Shelter House volunteers donate over 2,500 hours of their time and talent each year and are the backbone of our daily work. When you volunteer at Shelter House, you help make our organization more efficient, provide meaningful support for our various departments and clients, and help strengthen our community through awareness and advocacy.
Scroll down to learn more about the many opportunities in which you can make a tremendous impact and advance our mission through volunteering.
Weekly Opportunities
Interested in volunteering at our Emergency Shelter? Complete the online Volunteer Application Form hereandwe’ll be in touch with you soon! *Individuals interested in these volunteer positions should plan to commit to a minimum of one shift each week. Two month commitment recommended.
Front Desk Support
Available Monday–Friday between 6am–10pm, and Saturday/Sunday from 8am–11am. Duties include answering phones and directing calls, explaining programs and services to new clients and community members over the phone or in person, and doing laundry. This position works closely with our Shelter Coordinators.
Donations
Volunteers help with receiving and sorting in-kind donations, and organizing the storage areas. This position works closely with the Volunteer Coordinator. *Same times as front desk support.
Job Lab
Shifts are available Monday–Friday from 8am–10am to help individuals search for employment opportunities online, apply for jobs, and create resumes. Job Lab volunteers must be comfortable working one-on-one with clients, and possess basic computer skills. Resume writing skills are helpful but not required. This position works closely with our Employment Case Manager.
Clerical
Flexible shifts are available Monday–Friday between 8am–5pm. Duties include data entry, shredding, sorting paperwork, and organizing files. This position works with staff from various departments.
Winter Shelter From December–March, Shelter House manages a satellite low-barrier Winter Emergency Shelter which is open to anyone who needs a warm, safe place to sleep. Volunteers assist staff in supervising the space, which may include crisis intervention and conflict resolution. Additional duties include distributing winter clothing, managing food service, and facilitating recreational activities. Shift times and duration are flexible but all shifts take place between 5pm–8am.
Miscellaneous Opportunities
Events
Special Event volunteers serve on planning committees, or help with our yearly fundraising events. These fundraisers include our annual Book Sale (Mar), BBQ Bash (Sep), Concessions at Kinnick (Sep-Nov), and others. Duties vary by opportunity and have varying time commitments. Event volunteering typically requires less time commitment than our weekly volunteer positions. Please email volunteer@shelterhouseiowa.org to learn about upcoming events!
Are you interested in being on a committee to plan events? We’d love to have your help and insight in planning and preparing for our big fundraisers! Projects may include soliciting in-kind donations, crafting decorations, or helping plan games/events. If you are interested, please reach out to T’Shailyn Harrington at tshailyn.harrington@shelterhouseiowa.org.
Group Projects
Service organizations, student groups, Greek societies, and faith communities are welcome to organize one-time projects, or donation drives. One-time projects can include fundraising, deep cleaning our donation garage, cleaning out shelter house vehicles or painting a room. Donation drives can be for blankets, socks, underwear, hygiene products including deodorant, lotion, lip balm, baby wipes, and more.
Specialized Volunteers
If you have a specialized skill and want to use your talent to help others, please reach out to volunteer@shelterhouseiowa.org.to set up a date and time. Specialized volunteer projects include haircuts, massage therapy, counseling, healthcare, and personal self-care workshops etc.
