Join our Shelter Family - Volunteer!

Spend the Night
Two volunteers assist our Resident Manager each night by serving the evening meal, handing out supplies, and just being a friend to our guests. Volunteers can turn in for the night once our guests are in bed. The Resident Manager stays on the premises the entire time that the shelter is open. In the morning, the volunteers and Resident Manager will set out breakfast and give our guests a smile as they head out for the day.

Read the Volunteer Guide (3 page pdf).

To learn more or to volunteer, email info@sishelter.org or call Sallie at (404) 873-3147.

Prepare a Meal
Volunteer cooks prepare a delicious hot kosher meal for 18 people every night. Meals can be as simple as hot dogs and beans or as elaborate as you will find in a top class restaurant. The love that our cooks put into their meals is deeply appreciated by our residents and volunteers. In fact, we have overnight volunteers who specifically request the night when their favorite cook is doing the honors! To find out more about preparing a meal—or making a monetary donation toward the purchase of a meal--contact Annette Easton at (404) 874-5365 or annett-z@mindspring.com

P.S. Even if you don't have a kosher kitchen, you can help either by working with someone who does or by donating a breakfast of kosher instant grits, oatmeal, milk, and orange juice.

Special Volunteer Opportunities
It takes a community to run a shelter. If staying overnight or cooking a meal does not fit in your schedule, there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities. Just leave a message at (404) 873-3147, and we will find a way to use your unique talents.

Special volunteer opportunities include:

Empowerment Presenters
In the evening and Sunday afternoons we will present empowerment programs to teach life and employment skills. Topics include: Decision-making, Managing Stress, AIDS and HIV, and Financial Literacy. We would also like to have programs for art, yoga and exercise. Please let us know if you have a special talent or knowledge to share or a presenter to recommend!

Food Bank and Costco/Sam's Shoppers
We need shoppers to go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and/or Costco/Sam's to shop for shelter supplies. Most helpful would be volunteers willing to shop at least once a month for the season.

Sunday Afternoon Volunteers
We attempt to open early (2:00 to 3:00 PM) one Sunday per month to allow the residents the chance to come in early and relax. On these days, we also try to have special programs such as beauty makeovers or manicures. Sometimes we just watch a video and have popcorn. Volunteers make it possible for our guests to enjoy some down time.

Holiday Volunteers
We are open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and need volunteers to help keep the shelter open during the daytime hours. Volunteers would assist either the Resident Manager or the Shelter Director. Having the shelter open 24 hours on these three days when so much of Atlanta is “shut down” is a special gift to our residents.

Shelter Set-up and Break-down
Each fall, we have to prepare the shelter for our residents, and each spring, we have to prepare the shelter for the off-season. We look for groups of volunteers to spend an afternoon or evening getting the shelter ready for the next season.

Handy Person Renovations
If you can paint, build a cabinet, fix a broken door handle, lay tiles, or are just all-around handy, we can really use you in our continued effort to improve the shelter environment.

Emergency Dental Services
Most seasons, we have residents in need of emergency dental help. The local clinic usually has a 6-month wait, and someone needing a root canal or tooth extraction can't wait that long. Several dentists have been friends of our shelter over the years. We don't want to take advantage of their generosity, and therefore we are always looking for more professional volunteers.

Fundraising Committee
We pride ourselves in running the Shelter in an extremely cost-effective manner, but we rely on donations to make ends meet.