“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Volunteer Opportunities

Whether you are an individual, faith community, business, school, or youth group, Homeward Bound offers numerous opportunities for volunteers to provide much-needed services to people transitioning into a home.

Make a Difference

Ending chronic homelessness in our region is a community effort. Without volunteers like you, we could not provide services for as many as a thousand or more people annually at AHOPE or collect, sort and distribute furniture and household items at our Welcome Home Donation Center for those transitioning out of homelessness.

Be the Key

Fill out a volunteer application today, the first step in our volunteer process.

Volunteer Application
Volunteer at AHOPE Day Center.

AHOPE is the only day center for people experiencing homelessness in the region. AHOPE provides services including showers, coffee, mail services, and storage of personal belongings for an average 172 people a day. Above it all, AHOPE is also the first step on the journey back to permanent housing. Volunteers are critical to the successful operation of AHOPE.

Typical tasks include:

  • Sort and handout mail
  • Answer phone and take messages
  • Respond to requests for items such as towels and toiletries
  • Help clients access their medications
  • Organize and clean the day center
  • Assist case managers to ensure our clients overall wellbeing

We also invite individuals to share talents and interests that can assist our clients with employment, whole-health resiliency and community integration/involvement.

Volunteer at the Welcome Home Donation Center.

The Welcome Home Donation Center collects furniture and household goods donated from community members and distributes them to individuals and families moving from homelessness to housing. Creating a furnished home is key to Homeward Bound’s 92% retention rate.

Typical tasks include:

  • Organize, sort, and pack household items at the donation center
  • Sponsor a Move-In Box including toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other household goods for $250
  • Sponsor a Housewarming by collecting items from our clients’ wish list to directly enhance someone’s life.
Volunteer in our administrative offices.

The Homeward Bound administration offices are where important fundraising, human and public relations, communications, as well as executive functions take place. Volunteers with a special interest in clerical, resource development, or technical writing tasks are invited to volunteer with our administration team. Admin tasks include but are not limited to greeting visitors, data entry, filing, stamping and stuffing envelopes, and database organization. 

Organize a donation drive.

Organize a donation drive to collect items in need at your business, faith community, school or community center. Call 828.412.5322 or click here to get started with a donation drive

College Internships with Homeward Bound

Internships provide access to internal employment, networking opportunities, building community partnerships, and professional reference letters. A Homeward Bound Intern will support Homeward Bound’s work to end homelessness through the Housing First model by supporting different programs with their specific needs. Click here to learn more.

“I don’t know if I ever expressed this, but I was always impressed with the level of work you do at Homeward Bound and [the Day Center]. There is so much respect and human dignity in it. Also, you waste absolutely nothing. You can take a small amount of resources and make it perform so many different services. Thanks for letting me volunteer with you!”

Michael

Volunteer at AHOPE

Interested in volunteering?

Send us an email at volunteer@homewardboundwnc.org,
or give us a call at 828.772.1840.

“If I’m gonna die, I want to die in my own bed.”

READ MAE’S STORY

Donate $

No matter how much you give, every dollar works hard to provide the services necessary to fulfill the mission of ending homelessness in our community.

Learn more

Listen to our Dwelling Podcast to learn how your donations can help make Home is Key a success.