Mission Volunteer Opportunities: North America

Location #1: Ketchikan Hostel 
Position: Assistant Hostel Manager
Duration: Mid-May thru Mid-September 
Estimated monthly living expenses: A private room is provided. Plan on $250 for meals. Work description: Ketchikan is an island community located along the southeast coastline of Alaska. During the summer months, Ketchikan welcomes visitors from around the world who come by air, cruise lines and ferry to enjoy the island’s diverse activities of hiking, fishing, camping, and natural history. For the past 38years, The United Methodist Church has had a ministry of hospitality to hostelers. The hostel is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The assistant hostel manager is the face of The United Methodist Church to travelers in need of lodging. The mission volunteer will welcome the guests and orientate them, answer the telephone and respond to emails, receive payments from hostelers and maintain a receipt ledger, make deposits for refunds, ensure the cleanliness of the dormitories and public spaces, and maintain the linens.

Location #2: Birchwood Camp, Chugiak 
Position: Assistant Camp Host
Duration: March-June OR July-October
Estimated monthly living expenses: A private room is provided. Plan on $250 for meals. Work description: Birchwood Camp is a year-round camp and retreat center about 30 miles north of Anchorage. A place of tranquility, the camp exists to provide others with an experience of Christian love. The Assistant Camp mission volunteer/s are responsible for hosting the guest groups and campers, assisting in overall camp operation, and some office work. Qualified candidates would have excellent hospitality skills, being able to ensure that guests feel welcomed and comfortable during their stay.

Location: Los Angeles area 
Position: House Parent/s 
Duration: 3-4 months or more – year-round 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $100, including housing and meals. Work description: House parent/s will assist with the ultimate goal of helping immigrant families with safe passage through the immigration asylum system using the resources of the Safe Harbor Network. House parent/s stay in private accommodations within the temporary emergency shelter. They assist asylum-seeking families with their urgent initial needs and, as time allows, gain an understanding of different cultures and the legal issues asylees face.

Location: Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC), Pawnee 
Position: Volunteer Leader
Duration: 2 months or more – year-round
Estimated monthly living expenses: Plan on $300 a month, including housing and meals. Work description: Since 2000, Midwest Mission has been distributing education, health, micro-business and disaster relief supplies locally, nationally and internationally, seeking to meet basic human needs during times of crisis. As a cooperating depot in the UMCOR Supply Network, Midwest Mission distributes UMCOR supplies in response to disasters within the United States. Volunteer leaders greet volunteers, aid staff in delegating, educating and monitoring volunteers in their various work assignments, receive and log donations, and other duties as assigned in correlation to individual gifts and talents.

 

Location: Henderson Settlement, Frakes 
Duration: Varies depending on position. 2 months or more. 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $150-300 depending on season, including meals, housing and transport. 
Work Description: Henderson Settlement, established in 1925, is a nonprofit organization located in rural Appalachia. It is a missionary project of The United Methodist Church, under the Red Bird Missionary Conference and the General Board of Global Ministries. Henderson Settlement offers a variety of services; the three primary ministry areas are Mission Outreach, Community Outreach and Youth Development. 

Position #1: Work Camp Project Assistant – Helps project coordinator operate tool shop and assist volunteer teams to get their tools each workday. Their tasks may include delivery to work sites and retrieval of tools and unused materials. Should be able to interact with community and other work campers. Needs to have a basic knowledge of tool and building materials. No major physical restrictions. This is a year-round position. 

Position #2: Dining Hall Cook Assistant – Helps prepare and serve meals, wash dishes, clean dining hall and other duties as needed. This includes a 2 meal-a-day shift. There is an opportunity to interact with the community and staff. This is for Spring-Summer-Fall only. 

Position #3: Outreach Ministries Assistant – Helps with daily community services and programming. A typical day would start with meeting the director and helping to facilitate the needs of that day. This could include ministries such as youth, senior care, women’s group or food pantry. This provides a great opportunity to interact with the community. This is a year-round position. 

Position #4: Mission Awareness and Communications Assistant – Extend mission awareness with an audience of shared partners in ministry. This could include maintenance of web pages, Facebook, phone and printed materials. The software eTapestry is used for donor management and fundraising. Might involve assistance in the creation of videos and presentations on multiple software platforms. Could also include general office duties as needed. This is a year-round position.

Location: Calcasieu Mission of Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders, Sulphur 
Position: Assistant Volunteer Coordinator and Client Relationships 
Duration: 3 months or more – year-round
Estimated monthly living expenses: $350, including housing, meals and transport. Work description: Calcasieu Mission is an ecumenical disaster recovery program working with the Louisiana Annual Conference. Using volunteer teams and individuals, they are helping the area recover after Hurricanes Laura and Delta. This position will be assisting volunteers on the job sites and then ensuring the volunteers have a mutually positive experience while they are serving. In addition, the role will be working with homeowner clients during the entire rebuilding process.

Location: Cass Community Social Services, Detroit 
Position: Assistant to the Facilities Director 
Duration: 3 months or more – year-round
Estimated monthly living expenses: $100, including housing, meals and transport. Work description: Cass Community Social Services is a social service agency with 13 buildings and 25 tiny homes as well as two 4-unit apartment buildings. They provide temporary residency to people without homes as well as a free health clinic. Working closely with the facilities director, this position will focus on maintaining the facilities and may work alongside volunteers and mission teams occasionally. Qualified candidates would have a basic knowledge of building maintenance, be able to work alongside others who are less skilled and have a safe driving record.

Location: El Calvario Immigrant Advocacy Center, Las Cruces 
Position: General Shelter/Resettlement Assistant 
Duration: 2 to 6 months – year-round 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $250, including housing, meals and transport. Work description: El Calvario is an Immigrant Advocacy Center located in a United Methodist Church which provides temporary shelter to those in need in various locations around the New Mexico and Texas southern border. The mission volunteer will assist with welcoming and hospitality ministries, transportation (church provided) and checking on the needs of newcomers. They will also assist the case managers, setup of homes, and provide general assistance for the El Calvario staff in providing services to various migrant populations in Las Cruces/El Paso. The volunteer will help newcomers become familiar with the culture. Assistance needed with resettlement, shelter or community outreach, which could be taking migrants to appointments or shopping.

Location: McCurdy Ministries Community Center, Espanola 
Position: Various – see descriptions below
Duration: 2 months or more, Spring through Fall
Estimated monthly living expenses: $300 for groceries. Housing is provided. 

Work descriptions: MMCC is a 100+ year old United Methodist National Mission Institution (formerly known as McCurdy Schools of Northern New Mexico) providing afterschool, preschool, mental health counseling, summer camp and youth programs. 

Position #1: Asst. Retreat Center Host: The host will welcome volunteers on campus and assist throughout their stay as well as manage the MMCC gift shop when volunteer groups are visiting. 

Position #2: Asst. VIM Work Coordinator: Works with a team to plan and coordinate VIM teams and individuals. Ensures all the necessary equipment and materials are ready for volunteers. Work alongside the volunteers on projects.

Location #1: Hinton Rural Life Center, Hayesville 
Position: Various – see below 
Duration: 2 months or more, August-May 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $275 for groceries. An apartment is provided on campus. 

Work descriptions: 

Hinton Rural Life Center is a lakeside retreat and conference center in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina and is also a mission agency with year-round opportunities for individual volunteers and mission teams to work on campus and alongside neighbors. 

Position #1: Sanctuary Garden Assistant: Working with a team of local volunteers, the mission volunteer will help implement a new initiative – Sanctuary Trails and Gardens – by enhancing existing trails and gardens into spaces for reflection and renewal. Work will include trail improvement, new plantings, installation of garden items such as chimes, art and interactive structures. Can also help create resources such as prayer and meditation guides. Access to site amenities during off hours. 

Position #2: Safe & Healthy Homes Asst. Coordinator: Responsibilities include safety checks of local homes for hazardous or unsafe conditions. Minor improvements such as smoke detector installations. Perform educational outreach and follow-up with homeowners so that their health and safety improve. Access to site amenities during off hours.

Location #2: Haywood Street Congregation, Asheville 
Position: Community Resident and Respite Companion
Duration: 3 months or more – year-round 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $175, includes private room, meals/groceries. Work description: HSC is a mission church with a particular focus on welcoming those most excluded by the world – especially those living with mental illness, formerly incarcerated, jobless, houseless or in active addiction. The volunteer’s primary focus will be supporting the Downtown Welcome Table, where lunch is served family style twice a week. Duties include: managing orders from suppliers, training volunteers and joining staff in providing a ministry of hospitality and presence to all who arrive on campus. They will also help with the hospital respite program.

St. Marys, Ohio – Resource and Opportunity Center, In. – The Victor House 
Position: Assistant House Manager
Duration: 2 – 6 months – year-round 
Estimated monthly living expenses: $200, with housing and some meals provided. Work description: The Victor House seeks to provide a Christian, sober-living, transitional home for men ages 18 and up. The volunteer would assist with monitoring activities of each participant, guiding participants in spiritual growth and development of life skills such as budgeting, communication and decision making as well as help lead weekly Bible study and community groups.

Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville 
Position: Property Maintenance Assistant
Duration: 2 months or more – year-round
Estimated monthly living expenses: $250. Housing and some meals are provided. 
Work descriptions: Scarritt Bennett Center is a nonprofit conference, retreat and education center adjacent to Vanderbilt Divinity School that was formerly a school for Christian workers. This person will dedicate focused attention to the refurbishment, restoration and repair of the 100-year-old historic campus located in the heart of Nashville.