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Volunteer Opportunities

In order to provide a supportive environment for homeless individuals and families to stabilize their lives and transition to self-sufficiency, GRIP relies on an extensive network of volunteers from our member congregations and the community.

Volunteer opportunities are available seven days a week, all year long.

In addition to the specific opportunities listed below, we’re always looking for volunteers to organize and staff daytime babysitting and child care, academic tutoring and enrichment programs for children, teens and adults, as well as for volunteers to donate or prepare and serve residents morning and evening meals. Contact us to learn more or to share ideas on how we might improve our service to the community by calling Jenna Westendorf at 510-233-2141 x306.



CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Volunteer Coordinator.  The Volunteer Coordinator leads the way in opening up new opportunities for volunteers to contribute to the mission and day-to-day work of GRIP.  Ensuring that all volunteers are operational and reporting to their activities on a regular basis and evaluating performance. The Program Coordinator is responsible for volunteer supervision.

Help prepare and serve meals at the Souper Center kitchen. No experience necessary. To volunteer to serve lunch (to all members of the community), volunteers work from 9am to 2pm. Contact Joyce Hutson for noonday meal volunteering, (510) 233-2141 x 324. To prepare and serve breakfast and dinner for our Family Shelter residents, contact Debra Marrama (510) 233-2141 x 306. We also have other opportunities to help with meals. You can donate food by selecting a week (Sunday through Saturday) for you or your group to provide and prepare breakfast and/or dinner, or you can donate the food and request our staff to prepare it. If unable to provide meals for an entire week, we have additional options for you to help. For more information about the Family Housing Breakfast/Dinner Meal Program, and/or to download a sign-up form, please click here.

Help the West County Resource Center provide direct services and case management to homeless individuals and families. The West County Resource Center provides everything from basic services such as showers, laundry, phone and Internet service, to more advances services including case management and referrals to employment, education and housing. Volunteer projects are varied, and include working directly with clients, clerical projects and support, and helping maintain and beautify the facility itself.

Help with our new Children's Program! We are seeking a volunteer to staff this program. The position’s main focus is to coordinate with parents, homeless service providers, congregations and other volunteers, to plan and implement supportive care, pre-school, academic programs and cultural activities. Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Working with consultants, agencies and volunteers to develop and implement care support for children, including training for and involvement of parents.
  • Planning and conducting special programs and activities.
  • Selecting appropriate books, songs, puppets, play and learning tools, etc.
  • Developing and updating our storytime collection; preparing crafts, planning activities.
  • Being responsible for daily building clean up and lock-up in children’s areas.
  • Ensuring that all children are supervised and engaged in planned programs or activities, homework, skills work or other appropriate, adult-supervised activity.

Please review the GRIP Volunteer Management Policies.
For more information on volunteering, please contact Kia Croom at (510) 233-2141, ext. 304