St. Catherine’s Shelter for Women and St. Matthew's Shelter for Men are overnight program shelters for homeless women and men. These clients stay at the shelter for 3 to 6 months, working through a case plan to reach their goals, gain permanent supportive housing, and ultimately achieve self-sufficiency. These 9-bed shelter provides private living quarters, in which clients can sleep nightly, and are provided a small room, have access to a shared living room, laundry, bathrooms, and kitchen, and may leave personal items during the day. This Shelter serves individuals who are established in one of the following programs: CHATT Foundation’s 90-day job training program, VIP addiction recovery with Homeless Healthcare, and CHATT Foundation’s Permanent Supportive Housing.
Overall Goal: To assist with the shelter's overall functions, ensure a safe environment for all residents, staff, and volunteers, uphold trauma-informed practices, and supervise the residents overnight.
Ideal Volunteers: Volunteer(s) who are willing to stay overnight in the shelter and are interested in supporting homeless men and women.
Nightly Tasks, Operations, and Schedule:
- Arrive at the shelter no later than 6 pm.
- Assisting staff with client intakes and orientations.
- Assisting residents by providing basic items, information, and attention.
- Perform headcounts, room checks, and open/close procedures.
- Ensure all residents are out of the shelter by 6:30 am
Volunteer(s) are provided a private room with a private half bath. This room comes equipped with a twin bed, bed linens, pillows, and Wi-Fi access. Volunteers may also use the shared living room TV, and the shared kitchen’s fridge, microwave, dishwasher, and coffee maker.
Volunteers are also encouraged to interact with shelter residents. Using the shared living spaces, volunteers can connect with the residents and participate in activities like card games, dinners, movie nights, etc.
By responding to this opportunity, you show your interest in volunteering. The volunteer coordinator will reach out for scheduling and orientation.
