Volunteer Opportunities

 Whether you’re one person or part of a group, you’ll find a variety of opportunities that fit your interests and schedule. Sign up to volunteer. Current volunteers, sign in here.

Prepare, Drop off or serve a meal at our shelter

Your church, business, student group, or civic organization volunteers can make a lasting impact by preparing and serving a breakfast, lunch or dinner at Opportunity House homeless shelter. Your small group (5-10 people) plans the meal of your choice on the date of your choice.  Buy the food and prepare the meal at home or in our full-service kitchen.  Then choose to serve it or drop it off and our team will serve it to our clients. We welcome both adults and kids aged 10 and over. View our cooking guidelines.

Join a committee

Lend your planning, management, and organizational skills to help ensure the success of our annual fundraisers. If you’re an artsy type, consider joining our Souper Bowl committee. If glitz and glamor are more your speed, help with Wine, Women, and Shoes. Or lend a hand at our annual Golf Outing or Garden Party.

Organize a service day

Your small business, corporate or social group, church, or college or university organization can come together for several hours or a full day to serve a meal, help tend our community garden or maintain our grounds, clean, paint, or organize, or sort merchandise at our warehouse.

Share your life skills with our clients

Maybe you’re an expert on how to manage money, anger, or stress. Or ace a job interview, eat healthy on a budget, or do mindfulness meditation. Or resolve conflicts, manage time, or make decisions. If you’re a health-care worker, personal trainer, professor, accountant, therapist, or other professional and have a life skill to share with our clients, tell us about it!

Interact with the children at our Second Street Learning Center

Note: This volunteer opportunity has been suspended until further notice to ensure our children’s protection from COVID-19.

Weekdays preferred. Morning volunteers can read to our toddlers and preschoolers or bring a craft to share. After-school volunteers can help with homework or plan a fun after-school activity for our older elementary kids. Read our special guidelines for Learning Center volunteers.

OppShop

OppShop is an upscale thrift store located in the Penn Plaza on the 5th Street Highway, Reading. Volunteers will be responsible for sorting the donations that are dropped off at the store and stocking the shelves with product to sell. OppShop is open Monday thru Saturday 10 am – 7 pm & Sunday 11 am – 6 pm.

SUCCESS STORY

Seeing Herself as a Homeless Woman–Opportunity House

When Amy* came to Opportunity House, she was looking for far more than shelter. She was looking to change her life. The biggest challenges she faced were her perceptions of homeless people. That’s what happened to addicts and lazy people—it wasn’t what she ever thought would happen to her.  She shares her experience and insights […]