Are you searching for ways to give back to your community? Of all the places to volunteer in Reading, PA, you won’t find one more worthy than Opportunity House.
Opportunity House provides 24/7 emergency shelter to single men and women and families with children in Berks County, PA, who find themselves without housing. We serve about 500 individuals annually, providing shelter, three meals and a snack daily, access to showers and laundry facilities, hygiene and self-care items, and clothing.
Beyond the immediate needs of the homeless, we also provide a case manager and support services to help homeless individuals address the challenges they need to overcome in order to maintain stable housing. We help residents by providing case management services, assistance in obtaining identification, mental health and drug and alcohol treatment, and other solutions to housing impediments.
In addition to emergency shelter, we offer transitional and permanent housing units to help our clients win the war against homelessness.
Opportunity House also operates the Second Street Learning Center to provide the area’s children with early childhood education and at-risk families with a source of trusted childcare. This institution is a Keystone 4-Star Learning Center that offers programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age youth.
The reuse/recycle program founded and run by Opportunity House includes our thrift store, OppShop, and the warehouse through which we recycle thrift store inventory that goes unsold. The OppShop allows our residents to shop through a voucher system, and the store offers the community personal and household goods at low prices.
Volunteer Opportunities
As you can imagine, a charity that serves as many and extends into as many arenas as we do at Opportunity House requires human and monetary resources. We welcome financial donations online, through the mail, at fundraisers, and at our locations, but we also need volunteers.
Meal Service
Preparing and serving a meal at the shelter is an excellent way for a small group to help Opportunity House residents. We welcome student, civic, and church organizations, among others, to fulfill this need. Participants need to be at least ten years old.
Planning Committee Service
Opportunity House holds several fundraisers each year; they all have to be planned, organized, and pulled off. Each step requires volunteers! Events include:
- Souper Bowl – participants purchase a beautiful, handcrafted piece of pottery and sample a wide variety of provided soups;
- Wine, Women, and Shoes – sip wine, bid on auction items, and shop high-end fashion;
- Golf Event – a beautiful day of golf followed by an outdoor cocktail reception;
- Garden Party – a public dinner to celebrate the community garden’s harvest.
Volunteer a Day of Service
The work of Opportunity House is never done. Whether you’d like to work in the community garden, help maintain the shelter, or put together resident welcome kits, your help is always appreciated.
OppShop Service
Donate your time to OppShop. All of the proceeds made at the thrift store go to support the mission of Opportunity House, and we welcome your service sorting merchandise or welcoming customers as they arrive.
If your goal for service is to help the homeless population in your community of Reading, PA, Opportunity House is the ideal option among all the places you could volunteer your time. Please contribute to the many success stories we help create.
