Volunteering

We can always use extra help! By offering your time and talents, you allow us to bring hope and housing to more families and individuals. Multiple opportunities exist to meet your schedules and interests. To join our team of volunteers, contact our office at 206-812-8400 or homestepvolunteer@home-step.org. You may also fill out our online Volunteer Application here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Group Opportunities
Individual Opportunities
Volunteer Form

 

Group Opportunities
Home Revitalizing
Occasionally one of our homes needs to be spruced up! Group projects could range from landscaping to interior painting. This opportunity needs to be arranged at least one month in advance of volunteer date and can accommodate varying number of volunteers.

Moving Assistance
Help program participants move both into our program, and also into permanent housing upon completion of our program. Involves helping to lift heavy items such as sofas and beds. Truck could be provided if necessary. Perfect for youth or service groups looking for one time only community service projects.

Need of the Month Club Collection
Receive e-mail notification of our In Kind need of the month. All contributions go directly to families. Needs of the month may include items such as shampoo, bus tickets or food gift cards.

Donate for a special occasion
Your group can make a holiday or special occasion even brighter! Here are some ideas of items your group could collect/and or donate:

  • Mother's Day Baskets
  • Children's birthday party kits (themed plates, cups, streamers etc.)
  • Move In baskets for our participants
  • Pumpkins for Halloween
Individual Opportunities
Office Assistant
Help us reduce the administrative cost of bringing more resources to those in need by helping us with filing, preparing confidential program participant folders, processing housing paperwork for program participants, providing childcare while families are interviewed, scheduling outreach visits, and other needs as they arise and meet your interest level.

Spanish Translator
Take messages on our Spanish hotline, reply to the messages, translate forms, and assist our advocates in communicating with Spanish-speaking program participants.

Language Translator
Translate forms and assist our advocates in communicating with non-English speaking program participants. We need translators for the following languages: Spanish, Tigrinya, Amharic, Somali, Russian, Oromo, Arabic, Nuer, and Japanese.

Research Assistant
Research funding opportunities from private local sources and also research resources to assist our participants in accessing basic needs and educational opportunities.

Housing Assistant
Help our program participants learn about maintaining a home and moving by performing house checks to ensure that homes are being maintained, helping program participants with procedures and paperwork related to moving, and helping them move (if desired).

Follow-up Specialist
Help us determine our impact on community and individual lives by contacting program participants after they have moved into permanent housing. Survey their current status and help them reconnect for additional help if needed.

Small Maintenance Specialist
Help us build healthy relationships with landlords willing to provide low-income housing by aiding in small repair and maintenance between tenants.

Housing Partnership Specialist
Help us serve even more program participants by locating landlords who would be willing to provide low-income housing by renting to our program.

Donations Specialist
Research opportunities; write letters for community donations; and encourage groups, such as congregations, service groups, or senior living, to hold supply drives for our many needs including diapers, bedding, cleaning supplies and hygiene items.

Workshop Instructor
Help our program participants build life skills by sharing your knowledge and talents in a variety of areas including financial/money management, parenting, English as a second language, and many other topics. This could be a single workshop or a series of on-going classes.

Fundraising Assistant
Help our Development Associate and assist in writing newsletter articles, communicate program news with the community and program partners through mailings, help with writing thank you notes and filing, and/or assist with development of marketing materials.

Holiday-Giving Program Coordinator (June-December)
Plan our holiday-giving program with staff; recruit new donors; and coordinate program participants' needs/wants, volunteers, and gift delivery.

Advisory Board Member (Monthly)
Use your expertise to help guide us as an organization and to help us reach our fundraising goals so that we may better serve even more homeless families and individuals.

Auction Planning Assistant (Ongoing)
Aid our Auction Planner by helping to procure and track items, to take reservations, to coordinate volunteers for the auction, and by helping during the auction.

Volunteer Application

First name:
 MI:
 Last name:
Date:
Any other names you have gone by:
Address:
 Address:
Preferred phone contact:
Email address:
Birth Date:
Occupation/Employer:
School/Course of study:
Emergency Contact Name & Phone:
 

Availability: Check all that apply

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
How often can you help?
One Time Only Weekly Monthly Quarterly Other
How many hours can you offer per visit?
1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8
Comments:

Skills/Interests

Please list your skills:
If fluent in launguages other than English, please specify:
What types of opportunities are you interested in?

Office Work
Research
Moving
Work with program participants
Yard Maintenance
Gift-giving Program Coordination*
Advisory Board Member
Auction Planning

Fundraising
Teaching Lifeskills
Outreach
Work with Children
Work with Young Adults
Procuring Resources
Language Translation
Other, please specify

Please answer the following:

How did you hear about HomeStep?
What is your intereste in volunteering with HomeStep?
Have you done volunteer work before? If so, please describe.?
Are you pursuing school credit for volunteer service? If yes, how many hours per week? Completion date?
Are you pusuring mandated court service hours? If yes, how many hours? Completion date?
Have you been convicted of any criminal offense or released from prison within the last seven years?
If yes, please explain. A conviction will not necessarily bar you from volunteering.

References

Work or personal - please indicate which.

Name:
 Phone:
 Personal
Work
Name:
 Phone:
 Personal
Work
Name:
 Phone:
 Personal
Work

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at HomeStep. Volunteers play an important role in the success of the families, men, women, and young adults in the HomeStep program. We would not be able to do this work without you.

If you have any further questions, please contact our office at homestepvolunteer@thechurchcouncil.org or 206-525-1213

HomeStep strives to reach people who want to make a difference in ending homelessness and changing lives. We understand that your time is valuable so all volunteer opportunities, unless otherwise noted, allow for flexible hours on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis as desired. Training provided as needed. Volunteers must complete the Volunteer Application, pass a Washington State Patrol background check and sign a confidentiality agreement. If driving for HomeStep, volunteers must also pass a driving background check. HomeStep does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, race, creed, national origin, sexual orientation or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap. Program participants are under absolutely no obligation of any kind to participate in religious activities.



Office volunteer