Volunteer with Us!
Volunteer Opportunities
CAARSEA is an all-volunteer, all-donation based organization that relies on community engagement to fulfill our mission of instilling diversity and equity, and fighting racism and injustice in the Colonial Area. There are always opportunities to volunteer, from ongoing participation on our board and/or committees to contributing to our monthly homeless outreach events and our seasonal Code Blue Shelter. If you have an idea that doesn't appear below, please reach out. Read below to explore volunteer opportunities, we welcome all contributions big and small!
Committees to Join
-
Events
-
Policing
-
Youth and Schools
-
Community Engagement
-
Social Media & Marketing
-
Elections/Political Activism
-
Unhoused Outreach
​
Current Open Board Positions
-
Community Engagement Chair
-
Social Media and Marketing Chair & Co-Chair
​
To inquire, please email us at CAARSEA@gmail.com
Our monthly unhoused outreach event occurs on the third Saturday of each month from 12pm-2pm at the Norristown Transportation Center. Since 2020, we've relied on volunteers to:
-
Decorate lunch bags with messages of hope
-
Collect donations of clothing and hygiene supplies
-
Make sandwiches & donate fruit or water for the event
-
Transport items from COTM to the site (10:15-11am)
-
Attend the outreach to hand out supplies and engage with our unhoused neighbors
​
Volunteer sign ups, kid packing events, the Amazon Wishlist, and lunch signs ups are updated each month and posted on the CAARSEA Facebook page and/or our website blog.
​
We welcome all levels of participation! Follow the links above or contact our Unhoused Outreach Liaison and Volunteer Coordinator Rachel at RGrossman36@gmail.com.
Why Volunteer?
A volunteer is the glue that holds a community together. It allows you to utilize and expand your skills, knowledge, and empathy, while assisting a population in great need. You are not required to be an expert in order to help, only to offer your heart and your hands to helping the homeless population be warm and fed.
​
Shelter Hours and Location
Public Hours: 8pm-8am on designated days (Mon-Thurs only, if a Code Blue is declared)
​
Church on the Mall @ Plymouth Meeting Mall, 500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting Mall, Entrance #3
​
Volunteer Roles
SHELTER MONITORING * 6-11pm - Responsible for opening the shelter, setting up food, setting up cots and tables, and monitoring through 11pm (16 to 18-year-olds are permitted to volunteer during the 6-9pm or 7-9pm shifts only.) * 11pm-2am - Guest monitoring * 2am-5am - Guest monitoring * 5am-9am - Responsible for guest monitoring until 7am. At 7am, wake the guests and provide them with bagged breakfast. Collect laundry; breakdown cots.
LAUNDRY & CLEANING * Arrive 7am and assist with cot breakdown if necessary. * Clean bathrooms and main area * Gather soiled linens and take to designated cleaning facility. Return to shelter location when cleaned and store in storage area. Note: Laundry needs to be taken to a laundromat, which can add 2-3 hrs of volunteer time after leaving the shelter.
FOOD & SUPPLY DONATIONS * Provide Food Donations for 35 guests. Must include dinner items that are ServSafe certified. Pre- packaged snacks, coffee and tea. * Other plastic eating utensils and cups, and disposable gloves * Contact Gail at caarsea@gmail.com to discuss and schedule these donations.
Unless otherwise noted, Shelter volunteers must be a minimum of 18 years old. The interest form must be completed. You will receive follow-up communication within a week, then be added to the volunteer shift sign up.
​
For questions, or to arrange a food or supply donation, please contact Gail at caarsea@gmail.com.