Volunteer...

Giving the gift of time and energy

Bucks County Housing Group offers many volunteer opportunities; from organizing food drives to driving clients to appointments- we can develop a volunteer opportunity that is just right for individuals and groups of all ages.

Time is a most precious commodity in our culture, especially in fast-paced Bucks County! We offer flexible schedules and include all age groups in our volunteer efforts. Volunteer projects are as varied as those who volunteer! We welcome long-term help as well as one-time-only support; however we do not typically offer volunteer opportunities on Thanksgiving Day OR Christmas Day.

Housing Group appreciates your contribution of energy, imagination and compassion. We believe volunteers can serve as advocates as we all become better educated about the issues and causes of poverty and homelessness in Bucks County. Through community, we can effect long-term positive change!

Are you interested in being a volunteer? Check out volunteer opportunities open currently, find an opportunity that works for you and email the volunteer coordinator at the shelter site nearest you. We will contact you promptly and you can begin your journey as volunteer at Bucks County Housing Group!

Here's how you can help at one of the shelters:

Doylestown: Please contact kbianchini@bchg.org if you are interested in these volunteer opportunities.

Join our Youth Counselor Program. This program is designed to engage and inform young adults age 12 and up around the issues of homelessness, poverty and hunger in the community. Youth Counselors provide childcare while parents attend a mandatory house meeting. Afterwards, young people meet with a peer leader to debrief and discuss how homelessness and poverty affect the community and the children they work with. This program meets every Tuesday except the first Tuesday of the month.

Become a Pantry Partner (PP). If you cannot give a lot of time but you have resources to share, becoming a PP may be a great match for you. Can you "adopt" the community food pantry for a specific time-frame each year - one week, two weeks, one month? By adopting the pantry, you commit, ahead of time, to either (1) purchasing a list of crucial food items that will serve the needs of clients for that time frame or (2) donating grocery store gift cards with which we can purchase the food items for the pantry. Pantry Partners truly serve the basic ongoing needs of local families who cannot make ends meet.

Help lead our Kidz' Monday Night Club once or twice a month. Meeting on the second and third Monday evenings of the month during the school year from 6:30 - 7:30/8:00p.m., this club provides TLC for the kids at the shelter while giving their moms a short break. Each week, two or more women work with the kids doing crafts, reading and making music. We currently need one or two "extra" women to help with this group either on one or two Monday evenings.

We need a volunteer every other week to help with the following chores: sweeping the deck and outside patios, picking up debris from the yard, washing down doors, cleaning windows, vacuuming and cleaning our Community and Kids' Rooms. An hour or two of your time every other week would be precious to us.

Penndel: Please contact khouser@bchg.org if you are interested in volunteering at Penndel.

Work in our Food Pantry: Pack bags of non perishable food for those in need in our community. Pantry hours are Monday and Wednesday mornings 9:30-12:30 and Thursday evenings 6:00-8:00.

Special Projects:Help out at our shelter during peak times - sort school supplies in August, pack food boxes at Thanksgiving, set up toys in December, organize food in March and May.

Croydon: Please contact khouser@bchg.org if you are interested in this volunteer opportunity

Wednesday Nite Club: Playing with and babysitting children: 3 times each month for two hours. Ideal opportunity for youth groups! This is an on-going need- while the children are having fun; parents attend a mandatory House Meeting with the case manager.

Morrisville: Please contact kschoepfer@bchg.org if you are interested in this volunteer opportunity.

Milford Square: Please contact Karen at kjenei@bchg.org if you are interested in any of these opportunities.

Monday Nite Club: Playing with and babysitting children: 3 times each month for two hours. Ideal opportunity for youth groups! This is an on-going need- while the children are having fun, parents attend a mandatory House Meeting with the case manager.

MS Garden Club: Spruce up the grounds and then help keep the property looking lovely! This is a great project for a group of 6-8 people. Schedule is flexible: evenings and weekends are great.

General Support: 1 or 2 volunteers needed to offer general support on an on-going basis: organizing, sorting and storing donations. Hours are flexible; evening or days.

SPECIAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Apartment Partners: The shelters at Croyden and Milford Square need Apartment Partners (AP's).
This is how it works: Apartment Partners "adopt" a shelter apartment and provide that extra "TLC" the apartment AND the family needs. AP's provide necessary items for the apartment (bedding, dishes, etc) as well as support for the family (clothing, holiday help). A typical AP group will assist two families a year. The Apartment Partner program is ideal for groups who want to participate on a regular basis, but face time constraints. Apartment Partners at the other shelters include service organizations, business groups and church groups. Please contact Karen at khouser@bchg.org for more information about this exciting opportunity.

Robert Morris Homework Club: This special project needs volunteers to assist grade school children with homework 2 days a week- Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm-5pm. The students are all residents at the Robert Morris Apartment Complex. This is a great opportunity for seniors in high school as well as college students and is a wonderful fit for retired teachers who miss the classroom experience! Please contact Susan at kschoepfer@bchg.org if you are interested in volunteering for the Homework Club.

Work Days: Work Days accommodate large groups and typically involve cleaning, yard work or organizing storage areas. Currently there are no Work Days planned -check back again!

Event Volunteers: We often have need for volunteers prior and during a big event. This is a great match for a volunteer who needs a specific timeframe and enjoys events. Please contact mmantz@bchg.org or 215-598-3566 x30 if you are interested in this opportunity.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Check back soon for more info.