Why Volunteer With Us?

Crises can happen at any time to anyone, and many times it is a neighbor. Are you a caring individual seeking to provide empathy, caring, and compassion? We would love to have you on our team! Volunteering with Harbor Homes ensures we continue advocacy and support for our community members, while fostering connection and learning opportunities.

Volunteers are unpaid. We accept volunteers on an ongoing basis. Do you have a talent you would like to share with us? Please tell us how you would like to help.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION & OUTREACH

Our Homeless Prevention & Outreach program staff work around the clock providing timely and informed support to residents facing housing crises.

Outreach days (ongoing, days subject to change) Tues & Thurs, 10a - 2p

Volunteers assist with meal preparation, packaging and delivery during outreach days. May assist clients with packing and moving.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

We recently purchased a new property for our Harbor Homes Center! As we continue to seek funding to assist with costs, volunteers are needed to help support our cause. Duties may include assistance with mailings (envelope stuffing), setting up tables for events, clean up, food pick up, and more helpful tasks.

WINTER SHELTER (NOVEMBER - APRIL ONLY)

Dinner Shift (Nightly) Sunday through Saturday, shifts are 5:30 pm to 9 pm.
Our volunteers check guests in, assist shelter staff with the dinner shift, and do the after-dinner clean-up. We have a minimum of four shelter team members working the dinner shift, two stay until 8 pm, and two stay until 9 pm.

Meal Delivery (Nightly) Sun through Sat., unless otherwise specified. Shifts begin at 5 pm.
A simple, yet vital part of the shelter operation. Volunteers pick up the evening meals from one of our donors around 5 pm and deliver the food to the shelter by 5:30 pm. Pick up may be at one of the Down Island churches, a restaurant, or Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Must have transportation and a working phone.

Overnight Shifts (Nightly), Sunday through Saturday from 8 pm to 8 am
Spend an overnight at the shelter. Visit with guests, attend to any needs. Assist the overnight staff for lights out/sound out at 9 pm. Lay snacks, water, cups for overnight. Supervise nighttime hours. Wake guests at 6:30 am. Prepare and serve breakfast. Check guests out. Clean the shelter.

Substitutes - On call during Shelter hours (6 pm-8 am, winter)
We utilize (sub) substitute volunteers when our regular volunteers are not available. Many of them take winter vacations, care for sick kids or parents, or have unforeseen reasons they cannot be in attendance. A substitute can fill any of the above positions.

OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE A VITAL PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE MISSION TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS ON MARTHA”S VINEYARD AND WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT THEM! PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING TODAY.

We would love to have you join our team! Contact: Chrissie at hello@harborhomesmv.org.