Volunteer

Volunteering with Heading Home is a very rewarding experience.

Sometimes we need assistance with moves, serving meals, facilities projects and special events. If you would like to be added to the list to receive information when these opportunities arise. If you are interested in learning more about Heading Home’s volunteer projects please contact Stacey Gordon, Volunteer Coordinator at 617-864-8140 or email sgordon@headinghomeinc.org

HEADING HOME VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

UP & OUT PROGRAM

  • A team of 5-6 individuals are pt together that includes a project manager for each move.  The project manager coordinates the efforts associated with the move to include meeting with the family/individual moving, putting together a list of items needed to be secured, coordinating efforts to get items donated and purchased.  Donations of furniture can be collected, but also house hold items can be purchased from Target and other such stores as well as form a discount furniture business (Heading Home does work with) located in New Bedford.
  • A van must be secured to help the family/individual move as well as to bring items secured to the location.
  •  Money needs to be raised to support about 7-9 moves per year.  A total of about $18,000 is needed, so that about $2,000 is used for each move.  There will be times when you will go over the $2,000 budget and spend somewhere between $2,300-$2,500, so may want to raise more of a cushion to handle this.
  • The team meets with the family/individual prior to the move to ask such questions as favorite colors and other interests to truly make the home a representation of them.  They also enter the home a night or two before for a few hours to clean and/or paint to get the apartment ready.  On the day of the move, which takes about 5 hours a team goes to the home to start getting things ready while two team members go to Heading Home to move the family/individual.  The discount furniture supplier delivers and puts together any furniture.  It is quite a moving experience.

SERVING MEALS

  • Either around a holiday or on a given night go to one of our many shelter locations and not only serve a meal, but join the residence in dining.

SPRUCE UP A PROGRAM

  • Help Heading Home maintain one of their properties, by painting, cleaning or landscaping.

PREPARE AN APARTMENT FOR MOVE-IN

  • Help get an apartment ready for a family/individual to move in by painting, cleaning or decorating.

ADOPT A FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

  •  Adopt a Family for the Holidays by contacting Heading Home Administrative Offices.  You will be assigned either a family or a group of families to adopt for the holidays.
  • We recommend the average gift amount to range from $20-$40, but of course appreciate any gift that is donated.  We do not accept gifts that are wrapped, so we recommend putting gift tags on the gifts and placing them in gift bags or plain bags.
  • No violent toys should be donated and we appreciate any house wares, gift cards or towels for the fathers/mothers of these families.
  • You will be provided the parent’s and children’s names as well as their ages.  All donations will be delivered to Heading Home Administrative Offices prior to the holiday so that they may be provided to the families who you are adopting.

FAMILY CONNECTIONS

  • Connect with a Family for the Year by contacting Heading Home Administrative Offices.  You will be assigned a participating family.
  • You will be provided the parent’s and children’s names as well as their birthdates.  All donations will be delivered to Heading Home Administrative Offices, so that they may be provided to the families who you are connecting with.
  • You will have a scheduled time to meet with your family to get to know them and to interact and engage with them.
  • We encourage you to schedule activities outside of the shelter to do with the your family such as movies or museums.
  • Contact must be kept with the Heading Home Administrative Offices, so that we are aware of all activities.

FAMILY DINNER & ENTERTAINMENT NIGHTS

  • The Boston Family Shelter is looking for groups/individuals to sponsor some entertainment and fun for families, by throwing a party or hosting a get together.
  • Ideas include, but are not limited to: a 4th of July BBQ, a Halloween party, a movie night, a pizza party with face painting, or cooking a nice dinner.
  • Groups/Individuals would be responsible for providing food for all attendees including the families, as well as an activity for the kids. 
  • With the help of your family, co-workers or a few friends, you can help the Boston Family Shelter families have some much needed fun.