Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
Refugee Resettlement Services
Move-in Support – Volunteer Position Description
Importance of Position:
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services recently began resettling refugees in early 2015 through a contract through the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Refugees are individuals who have fled their countries of origin and who meet
the United Nations' criteria of having a "well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a
particular social group, or political opinion." USCCB, with eight other national agencies, contracts directly with the US State
Department and all of the refugees accepted into the US have gone through extensive security and background checks, often
waiting years to be allowed entry.
SFBFS is responsible for support for the refugee families for their first 90-days in the United States, which includes securing
stable housing. Move-in Support Volunteers will assist with procuring donated furniture and household items, helping to set up
the home/apartment, picking the family up from the airport, settling them in their new home, preparing a welcoming meal for the
family and more.
Qualifications:
 Interest in supporting newly arrived refugee families
 Age 18 and up (under 18 okay if accompanied by a parent)
 Complete SFBFS volunteer orientation and fingerprint background check ($15)
 Bilingual helpful but not required (Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Russian)
Reports to: Reports directly to the Refugee Resettlement Coordinator
Responsibilities (all are optional and can be tailored to volunteers’ individual interests and abilities):
1. Assist SFBFS staff with apartment set-ups including some movement of furniture items
2. Assist to procure donated household items on behalf of the refugee families
3. Assist with furniture pick-up and delivery using personal vehicle or accompanying SFBFS staff in company vehicles
4. Moving furniture on move-in day from SFBFS facilities to refugee home
5. Assist with constructing boxed/packaged furniture items
6. Purchase culturally appropriate food and stock refugee family’s refrigerator and cupboards using personal or designated
funds
7. Prepare culturally appropriate meal for refugee family to eat upon arrival home from airport
8. Assist SFBFS staff to welcome and pick-up the family from the airport
Benefits of volunteering:
 Hands-on, tangible way to help a family in need
 Welcoming a new family to the United States
 Learn about a new culture
 Make a long-lasting impact on a family
Time Commitment:
Program Hours: varies
Minimum commitment: No minimum commitment, can be based on refugee arrival as-needed basis or on the
volunteers’ schedule and availability
Contact Person:
Robin Simpson, Volunteer Services Manager
(916) 456-1980
[email protected]