WINTER SHELTER VOLUNTEER SHIFTS AND DUTIES
Shelter Operates between November 1 – April 15 annually
6:30pm - 9:30pm: Evening reception (includes set up/intake) (2
shifts available per evening)
Duties/Tasks:
- Arrive at 6:30 at the shelter, 1157 Sutherland Ave (back entrance, we're
upstairs!) - Please don't be later than 6:30pm, guests cannot come
upstairs until reception volunteers are here for the Intake staff member.
(Intake for guests is at 7pm - 8pm)
- You will be working with our Intake Staff person, and one other evening
reception volunteer.
- Please introduce yourself to the staff person and put on your nametag;
check in with the staff person, who will give you direction for that
evening
- Verify location of flashlights and whistles for safety purposes.
- You will be greeting guests as they arrive; helping with intake;
monitoring the main area, bath rooms, and outside smoking areas and
reporting to staff
- Play a game or share time with guests
- Help with organizing the room for special activities; help serve hot drink
and meal
- Set out the folded bedding on the mattresses: one bottom sheet, one top
sheet, one pillow and pillow and pillow case, two blankets.
- Help settle guests in their sleeping areas
9pm - 6am: Overnight stay (1 shift available per night) (must be 19
or older, can sleep)
Duties/Tasks:
- Arrive at 9:00PM at the shelter, 1157 Sutherland Ave (back entrance,
we're upstairs!)
- Please introduce yourself to the staff person
- Guests will have already arrived between 7pm - 8pm. (our intake stops
at 8pm)
- Interact with guests, staff and volunteers present, ask what needs to be
done; put on your name tag
- Verify location of flashlights and whistles for safety purposes.
- Lights will be dimmed at 10pm. Lights will be out and all quiet by
10:15PM.
- As the overnight volunteer you may go to sleep after guests have settled
in their beds. The night staff is on duty throughout the evening and night
to respond to any emergency. If the staff needs the overnight volunteer,
they will wake you.
- Lights in the corridor will be dimmed and washroom lights are left on.
Make sure downstairs door is locked.
- Fire alarm drills will be conducted at times for the safety of everyone.
6am - 8:30am: Morning shifts (2 shifts available per morning) (if you
have to leave a little earlier than 8:30am to get to work, that is ok.
Please let staff know!)
Duties/Tasks:
- Arrive at 6AM at shelter, 1157 Sutherland Ave (back entrance, we're
upstairs!)
- Please introduce yourself to the morning staff person and put on your
name tag.
- Verify location of flashlights and whistles for safety purposes.
- Help staff and volunteer to awaken guests by 6:15AM to give them time
to wash, pack up their gear, put linens in bins, fold blankets and to
organize themselves before breakfast and their 7AM departure.
- Mattresses are stored along the walls of the hall. Unless physically
unable to help, guests should assist with the storage of mattresses,
disposal of laundry and other general clean-up.
- Help staff and volunteer with breakfast set up and clean up.
- Some guests may have been awakened early (usually around 5:00AM)
to go to work. Volunteers or other guest pitch in to take care of their
linens.
- Make sure guests leave the area outside promptly.
- Help to clean main sleeping hall, kitchen, bathroom, hallway and stairs
(sweep daily, wash when needed).
- store away food, dishes, laundry containers, and supplies.
Approximately 6pm - 9pm for Food preparation & Service (1
available per night) Signing up for a "food shift" means that you're
purchasing and preparing the meal or snack at the shelter's kitchen.
Guests are to be served the meal at 8pm.
(Note: Tuesdays and Thursdays are shifts for serving food only, *no
cooking*, as we have food provided by an outside source.)
Duties/Tasks:
- Purchase food to be prepared at the shelter to comply with Public
Health expectations. Volunteers are welcome to come into the shelter at
6pm or earlier if they need more than 2 hours -- use the back entrance,
we're upstairs! A staff person and other volunteers will be available from
6pm onward should you need someone to serve or help you serve the
meal.
- Please introduce yourself to the staff person at the door and put on
your name tag.
- Verify location of flashlights and whistles for safety purposes.
- The cost of the evening meal is a donation of the person(s) who
prepares it. An in-kind receipt will be issued upon request.
- Evening meals do not need to be extravagant or expensive! Let your
own budget be your guide.
- The kitchen is small, but two people can comfortably work together on
a food shift!
- Please keep in mind that some of our guests do not have many teeth, so
if there is at least one softer option available, it's is appreciated.
- Please avoid dishes like chili and other spicy foods as many of our
guests have delicate systems and it is close quarters through the night :-)
- Please keep in mind that these meals are often the only opportunity for
our guests to receive healthy meals -- every effort towards nutrition will
assist our guests over all physical and mental well being.
- Desserts are not necessary, as we are trying to avoid stimulants in the
evening. Fruit or low sugar baking is a wonderful treat if you really want
to offer something after the meal.
- After the evening meal, the serving area is cleared. If you can stay to
help, please help remove all food and all service items to the kitchen.
Guests are not allowed into the kitchen area.
- We now have a sanitizing dishwasher to properly clean the plates, cups,
cutlery, etc.
For more information, or to volunteer, contact:
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Volunteer & Shelter Coordinator – Tara Tschritter
Phone: (250) 448-6403 Admin Office
Phone: (250) 448-5153 Shelter - 1157 Sutherland Ave.
Email: [email protected]
Register to volunteer on our website at:
www.innfromthecoldkelowna.org