Volunteer opportunities

Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery - Certified houseparents are needed for at-risk children in the Spokane community. Shifts are between four and eight hours per week and include diapering, bathing and food preparation. Training will be provided; volunteers must meet state requirements. For more information and other volunteer opportunities, call (509) 535-3155 or visit www.vanessabehan.org.

Victims’ Rights Response Team - Volunteers to become advocates for victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Community volunteers will provide medical and legal advocacy, crisis intervention and information referral to victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Comprehensive 35-hour training is provided and commitments of two evening or weekend shifts per month are required and stipends are available. For more information, call (509) 343-5005.

West Central Episcopal Mission - Volunteers, ages 18 and older, are needed to cook dinner for 80-100 people on the first and fourth Wednesday of each month. Basic cooking experience and a willingness to get a food handler’s permit are required. The mission also needs volunteers to act as table hosts on Wednesdays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8-10:30 a.m. and wash dishes on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11 a.m. The mission’s St. Lawrence House is also looking for volunteers and artists to help visitors. For more information, call Executive Director Kris Christensen at (509) 326-6471, email volunteer@westcentral mission.org or visit http://www.westcentral mission.org/.

Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant - To offer nutritious meals three times a week to women and children in need, volunteers are needed to pick up food, serve, clean up the meals and wash dishes (Mondays, 10 a.m.-1p.m. and Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Must be 18 years or older, have a food handlers card, and be able to lift and carry 25 lbs. Six-month commitment requested). Experienced prep cooks are needed Monday-Thursday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. A food handlers card is required. Volunteers are also needed to set up the dining area (three-hour shift), plate food (six-month commitment requested), act as dining room attendants (six-month commitment requested), electronically keep statistics and help with laundry (two-hour shift), special events (committee work, creating auction packages, marketing, etc.), fundraising, maintenance and repair, and security (three- to four-hour shift). Meals are also prepared and sent to Hope House, St. Margaret’s Shelter and Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery on a regular basis. For details, call Karen Orlando at (509) 324-1995, ext. 300, email volunteer@wcfrspokane.org or visit www.wcfrspokane.org.

Women’s Hearth - Volunteers are needed to interact with women in an open and accepting manner through one-on-one conversation and small or large group activities. They will need to be available to play games, do arts and crafts, assist staff and help with general cleanup activities. Training will be provided. For more information, call (509) 455-4249 or visit www.help4women.org.

World Relief - Volunteers are needed to act as refugee simulation station leaders. Leaders will help participants through various stations including a food station, a medical screening, a language station and a refugee screening interview. For the language station, speaking a second language besides English is required. The organization also needs volunteers to join the Gala Fall Dinner planning committee and to act as ESL/cultural mentors. For more information, contact Volunteer & Intern Coordinator Johnna Nickoloff at (509) 232-2818 or jnickoloff@wr.org.

YWCA of Spokane - The YWCA Women’s Opportunity Center is looking for volunteers to help as job coaches, computer lab support, story collectors, a tech coach and a financial coach, a Jump Start program navigator, wellness facilitators and professionals in the community. The center’s women’s boutique, Our Sister’s Closet, is also looking for a program assistant . Call (509) 326-1190 or email volunteer@ywcaspokane.org for more information.