Come and Join A Place With A Heart!
Volunteers help support our mission by participating in our various programs. Our volunteer program is flexible, offering long- and short-term volunteer opportunities.
Short-term volunteer opportunities usually last one week to two months. You must be 18 years or older and at least one year out of high school. Room and board (if needed) is available. Summer volunteers begin after May 31st.
In addition to some of the projects listed below, volunteer proposals are considered throughout the year depending on need. Projects in the past have ranged from construction, decorating, and landscaping to a back-to-school supply drive for our students.
If you are interested in volunteering at Providence House, please fill out our online Volunteer Form.
Special volunteer projects have included:
- Our Child Care Center
- Assisting with events, such as the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas drives
- Household repairs (painting, minor repairs, cleaning)
- Organizing cooking classes or arts and crafts projects
- Tutoring/GED assistance
- Organize drives for school supplies, books, personal hygiene, household items, childcare items, etc.
- Plan a holiday surprise for Easter, Mother’s Day, etc.
- Organize birthdays of the month at a Providence House location
- Gardening
- And much more!
Long-term volunteers at Providence House serve in a capacity similar to the Sisters/core community members. Long-term volunteers may be live-in volunteers or live off-site, and dedicate 30 hours per week of volunteer time. Long-term volunteers participate in daily life, activities, and the unique ways that each PH community defines itself (shared prayer, shopping/household responsibilities, etc.). Ideal candidates are women in their 20’s, 30’s, and older, who are college graduates or attending graduate school. We also welcome professional women working in the local area. Long-term volunteer experience usually lasts one year.
All Providence House volunteers must be:
- 18 years of age or older (21 or older for live-in)
- Female, if living at Providence House
- Able to live and work with a diverse group of people in an urban area
- Willing to support the mission and values of Providence House
VOLUNTEER NEWS
Community Crusaders of P.S. 41 Make A Difference
On April 12, 2010 the Community Crusaders of P.S. 41 presented hundreds of donations of consumables and essential toiletries to the residents of Providence House. Joe Ferrara, a 5th grade teacher at P.S. 41 began work with an eager group of 4th and 5th grade students who wanted to undertake a project to better their community. As a class project they did extensive research on the needs facing their community which led them to start an awareness campaign among their peers. These dedicated young philanthropists decided to focus on reaching out to women and children who are homeless. They initiated a school wide drive to collect and distribute accessible and inexpensive consumable items such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion. The students advertised the drive through posters and letters that went home with every student in the school. They collected, sorted and organized hundreds of items – all of which were formally donated to representatives of Providence House. Providence House expresses its gratitude to the Community Crusaders for their immense generosity and spirit of sharing.
St. Joseph’s College Work Study Student Helps Out at Providence House
In March of 2010, St. Joseph’s College freshman, Motanou Koffi, was placed at Providence House as a work-study student for her second semester. This placement was made possible by the vision of S. Susan Wilcox, CSJ, Campus Minister at St. Joseph’s College. S. Susan drove the effort on campus to allow work-study students to be placed at non-for-profit organizations and Providence House was one of the pilot agencies. Motanou has worked at Providence House for 2 months on various administrative and mission focused projects. She has been able to visit the majority of our houses and has added her gifts to the Providence House community.
St. John’s University Volunteers at Providence House
In January of this year, Providence House was in the process of renovating one of the playrooms in our Brooklyn residence and was in need of a volunteer – that could sew. We wanted to get new covers for the playroom seat cushions but needed someone that could sew the covers for us. We e-mailed Laura Luecke, an administrator at St. John’s University in the Office of Human Resources, who had participated in similar sewing projects in the past and within a day she had agreed and assembled a team of her colleagues to work with her on this project. We at Providence House were so grateful to this group of volunteers for sharing their talent and time to make a difference!
Operation Backpack
One of the most devastating consequences of homelessness can be the impact it has on a child’s education. Many children go back to school in September without the basic school supplies they need. The children of Providence House were prepared to return to school this year with colorful backpacks, supplies and back to school outfits. This year Providence House received assistance from the Volunteers of America’s annual ‘Operation Backpack’ drive to collect backpacks and school supplies for school-age children living in New York City homeless shelters. We also received donations from the Altshul Community Group who has begun a collaboration with Providence House as well as other individual donations of backpacks and supplies. After distribution of the backpacks to the residents, the daughter one of our residents who will be moving into her own apartment in a few weeks proceeded to show everything that was inside of her new backpack – the books, the crayons, her outfit and her special note wishing her well on her start back to school! The generosity of so many most definitely brought a smile to this 3 year old little girl’s face! Providence House continues to be grateful for the kindness that so many show throughout the year. The generosity of our outside donators assists us in living out our mission every day.