Short-term Opportunities
Short-term volunteer opportunities are onetime projects or activities that do not require a commitment or application screening process. Short-term volunteers do not work directly with Raphael House residents or their children, and most volunteer as part of a group. Our short-term volunteer opportunities include:
The Corporate and Community Chefs Program (for small groups with 6 or less people)
Shelter Upkeep Projects (for large groups with 6 or more people)
Holidays and Special Events (for groups or individuals)
The Corporate & Community Chefs
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On select days during the week, groups of three to six people from companies, congregations, families, schools, and other social groups, come to Raphael House from 3:30–7 pm to cook and serve dinner for our families. No experience is necessary. Our chefs will have the recipes and ingredients on the countertop when you arrive, and they will guide your team in creating a well-balanced meal. The kitchen is clean, spacious, and well equipped, and we provide aprons for your team’s use. |
Some groups may wish to cover the cost of the evening’s meal with a donation of $300, but this is neither required nor expected.
From 3:30–5:45 p.m., volunteers help with prepping the meal and setting up the dining room. At some point during the shift, usually at the beginning, there is an opportunity for those in the group who are new to Raphael House to take a tour of our facilities. From 5:45–6:45 pm, volunteers deliver family style plates of food to each of the tables and help with some light clean-up. From 6:45–7:00 p.m., volunteers are welcomed to sit down and enjoy some dinner themselves.
Corporate and Community Chefs is rewarding and fun, and provides a vital service to the shelter! To inquire about open shifts for your group, please contact Kim Lessard at (415) 345-7264 or complete our Group Volunteer Inquiry Form.
Shelter Upkeep Projects
As with any home, Raphael House requires a regular amount of upkeep and routine maintenance. Whether it’s painting, cleaning and sorting, or working on a special project like helping to plant a garden, short-term groups (typically 10 to 20 volunteers) play an integral role in the day-to-day functioning of our home. Sometimes groups work together on the same project, while others split up into smaller groups to work on a variety of projects. If you are interested in a large group opportunity for your company, congregation, school, or social group, please complete our Group Volunteers Inquiry Form, and we will contact you should we have an appropriate project that that matches up with your group’s interests and availability.
Holidays and Special Events
Throughout the year, our AfterCare and ChildReach programs plan holiday parties and activities as well as special programs for our families, such our Adopt-a-Family and Back-to-School events. Individuals and volunteer groups often help out by assisting staff with preparations or by organizing a drive within their company, congregation, school, or social group, to collect donations for the events.
Raphael House has a few major fundraising events throughout the year, including our One Home, Many Hearts Gala, our Benefit Luncheon, and our Give the Gift of Giving holiday celebration. Although most preparations for these events are organized and facilitated by our committees, we sometimes need additional volunteers to help us prepare for and staff the events. We also work with short-term volunteers who are interested in offering pro bono professional services for our events, such as photographers and designers.
If you are interested in volunteering your time for a holiday or special event, please complete our Holiday and Special Events Inquiry Form, and we will contact you should we have an appropriate position that matches up with your interests and availability.
For additional questions regarding our short-term volunteer opportunities, please contact our Community Relations Manager, Kim Lessard, at (415) 345-7264.
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