NOTICE:
With the shelter season beginning on November 1st, the Management Committee of the Interfaith Cot Shelter has some volunteer openings. One opening is to become an overnight volunteer. These volunteers arrive at 9 PM and have a private room to sleep in and then wake up at 5:45 AM to set out breakfast for the guests and leaves at 7 AM. This is a very important role at the shelter and is very easy to do! I began doing overnights last year and realized how easy it is so I would be more than eager to speak to anyone about this role! We are also looking for volunteers to help shuttle the laundry from the shelter to the jail and back again. This task is normally done between 6 & 7 AM four days a week. It does require heavy lifting and a vehicle that has room for large bags of laundry. If you are interested in any of these roles or would like more information, please contact Lori Ingraham, at dingra1026@yahoo.com.
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Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals is an entirely volunteer organization. This means that donations go directly to services. It also means that we’re always on the lookout for more volunteers! Volunteer jobs range in scope from once or twice a year to monthly or even weekly in a few cases. The following list includes most of the regular volunteer work:
- Being a member of a meal team to prepare and serve a dinner at the shelter between November and April. Some teams do a day each month; others fill in less often.
- Being an overnight volunteer, who spends the night from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. to supplement the ServiceNet staff member and set out breakfast. A small private room is reserved for the overnight volunteer to sleep in.
- Helping with one or more of the monthly shelter cleaning sessions.
- Helping transport laundry to and from the Hampshire County Correctional facility; twice weekly they wash and fold our laundry for free.
- Helping organize Shelter Sunday, the October fundraiser for six organizations including the FHCHI. This work peaks in September/October, but may involve meetings at other times.
- Volunteering individual services for our guests (for instance, haircuts).
- Helping the Friends with a variety of outreach, educational, and fundraising activities which educate the public on the homelessness situation and support our mission.
- Helping solicit and collecting donations of supplies and other support from area religious congregations and other organizations.
- Helping with fundraising.
If you are interested in helping our community meet the challenge of homelessness, please email us at volunteer@hamphomeless.org or call Rick Hart at 413.320.1886.