Volunteer Opportunities

We have volunteer opportunities year-round for adults ages 18 years and older; please review the list below to see how you would like to help. We ask for a minimum commitment of three months, and most volunteers work one or two days per week for two to five hours per day.

For students ages 12-18, our volunteer opportunities are primarily during the summer months of June, July and August due to overlap between school hours and our hours of operation.

How To Volunteer

Apply To Volunteer Here

E-Mail Address: volunteer@stjosephctr.org
Fax: 310-399-3040

Mailing Address:
Shelly Aydin
Volunteer Relations Manager
St. Joseph Center
204 Hampton Drive
Venice, CA 90291-8633

Please review the list of Volunteer Opportunities below, fill out our Volunteer Application Form

Please be as specific as possible with regard to your program preferences and time availability.

We will confirm receipt of your application and then contact you when we have openings that match your interests and availability.

(**Please note: Recruitment for new volunteers is generally on hold from October through December, due to our busy holiday season.)

Returning Volunteers

Group Volunteers

Contact:
Aurilla Stevson at (310) 396-6468, ext. 332
Volunteer Relations Assistant

For groups who want to support St. Joseph Center, we always welcome donation drives, especially for items noted on our Wishlist page, which are always in high demand at our Homeless Service Center and/or Food Pantry. Occasionally, we may also have opportunities for small groups of five to ten to volunteer together onsite.

Please contact Volunteer Relations Assistant Aurilla Stevson at (310) 396-6468, ext. 332 for more information about drives and potential group opportunities.

Food Pantry

Location SJC Main Campus

204 Hampton Drive, Venice, 90291

Mondays 8:00am-12:00pm,

Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00am – 12:00pm; 12:00pm – 3:00pm

Our Food Pantry provides low-income households with supplemental groceries up to once per week.

Volunteer duties: Assisting Food Pantry staff with sorting through donations, assembling grocery bags for clients and grocery delivery drivers, stocking shelves with donations as needed, and helping to keep the Food Pantry clean and organized. Ability to be on feet for up to 3-4 hours, ability to lift up to 25lbs repeatedly.

Bilingual abilities in Spanish or Russian are very helpful.

Weekly commitment is preferred.

Food Pantry Grocery Delivery

Location: SJC Main Campus

204 Hampton Drive, Venice 90291

Tuesday and/or Thursday 9:30am – 12:30pm

Volunteer duties: Pick up groceries from our Food Pantry on Tuesday and/or Thursday mornings and deliver to clients’ doorsteps.

Requirements: Must have valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and proof of insurance to participate.

Weekly commitment is preferred.

Bread & Roses Café

Location: 663 Rose Avenue, Venice 90291

Monday through Friday 8:00am-12:30pm

Our Café serves freshly made, hot meals to men and women who are unhoused in a restaurant-style setting. Volunteers should be prepared to remain for an entire shift.

Volunteer duties: Setting tables, preparing beverages, bread and fruit for the meal, greeting, and serving guests, and preparing for the next serving time.

Weekly commitment is preferred. Changing COVID-19 protocols may affect availability.

Homeless Service Center Mail Service

Location:  404 Lincoln Blvd, Venice 90291

Monday through Friday, 8:00am-12:00pm

Our Homeless Service Center connects unhoused individuals with mental health services, housing, case management, and basic resources. We provide showers, mailboxes, device charging and assistance with registering to receive hot meals at Bread & Roses Café.

Volunteer duties: Pick up mail from our Hampton location and transport to our Homeless Services Center (HSC) to sort, alphabetize and stamp mail for clients to pick up.

Requirements: Volunteers must have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, proof of insurance, able to stand for long periods, alphabetize mail, and greet clients.

Weekly commitment is preferred.

Homeless Service Center Voicemail

Location: Virtual/Remote

**Schedule varies

This is a virtual volunteer opportunity where volunteers can assist from their own homes.

Volunteer duties: Listen to recorded voicemails and return calls and/or route to correct departments (both inside and outside SJC) as needed. Volunteers are provided training to accurately route callers.

Requirements: Attend HSC Voicemail training and watch training video prior to starting.