteer Coordinator, Flame Rayhawk (she/her), to get more information. (Flame is also available (text or voicemail) at 503-208-6050, but her schedule varies quite a bit according to the needs at the shelter, so email is the most reliable connection.) (Volunteers under 18 must volunteer with a trained and background-checked adult who is legally responsible for them. All adult volunteers working with our families or in our shelter space must complete a Family Promise training (about 2.5 hours), pass a background check, and sign our Confidentiality Agreement -- our first priority is *always* the safety of our guest families.) |
Host Site Volunteers -- our main volunteer category!
Host (evening and overnight) site volunteers make it possible for us to provide half of our core services to our guests: overnight shelter, food, and activities.
Meals: Volunteers provide at least one hot meal per day, in the evening: a full-spread dinner (entree(s), side(s), dessert(s)). Some of our overnight sites also cook a hot breakfast on weekends -- one site, with a couple of dedicated cook-volunteers, does every morning! (The families can pack lunches from either leftovers or other groceries provided.)
Evening shifts: Volunteering for an evening shift includes eating dinner with the families and being available for social time until the overnight volunteers take over: chatting or playing games with the kids and adults; sometimes helping the kids with homework. sometimes families go right to bed after dinner (especially if a parent has a complicated work schedule), or go out in the evenings after dinner for a while (especially when the weather is nice), so evening shifts can be very quiet, very boisterous, or anywhere in-between. Some evening volunteers enjoy bringing crafts along, to offer as an activity.
Overnight shifts are usually the least complicated shifts, but often the hardest to fill! Overnight shifts have more cut-and-dried/clear task expectations than the more free-form evening shifts, and of course for most of the time, everyone is asleep (or at least in their rooms being quiet). If you are not a social butterfly, an overnight shift is a great way to concretely and personally support families experiencing homelessness, but with more emphasis on presence and less emphasis on extroversion.
Meals: Volunteers provide at least one hot meal per day, in the evening: a full-spread dinner (entree(s), side(s), dessert(s)). Some of our overnight sites also cook a hot breakfast on weekends -- one site, with a couple of dedicated cook-volunteers, does every morning! (The families can pack lunches from either leftovers or other groceries provided.)
Evening shifts: Volunteering for an evening shift includes eating dinner with the families and being available for social time until the overnight volunteers take over: chatting or playing games with the kids and adults; sometimes helping the kids with homework. sometimes families go right to bed after dinner (especially if a parent has a complicated work schedule), or go out in the evenings after dinner for a while (especially when the weather is nice), so evening shifts can be very quiet, very boisterous, or anywhere in-between. Some evening volunteers enjoy bringing crafts along, to offer as an activity.
Overnight shifts are usually the least complicated shifts, but often the hardest to fill! Overnight shifts have more cut-and-dried/clear task expectations than the more free-form evening shifts, and of course for most of the time, everyone is asleep (or at least in their rooms being quiet). If you are not a social butterfly, an overnight shift is a great way to concretely and personally support families experiencing homelessness, but with more emphasis on presence and less emphasis on extroversion.
Minibus Driver
Family Promise of Metro East is always looking for people to join our amazing cadre of Volunteer Drivers to provide safe, reliable transportation for families from our Day Center to our host sites in a 14-passenger Ride Connection minibus. Drivers can choose as many or as few shifts per month as they would like; most open shifts are on weekends. Rides are needed two shifts per day, 7 days per week. The shifts are 6:30–8am and 5–6:30pm (but usually only take 30-45 minutes). A CDL license is NOT required, but five years of driving experience and a clean driving record are. Ride Connection certification (takes 13- 20 hours) -- including an in-person driving test with a mini-bus -- is required.
Occasionally drivers help families to attend outings and activities, and have the option of attending with the families. Some past activities: OMSI, the ballet, the symphony, nature-walks.
One 30-45 minute shift saves each family that doesn't have their own car 1-2 hours and a transfer or two on public-transportation -- often for a ride that takes less than 10 minutes in the minibus -- out in whatever weather is happening that day. This is twice-a-day peace and safety our drivers gift to each family who relies on rides. (Thank you to all our current drivers!)
Occasionally drivers help families to attend outings and activities, and have the option of attending with the families. Some past activities: OMSI, the ballet, the symphony, nature-walks.
One 30-45 minute shift saves each family that doesn't have their own car 1-2 hours and a transfer or two on public-transportation -- often for a ride that takes less than 10 minutes in the minibus -- out in whatever weather is happening that day. This is twice-a-day peace and safety our drivers gift to each family who relies on rides. (Thank you to all our current drivers!)
Fundraising Committee & Event Volunteers
As a small, independent nonprofit, FPME raises all the funds we need for our 24/7 emergency family shelter and other assistance programs. Our Fundraising Committee plans special events to generate community support and oversees all development activities for the organization. If you have prior experience in nonprofit development work or event planning, or if you just want to make sure the families we serve have all the resources they need to regain housing, this is one way you can make a direct impact.
Guest Services Committee
We want to make sure our guests have everything they need and a little more. The Guest Services Committee is dedicated to helping source items needed for a new home, make sure kids have clothing for school, and help with birthdays, seasonal celebrations, and other important events and activities. If you have connections for free or highly-discounted items families (especially kids) might need, or might be interested in joining this committee to do the legwork to find those resources, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator.
Publicity production and editing
Does your written word inform and influence people? Can you work under a deadline? Are you detail oriented and have an eye for assessing visual appeal? Do you have a passion for helping homeless children and their families? Perhaps you can take the lead to develop and maintain the Family Promise of Metro East (FPME) newsletters or other engaging, public-facing publications. (Volunteering directly with the Executive Director, Seth Truby (he/him).)
