Volunteer

**Please Note: Our on-site volunteer activities are currently postponed until further notice as we do our best to help reduce risk during the current public health emergency.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Raphael House! We hope to be able to welcome in-person volunteers back to Raphael House again soon. In the meantime, please continue to submit volunteer inquiries through our website and we will reach out once we are able!

Volunteering at Raphael House is an opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the future of the parents and children we serve as well as the San Francisco community at large. Virtually every aspect of life at Raphael House depends upon the support of our volunteers. As a Raphael House volunteer you will join a diverse network of over 2,000 fellow volunteers who support our families each year.

See more ways to get involved remotely below!

Ways to get involved remotely:

Organize a donation drive for needed items

Donations of essential items to Raphael House help families maintain financial stability. We can provide a customized Amazon wish list for groups.

CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE

Organize an online fundraiser

Get your friends, family, or employees involved in a giving campaign by starting your own fundraiser! You can find instructions to start your own fundraiser here.  All funds raised directly support families in our Residential Shelter and Bridge Program. You can also set up your own Facebook fundraiser in just a few clicks.

CONTACT US TO HELP SET UP A FUNDRAISER

Schedule a Lunch & Learn presentation

If your company or group would like to learn more about Raphael House and how to get involved, schedule a Lunch & Learn presentation with our Executive Director Marc Slater and Community Engagement Manager Kellen Sarver.

SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION

Offer your remote services pro bono

As a community supported organization, we rely regularly on the generosity of individuals who contribute their time and expertise by way of providing professional services pro bono that benefit our families directly or Raphael House as a whole.

COMPLETE OUR VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

Create a short video presentation for children or adults

While we aren’t able to gather in-person, pre-recorded videos on a variety of topics have been appreciated by Raphael House parents and children. Topics can include interview tips, resume building skills, understanding credit scores, how to use Gmail on your phone, step by step art project tutorials, or a kid friendly mindfulness, stretching, or yoga how-to. Video presentations should be under 10 minutes in length and our staff can coordinate with you to identify a video topic you would be interested in sharing.

CONTACT US TO GET INVOLVED

Please note: The opportunities below are on-site volunteer opportunities that are temporarily on pause. Some of our long term individual volunteer opportunities have transitioned to remote opportunities, however, we are not actively onboarding volunteers for any of these positions at this time. 

There are many ways to get involved:

Group Opportunities

  • Corporate and Community Chefs
  • Shelter Upkeep projects
  • Holidays and special events
  • Pro Bono and specialized projects

LEARN MORE & SCHEDULE

Individual Opportunities

  • Kitchen Volunteer
  • Holidays and Special Events

LEARN MORE & APPLY

Group Volunteer Opportunities

Corporate & Community Chefs

On Mondays and Thursdays, from 3:30–7 PM, groups of 3 to 6 volunteers help prepare and serve dinner for Raphael House families with one of our trained chefs. No experience is necessary. It’s a great team-building activity and a fun culinary experience! 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. To inquire about a Corporate & Community Chefs shift for your group please complete our group volunteer inquiry form.

Shelter Upkeep Projects

Shelter upkeep projects are frequently available for groups with up to about 25 volunteers. These projects generally include cleaning or organizing common areas of the shelter such as the dining room, kitchenettes, hallways, or children’s program rooms. This could also include small painting projects or setting up for upcoming events or birthday parties, depending on the timing. To inquire about a Shelter Upkeep Project for your group complete our group volunteer inquiry form.

Holidays and Special Events

Throughout the year, we plan and celebrate special events with our families, including holidays, birthdays, and special occasions. Individuals and groups can assist staff by helping to prepare and serve holiday meals, wrapping gifts, preparing games, or hanging decorations.

Groups and individuals can also organize drives to purchase gifts for our families during the holidays through our Adopt-a-Family Program or purchase school supplies for our kids during our Back-to-School Drive in the spring. There are also opportunities to help with collecting and distributing gifts and school supplies. If your group is interested in helping out during the Holidays or with a special event please complete our group volunteer inquiry form.

Pro Bono and Specialized Volunteer Projects

As a community supported organization, we rely regularly on the generosity of individuals who contribute their time and expertise by way of providing professional services pro bono that benefit our families directly or Raphael House as a whole, such as legal representation, graphic design, or videography. We also sometimes partner with corporations and businesses to create specialized short-term volunteer projects relevant to the organization’s skills or respective industry. Employees from a technology firm, for example, might offer software training to our parents; employees from a pharmaceutical company might give a presentation to our teens on how to prepare for a career in science. If your group is interested in providing pro bono or specialized services please complete our group volunteer inquiry form.

Individual Volunteer Opportunities

Raphael House has volunteer opportunities available for individuals who are interested in working directly with Raphael House parents and children and providing regular, long-term support for our programs and for individuals interested in short term and one-off opportunities.

Long-term Opportunities

Individual volunteers who work directly with Raphael House parents and children are asked to commit to coming regularly for six-months to one-year, usually coming in 1 time per week. Long-term volunteers are required to submit proof of a recent, negative tuberculosis test and undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process.

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Short Term Opportunities

The following opportunities are available for volunteers on a one-off basis with no long-term commitment required.

  • Kitchen Volunteer
  • Holiday Opportunities
  • Fundraising Event Volunteer

If you are an individual interested in becoming a volunteer please complete our individual volunteer application.

For questions please contact Community Engagement Manager Kellen Sarver at [email protected] or contact 415.345.7265