Volunteer
Make a difference today.
View upcoming opportunities and signup to volunteer.
Volunteers like you make House of Hope possible!
House of Hope Volunteer Positions: As a volunteer, you will be required to complete the House of Hope volunteer application as well as an orientation session. Specific programs may also require additional forms such as a background check.
Looking to get started? Here are some opportunities that allow you to explore our facility and get to know our programs.
Sorting/Organizing Donations: Sort, organize, and distribute donations to efficiently provide residents with necessities.
Front Desk/Receptionist: Receptionists have an important role in greeting guests, scheduling donation appointments, offering community resources and more. Receptionists interact with the organization’s staff, clients, donors, and other volunteers.
Clerical/Administrative Work: Help keep things organized! Some of these tasks may include filing documents, answering phone calls, data entry, mailings, and sorting documents to ensure we continue operating smoothly.
General Cleaning and Light Maintenance: Small tasks make a huge difference with general cleaning and light maintenance in our lobby, offices, bathrooms, conference rooms, and other common areas.
Apartment Cleaning and Staging: Clean and reset apartments for women who are ready to join House of Hope or clean and help our participants move out for a cheerful transition to their next step.
Beautify/Landscape Team: Join the team! Various roles available from monthly weeding and trash pickup to decision-making on planting and dividing to spring and fall project preparation.
Childcare: Are you passionate about making an impact on kids’ lives? Connecting with our House of Hope Kids will be a great way to make a difference.
Children’s Life Skills: Hang out with kids on Wednesday evenings while Mom learns valuable Life Skills! Your job will be to support, love, and be attentive to the children through positive play, providing a safe space for children to play and brains to heal.
Legacy of Hope: Lend a helping hand to a classroom teacher by spending time with little ones during daycare hours. Playing with a toddler, holding a baby and more are some of the fun and helpful tasks with this opportunity.
No School Days: Participate in games, crafts, sports, and snacks with school-aged children when school is not in session. This event occurs when there is no school for the Waterloo School District on one Friday a month along with Holiday Breaks.
Coffee Chats: Coffee Chats is our mom’s social group each Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. Our program is an hour of coffee, breakfast, crafts, and chatting. Volunteers provide childcare while moms connect.
Mother’s Helpers: Mother’s Helpers spend time with kids while moms work toward goals such as cooking, doing laundry, meeting, and tasks or appointments. Your one-on-one time with kids allows the children and our moms to thrive.
Coaching and Teaching
Are you passionate about helping individuals one on one or in a small group setting? These volunteer opportunities are a great way to connect personally with our participants!
Partners for Hope: Build a relationship with a House of Hope participant and lift one another up by recognizing strengths and building resilience through friendship.
Tutors: Volunteer your time with participants to aid their growth in a subject they are wanting help in!
Financial Mentor: Support women by meeting once a week for five weeks to help develop and maintain a financial plan. This program has a classroom-style setting and works closely with the program director. Pairs of volunteers and participants will work through the participant’s finances according to the day’s topic.
Pillars Team: This team connects with young women ages 18-24 in our Pillars program through activities, meals, and seasonal events. Expect to make memories from decorating a Christmas tree to a summer barbeque and everything in between! Make a big difference in a young woman’s life over the course of a one-year commitment.
Life Skills: Add valuable tools to women’s toolboxes. Teach a lesson in your area of expertise during the weekly meeting on a Wednesday evening. Topics include housing, employment, education, financial literacy, health, transportation, coping, parenting skills, wellness, and more.
Boost Career Employment Readiness: Empowers women to work toward career employment. Volunteers teach a one-hour session about soft or hard employment skills.
Planning & Awareness
Do you thrive in leadership roles or want to take initiative? Check out these positions that allow you to get creative or build on your leadership skills!
Group Leader: Assist the volunteer coordinator with large group projects by leading a smaller group in part of that project!
Project Manager: Work with the volunteer coordinator in project planning, gathering supplies, and giving instructions on the work project day.
Fundraisers and Events: Get involved and spread awareness. Help our development team with setup and miscellaneous tasks for events or join our fundraiser committee.
Social Media: Create content and plan posts to engage volunteers on our volunteer group page!
Flexible Schedule or From Home
Check out these opportunities that can be done from home or can work with your schedule!
Transportation/Rides: Break down barriers for mothers at House of Hope by providing transportation at your own pace. Volunteers may provide transportation for a mother in many scenarios, such as a ride to work, an appointment, or the grocery store.
Meal Train: The meal train is a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to donate if they cannot donate their time. We ask for snack donations to support weekly Coffee Chats and No School Days as well as meal donations to support children’s events and family recovery.
Provide Craft Kits: During Coffee Chats, moms have the opportunity to keep their hands busy and exercise creativity through self-led craft activities. Volunteers can purchase, collect, and assemble these kits including instructions.
Group Projects
Participate in a project! Special projects allow groups to serve together. Group projects may involve planning, painting, cleaning, landscaping, preparing apartments, serving mothers a meal, etc.