WELCOME TO THE TEAM,
ACCEPTING NEW VOLUNTEERS NOW!
Your passion can change lives. Whether you love cooking, you’re a natural leader, or you’ve just been looking for a way to give back, our Community Engagement Director Chequoya Thomas can help you identify some rewarding tasks and create the ideal volunteer role. You will be taken to another screen to set up an account and apply in our volunteer software “Better Impact.” Once you’ve completed our volunteer application, you’ll be contacted about next steps.
Ways You Can Volunteer
Volunteers shop at a local Meijer of their choice Monday-Friday, between 10am-12pm or 11am-1pm. Volunteers help stock our pantry, client fridges, and ensure we have all the food items for volunteers to prepare dinner each night. Shoppers will be provided shopping supplies which will include a shopping list and Meijer Food Only Gift Card. Volunteers will pick up supplies before shopping and bring everything back to Haven House with the receipt. A staff person will then put away the groceries. Interested in becoming a shopper? Apply here!
Haven House stores many donations for our shelter and families. So, keeping an accurate count of what is available allows our programs to run smoothly and clients have what they need. To do this, we use an electronic tracking system called inFlow and all donations coming into the shelter or going out to clients must be accounted for. With the constant movement of donations the inventory counts can become inaccurate so regular tracking of inventory in all areas is necessary.
Volunteers interested in this position will commit to at least 2-4 hours M-F checking inventory on a weekly rotation for preventative measures as well as when inventory is found to have discrepancies. This is an independent role meaning volunteers will train with staff beforehand but when training is complete, they will come and go as scheduled with minimal supervision. Interested in tracking inventory? Apply here!
You will have the opportunity to be a mentor for the children in shelter by becoming an activity leader. Use your wealth of knowledge to help tutor K-12 core subjects offered on an as needed basis throughout the school year. Prepare dinner for our families. Also, learn about food insecurities among the homeless population and all that goes into planning, prepping, and preparing a meal for shelter families. Become a Shelter & Families Shopper picking up needed groceries for our shelter clients, track supply and food inventory for discrepancies, and many more.
All volunteer opportunities Haven House provides will look great on your resume, so submit an application here and if you have questions or would like any documentation about your volunteerism, contact Chequoya Thomas.
Dinner is prepared every night at Haven House for the families staying in our shelter. Making dinner for our clients is a great way to give back with a group or by yourself! You can sign up for one-time opportunities or set up a weekly or monthly plan to prepare meals. Dinner is served at 5:30 pm. A dinner menu is drafted monthly and all the ingredients are here for you.
Interested in becoming a dinner volunteer? Apply here!
If you or a group are looking to engage with children of all ages, then look no further! During your time volunteering, you will have the opportunity to plan and supervise activities from arts & crafts, games nights, holiday themed, etc. providing an outlet for the children in shelter during this difficult time. Due to the inconsistencies in children who frequent the playroom this opportunity no longer counts toward service-learning as there may be minimal to no field experience.
Interested in becoming an activity leader? Apply here!
The Haven House office is open from 8 am to 8 pm, and either a staff member or volunteer is present at all times to assist the families and visitors who may call or visit. This is a great way to regularly volunteer one day a week for 2-4 hours and help homeless families seeking shelter, staff with small projects, collect and store much needed donations from the community, etc.
Interested in becoming an office liaison? Apply here!
Are you a part of a group or club that’s looking for more volunteer opportunities? Haven House offers a variety of options when it comes to giving back. With families moving into and out of Haven House every week, we have to work constantly to keep the shelter looking good. The shelter could always use some extra landscaping, maintenance, and other outdoor help. There is always a need for children’s activities and volunteers as well as groups that can help paint, cook dinner for clients, organize, and help spread the word about Haven House. You can help us put our best foot forward by chipping in with routine maintenance inside and out. If you have a technical certification or operate a business, you may even be able to donate your labor for a tax deduction!
If you have questions about what specific projects or services we need volunteers for at this time, contact Chequoya Thomas.
Haven House depends upon the support of the community to help end local homelessness. This can mean anything from large-scale corporate donations to grassroots fundraising. It’s often our volunteers and friends of the shelter who make this happen. If you have experience with business communication, marketing, graphic design, or just have a passion for helping the homeless, then we have an opportunity for you.
Our fundraising and marketing volunteers help coordinate events with local organizations. Such as special meals where a portion of the proceeds are donated to Haven House or supply drives collecting urgent needs for the families in our shelter. If you work for a local business, have a child attending school in the greater Lansing area, or have out-of-the-box idea for an event that would help raise awareness and donations for Haven House, please let us know.
Volunteering at Haven House may also qualify you for an internship through your college, university, or professional organization. Utilize your skill with marketing, media, and graphic design to help families in crisis, build your resume, and cultivate your skills.
Interested in becoming a marketing volunteer? Apply here!
