Volunteer
Short Term Volunteering
Our most needed volunteering opportunity happens every Tuesday to help our Free Store run smoothly. We would love for you to join. You can also consider starting a drive.
More details can be found below.
Long Term Volunteering
Help with office hours where you can assist individuals by listening to concerns, obtaining identification documents, and connecting them with resources. We would also love to have long term help with free store to provide support with stocking, organization, or other common free store tasks.
Different ways to help
Free Store
In May of 2017, we opened our "Free Store." Our clients can come once every calendar month to collect clothing, shoes, coats, toiletries, and other practical items. Our motto is "freely received, freely given."
In a typical month we serve nearly 200 people and distribute more than 1500 items, everything from jeans to sleeping bags to underwear. Some of these items are donated and some we purchase in bulk to get the lowest prices.
We need your help on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 am to help organize and distribute items to our guests.
For volunteers under the age of 18, we will need to have a signed Parental Permission Form on file. Anyone 13 and under will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian while volunteering.
Case Management
At Open Table Ministry, we offer time every week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00- 1:00pm, fondly called ‘Office Hours,’ when we meet with individuals who are looking for long-term support for the housing process, referrals to other organizations for care, and for a listening ear to help discern their next steps.
These radical friendships make it possible for us to learn of ways to come alongside our neighbors, to advocate for appropriate health care, emergency shelter, mental health support, addiction recovery, prescription medications, and provide motivational interviewing as appropriate to individual need. We are often in need of administrative and hospitality support during these times. If that sounds like a good fit for you, please reach out by email to express interest!
Host a Drive
Are you interested in making an impact and getting items from a larger group like your office, boy or girl scout troop, or school activities? We’ve created some lists of things to do to make a large impact. All donated items are given out at our Free store event every Tuesday. Different seasons lead to different needs.
Cold Weather Drives (September - March)
Warm Weather Drives (April - September)