We consider our volunteers to be the heart of Rosie’s Place, a committed group of people who are motivated by true and ongoing unconditional love.  Our volunteers make a real difference by improving the quality of the lives of poor and homeless women. Our work is made possible because people are still willing to give of themselves with gifts of time, energy and love.

Volunteers first opened our doors in 1974, they alone ran Rosie’s Place for many years and today volunteers are still critical to our ability to empower and support our guests.  We have volunteers working in virtually every department in our organization, and together they annually donate the work of 21 full time staff!    We have volunteers from all walks of life—students, families, individuals, religious organizations, corporations, groups of friends—just about anyone can find a place to offer their talents and skills at Rosie’s Place. Volunteers are so important to Rosie’s Place that the only criterion to run for election to our Board of Directors is to have been a volunteer 6 times in the last 6 months.

Volunteers are not extras – they are essential members of our community. Each day we serve lunch and dinner to nearly 150 women and children at each meal with only 2 staff members and groups of volunteers. These meals would not happen without the many wonderful people who are willing to give their time and energy to us!

We ask all of our individual volunteers to commit to a regular schedule of at least twice a month on the same day or days for at least 3 months. An example would be a volunteer who works every other Tuesday dinner. This allows the volunteers to get to know the other volunteers on their shift. All new individual volunteers need to attend a volunteer orientation which is held regularly, before they will be put on the schedule. They will then be given a volunteer number that they will use to sign in at Volunteer Kiosk in the lobby.

Group volunteers come on a regularly scheduled basis such as the 3rd Thursday of the month as well as on a one time basis. Groups do not need to attend the volunteer orientation but do need to schedule dates in advance with the volunteer services staff.

Interns also play a critical role at Rosie’s Place. Each semester we need up to 12 interns to work with staff in departments such as Advocacy, ESL, Special Events and Public Relations, The Women’s Craft Cooperative and other areas. Interns get a chance to understand the lives of poor and homeless women and children and to learn about the societal barriers as well as the personal issues which bring these women to us.

Rosie’s Place literally cannot succeed without the work of our volunteers! When you join the team of volunteers and interns at Rosie’s Place, you join our family.