Opportunities From: United Way of Pierce County

Nativity House Shelter accepts clothing donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays and needs volunteers to help unload donations and write donation receipts.

Hours:

Tuesdays- 10 am to 2 pmThursdays- 4 pm to 7 pm

Volunteers do not need to be able to cover the full time to be helpful. We are grateful for any amount of coverage that volunteers can provide. 

How to get started:

Please complete our online volunteer registration form to join the team!

Basics:

Volunteers must be at least 18 years oldApplicants must pass a background check (Washington State Patrol and National Sex Offender Registry- NSOPW)Once registered, volunteers just need to do an orientation and then they are good to go!

Interested or have questions? Contact meganed@ccsww.org or call 253-365-4111.

Mitten Makers Unite!

Do you love to knit, felt, weave or crochet? There is an opportunity to put your skills to do good use!

It is never too early for Nativity House Shelter to start preparing for winter.

Help prevent frostbite while doing something you love from the comfort of your own home.

The Basics:

We're going to ask for your name and contact info.We will ask you to log the number of hours that go into your projects for the shelter.Volunteer hours impact our program funding and help when we do grant proposals. We share yarn with volunteers when we have yarn to share. We distributed most of what we had last year so volunteers may need to supply their own yarn.

Have questions? Call Megan at 253-365-4111 or email meganed@ccswww.org

Help Tacoma’s unhoused neighbors one sandwich at a time!

Want to volunteer but prefer to do so offsite? Have a youth group that's too young to serve onsite? Either way, we have you covered!

Nativity House Shelter needs volunteers to make and donate sandwiches or snacks packs that can be easily handed out to community members experiencing homelessness.

Nativity House Kitchen serves as a primary Hilltop "food hub" with meal deliveries going out Monday-Saturday to our sister sites serving unhoused adults and families.

Sandwich donations are used at Nativity House Shelter, the Stability Site, and at the Family Housing Network Safe Parking Program (Holy Rosary Church).

Nativity House Shelter is staffed 24/7. Please call 253-500-8090 when you arrive to drop off sandwiches/snack. Donations can be dropped off at the Nativity House Kitchen Loading Dock.

Quick Facts:

No act of kindness is ever too small. Every sandwich feeds someone in need. Labeling is an essential part of food safety. Please mark food donations with the date made and type of sandwich or food item. This is helpful in alerting guests about common food allergens (i.e. wheat, peanuts, etc.).  Ziploc style bags do a great job at keeping sandwiches fresh and make them super easy to distribute.

Have questions? Contact meganed@ccsww.org or call 253-365-4111.

Do you love to cook, enjoy social interaction and want a volunteer opportunity with a lot of flexibility? Join the Nativity House Kitchen Team!

The Nativity House Kitchen (formerly known as the Hospitality Kitchen) serves as the primary "food hub" for CCS programs serving unhoused people in Tacoma.

Needless to say, our kitchen is a busy place.

We’re looking for volunteers with basic kitchen skills, high energy and a desire to help.

Scheduling is flexible but hours align with set meal times. We need volunteers who can help for 1-3 hours.

Our earliest shift time is 7 am and our latest dinner shift ends at 7 pm.

Meal Times

Breakfast @ 8:30 am Lunch @ 12 pm Dinner @ 5:30 pm

Responsibilities

Assist staff in preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner for shelter guests & other Catholic Community Services sister sites Help unload & sort food donations (Grocery Rescue) Help pack outbound morning food deliveries for sister sites Greet guests as they come through the cafeteria line & help serve meals Restock silverware & supplies needed on the food line Clean & sanitize kitchen surfaces Assist with kitchen cleanup throughout the shift & help tidy up at the end Help run dishes through the industrial dishwasher Take out the trash

Requirements

Kind, friendly & able to work with a diverse group of people Good sense of humor & flexibility to serve where needed Volunteers must be at least 18 years old Volunteers must pass a background check (processed at no cost to volunteers) Volunteers working with food are required to wear food handlers gloves for food safety purposes Volunteers will need to register and attend a volunteer orientation as part of the onboarding process

How to get started

Please complete the online volunteer registration form or contact meganed@ccsww.org to request a volunteer registration form. Hard copies of registration materials can be mailed to your address. Copies can also be sent via email or fax.

Covid-19 Safety

Masking requirements have been dropped as of March 2023. Masks are available for volunteers who wish to wear them. We will not ask your vaccination status. Anyone presenting Covid-19 symptoms or not feeling well will be required to refrain from volunteering until they are well again.

Questions? Call 253-365-4111 to speak with Megan Edwin, Homeless Adult Services Volunteer Coordinator or email meganed@ccsww.org.

https://ccsww.org/services/volunteer-services/

Come Cook with Friends!

Do you and your friends love to cook? Consider recruiting a small group of friends to come cook and serve meals at Nativity House Shelter.

Scheduling is flexible. We realize that volunteers have busy lives and we'll work with you to design a plan that fits busy schedules.

Nativity House is an overnight shelter & day center for adult men and women actively experiencing homelessness in Tacoma. The Nativity House Kitchen serves approx. 120-300 meals per meal time. We need volunteers who know how cook for a crowd.

Groups often plan meals like pancakes, casseroles, bulgogi/teriyaki, spaghetti & meatballs, hotdogs and sloppy joes.

Groups are encouraged to use ingredients available in the kitchen to build a menu and/or donate their own ingredients based on whatever they want to cook.

If groups are more comfortable serving instead of cooking, we will put you to work!

The Nativity House Kitchen provides breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week, 365 days per year so there is always an opportunity to serve.

How to Get Started: If you are interested in starting a meal group, please email meganed@ccsww.org.

Group leaders can register online to join our volunteer team or request that registration materials be mailed to their address.

Have questions? Please call Megan at 253-365-4111.

The Basics:

Group leaders are the only group members who need to be "fully vetted" Catholic Community Services- Volunteer Services volunteers. Group members will be asked to complete an abbreviated version of the paperwork. Please note that anyone serving onsite must be at least 18 years old and will need be background checked. Background checks are processed by Catholic Community Services Staff at no cost to volunteers.

Requirements:

Group leader are asked to have or be willing to obtain a WA State Food Worker Card. Catholic Community Services (Volunteer Services) can reimburse group leaders if they need to obtain or update their WA State Food Worker Card. Anyone serving onsite MUST be at least 18 years old (no exceptions) Volunteers who wish to serve onsite must pass a background check (Washington State Patrol & NSOPW- National Sex Offender Public Website). Volunteers working with food are required to wear gloves and must follow safe food handling protocols.

Covid-19 Safety

Masking requirements have been dropped as of March 2023 but mask are still available for volunteers who wish to wear them. We will not ask your vaccination status. Volunteers presenting Covid-19 symptoms or are not feeling well must refrain from volunteering while they are sick.

Want to learn more about other volunteer opportunities with Catholic Community Services? Click HERE to learn more about the Volunteer Services Program!